Abstract
Background:
The identification of health-promoting behaviors is crucial for improving students' overall well-being. A total of 542 undergraduate students from five Saudi Arabian governmental universities were evaluated to assess health-promoting behaviors and explore the factors that influence these behaviors.
Methods:
A descriptive cross-sectional design with a convenience sampling technique was employed to select 542 undergraduate students. A scale of health-promoting lifestyle profile II (HPLP II) and sociodemographic factors were used to assess undergraduate students' healthy behaviors. Healthy behaviors of students were measured on a Likert scale of 1 to 4, with 1 being "never" and 4 being "always." Higher scores would indicate that a student engages in more health-promoting behaviors.
Results:
Undergraduate students had moderate scores (M = 123) for health-promoting behaviors. Among the subscales of HPLP II, spiritual growth displayed the highest mean score (2.79 ± 0.61), while physical activity had the lowest (1.82 ± 0.35). Multiple linear regression showed significant fit (F = 8.57, p ˂ .01) and explained 6% of the variance in health-promoting behaviors. Family income, academic Grade point average (GPA), and smoking status were found to be significantly associated with health-promoting behaviors. The results suggest that students with low income (β = -0.10, p ˂ .05) were more likely to have lower health-promoting behaviors, while students with higher GPAs (β = 0.09, p ˂ .05) and non-smokers (β = 0.10, p ˂ .05) were more likely to have higher health-promoting behaviors.
Conclusion:
The study emphasizes the significance of enhancing behaviors that promote health in undergraduate students, especially in the dimensions of physical activity, coping with stress, and dietary habits.
Publisher
Bentham Science Publishers Ltd.
Subject
Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health,Community and Home Care,Health (social science)
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