Risky health behaviors among students in Majmaah University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia

Risky Behaviours and Students' Academic Life in Higher Education Institutions in Tanzania

Risky behaviours have been a global problem that affects both developed and developing countries. This study explored the risky behaviours and students' academic life in Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) in Tanzania. It was a qualitative study and data were collected through open-ended questionnaires, interviews, and documentary reviews. The study involved a sample of 94 undergraduate students and 3 hostel wardens making 97 participants from the selected university. The findings indicate that students involved in having more than one sexual partner, alcoholism, and unsafe sex, and were prone to be exposed to the Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) that affected their academic life at university. The findings also indicate that having more than one sexual partner was the most alarming risky behaviour among students. The findings indicate further that female students were exposed to early pregnancies, carry-over cases, and poor academic performance in the University Examinations. It is argued in this study that if HEIs have to safeguard their students from risky behaviours, they need to strengthen the orientation programmes, guidance, and counselling services including gender-relation training programmes for students to cope with their studies and survive after their graduation. Nevertheless, enforcing the rules and regulations by dealing with those who violate them and provision of Human Immunodeficiency Virus (HIV)/Acquired Immunodeficiency Syndrome (AIDS) and sexually transmitted infections (STIs) preventive programmes to safeguard the students also remain imperative.

Prevalence of smoking among undergraduate students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: A meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

In recent years, tobacco smoking has become a major public health concern in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), particularly among adolescents and college students. Hence, the current study aimed to collect the available evidence of smoking prevalence in KSA over the past decade (2014-2023) among college students in KSA and to find its pooled prevalence.

METHODS

This meta-analysis obtained relevant studies from PubMed, published during the period April 2014 to June 2023. All articles published in English in study venues within the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia on smoking prevalence/ epidemiology/factors among undergraduate and/or college-going students were included. Systematic review and review articles were excluded. MedCalc was used to calculate the pooled prevalence (95% CI).

RESULTS

Among the 258 initial pool of articles, 34 fulfilled the eligibility criteria. Further screening revealed only 34 articles met the inclusion criteria for this meta-analysis. These studies' minimum and maximum sample sizes were 208 and 3322, respectively. The lowest prevalence was 7.9%, and the highest was 59.57%. Hence, using the random effect model, the pooled prevalence of this study was 24.5% (95% CI: 21.013-28.09).

CONCLUSIONS

The pooled prevalence of smoking is found to be 24.5%. Periodical educational seminars and related content must be arranged for college/university students to minimize the prevalence; hence, by reducing the smoking prevalence, morbidity and mortality can be minimized.

Undergraduates' lifestyle and Suboptimal Health Status (SHS): A cross-sectional study in the Ha'il region of Saudi Arabia

BACKGROUND

University students in Saudi Arabia are embracing some of the negative traits of the fast-paced modern lifestyle, typified by unhealthy eating, low physical activity, and poor sleep habits that may increase their risk for poor health. Health and holistic well-being at the population level are among the priorities of the 2030 vision of a vibrant society in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The current study thus aims at determining the prevalence and predictive factors of Suboptimal Health Status (SHS) among university students.

METHODS

A cross-sectional study was conducted among 9,026 undergraduate students between 31st May and 15th June 2023. The data was collected through an online questionnaire using the Arabic translation of the SHS (ASHSQ-25) and the Simple Lifestyle Indicator Questionnaire (SLIQ). The chi-square test, Canonical Correlation Analysis (CCA), hierarchical multiple regression, and Receiver Operating Characteristic (ROC) were performed to analyze the data using IBM SPSS software (version 25.0) at a significance level of p<0.05.

RESULTS

The findings showed that 33.7% (3038) of the students were classified as having SHS. The prevalence of SHS was statistically higher among younger and those studying social science discipline, overweight, had poor diets, engaged in low physical activity, and slept <6 hours (p<0.001). Canonical loadings of these factors were significant in predicting the five SHS dimensions range (0.52-0.97). Furthermore, the extracted significant variables from the multiple regression analysis indicated the final model (Model 3) was statistically significant, R2 = 0.646, F (6,9019), p <0.0001, suggesting that 64.6% of the variance in the SHS can be explained by the predictor variables in the model. These variables included age, college, academic level, diet, BMI, and sleeping duration.

CONCLUSION

Findings show that modifiable predictors such as poor sleep quality, higher BMI scores, and poor dietary habits increase SHS risk among university students in Saudi Arabia. Therefore, the findings of this study emphasize the necessity of early interventions that promote healthy lifestyles.

Assessment of food consumption, smoking, alcohol use, and physical activity by sex and major of study among a sample of college students in Jordan

This study aimed to assess the food frequency and health-related risk behaviors based on gender and major of study (health and non-health majors) in a sample of undergraduate university students. A cross-sectional study was conducted among 708 undergraduate university students (37.4% males; 62.6% females) with a mean age of 20.88(SD = 2.20), ranging from 18 to 37 years from five universities. A self-reported questionnaire was administered in the university classrooms to collect data. Results showed that 47.3% of students reported consuming fruits and vegetables (38.1%), and 54% reported consuming unhealthy foods at least once in the preceding 24 h. About 16% of the students were cigarette smokers, 17% were waterpipe smokers, and slightly more than 4% were alcohol consumers. Significant associations were found between the participants based on their sexes, and study majors (P < 0.001). Male students smoked and consumed alcohol at significantly higher rates than female students. As with regards to the physical activity in the preceding week, students had not carried out any stretching activities (52.8%), strengthening activities (62.4%), cycling (35%), or taken part in any physical activity classes (68.4%). The rates of physical activity were significantly higher among male students than female students (p < 0.001). The results showed that non-health major students differ from those in health majors in the consumption of cigarettes (p < 0.001) and waterpipe smoking (p = 0.027). Students in non-health majors were more likely than students in health majors to have carried out stretching activities (p = 0.021) and participated in physical activity classes (p = 0.02). Our findings highlighted the importance of identifying health-related risk behaviors among university students to develop a health-promoting intervention tailored to a specific group of students considering their sex and study majors.

Sociodemographic and academic factors associated with unhealthy lifestyle among Brazilian nursing students

This study aimed to identify sociodemographic and academic factors associated with unhealthy lifestyles among Brazilian undergraduate nursing students. A cross-sectional study was completed by 286 nursing students in Brazil. Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine the association between sociodemographic and academic variables with the latent lifestyle indicator. The model fit's validity was assessed using Akaike information coefficient estimation, Hosmer-Lemeshow test, and the ROC curve. A high health risk lifestyle was 2.7 times more likely among students aged 18-24 years than students aged 25 years or older (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = [1.18, 6.54] p = 0.02); 2.3 times more likely among students with ≥400 h of semester time (OR = 2.3, 95% CI = [0.93, 5.90], p = 0.07); and 3.8 times more likely among female students (OR = 3.8, 95% CI = [0.82, 8.12], p = 0.09). A moderate health risk lifestyle was 1.8 times more likely among students from the 6th to 10th semesters (OR = 1.8, 95% CI = [-0.95, 3.75], p = 0.07). Sociodemographic and academic factors were associated with unhealthy lifestyles. Health promotion efforts are necessary to improve nursing students' health behaviors.

Technology-Supported University Courses for Increasing University Students' Physical Activity Levels: A Systematic Review and Set of Design Principles for Future Practice

Physical activity levels tend to decrease as adolescents’ transition to adulthood. University course-based interventions utilising technology are a promising idea to combat this decrease. This review aims to systematically identify, critically appraise, and summarise the best available evidence regarding technology-supported university courses that aim to increase student’s physical activity levels. The second aim is to create initial design principles that will inform future practice in the area. Data Sources: CINAHL, ERIC, MEDLINE, ProQuest, PsycINFO, Scopus, SPORTDiscus, Web of Science. Search dates from January 2010 to December 2020. Study Inclusion: RCT or non-RCT or quasi-experimental studies describing university course-based interventions using technology that aim to increase the physical activity levels of university students. Data Extraction: Source (country), methods, participants, interventions, theoretical frameworks and type of technologies, outcome and measurement instrument, and results. Data Synthesis: Systematic review. Result: A total of 1939 articles were identified through databases. Six studies met the inclusion criteria. Conclusion: Four of the six included studies reported significant increases in university students’ physical activity levels. An analysis of the six included studies identified four design principles that future course designers could utilise as they develop technology-supported university courses that aim to increase the physical activity levels of university students. Further work is required to test the effectiveness of these four design principles.

Health-risk behaviors among Iranian university students, 2019: a web-based survey

BACKGROUND

High-risk behaviors are among the most serious threats for the physical and mental health of adolescents and young adults. Our aims in this study were to investigate the subgroups of students based on risky behaviors and to identify the prevalence rate of these subgroups.

METHODS

This cross-sectional web-based survey was conducted from July to August 2019 in Tabriz, Iran. We performed proportional sampling in all nine universities of the city, according to the number of students in each university. Applying an online survey questionnaire, the data were collected from 3649 students and analyzed using Latent Class Analysis.

RESULTS

For total sample, standardized prevalence rates of cigarette smoking, hookah use, alcohol consumption, substance abuse and unsafe sex were 18.5 (Confidence Interval (CI) 95%: 17.3-19.8), 9.1 (CI 95%: 8.2-10.1), 9.2 (CI 95%: 8.3-10.2), 8.3 (CI 95%: 7.4-9.3) and 14.5 (CI 95%: 13.3-15.7), respectively. Three latent classes of risky behaviors were determined among students: a) low risk b) smoking and c) high risk. About 18% of boys and 1.5% of girls were in the high risk class. Cigarette smoking (18.5%, CI 95%: 17.3-19.8) and substance abuse (8.3%, CI 95%: 7.4-9.3) were the most and the least common risky behaviors among the students.

CONCLUSION

In this we-based survey, a considerable number of students, particularly boys (18%), was at high-risk class, stressing the need for preventive interventions for this group of youth. Our findings are beneficial for planning and development of risky-behavior preventive strategies to prevent high-risk behaviors among college students.

Exploring the relationship between health concerns and high-risk behaviours in Medical Sciences' students

Aim

The need to cope with life concerns may drive an individual to resort to high‐risk behaviours. This study aimed to determine the relationship between health concerns and high‐risk behaviours.

Design

A cross‐sectional study.

Methods

We sampled 926 Medical Sciences' students from the North of Iran from September–December 2017 using the stratified sampling method.

Results

The most and less common high‐risk behaviour was physical inactivity (97.5%) and high‐risk sexual behaviour (15.7%), respectively. In multivariate logistic regression analysis, participants' concerns about human sexuality (AOR: 1.39; CI: 1.22, 1.57), injury prevention and control (AOR: 1.12; CI: 1.01, 1.20), nutrition (AOR: 1.13; CI: 1.02, 1.26) and emotional health (AOR: 1.08; CI: 1.02, 1.15) increased the odds of risky behaviours. Among Medical Sciences' students, health concerns are linked with risky behaviours. The result of this study can be used to develop relevant interventions targeting mental health to reduce risky behaviour among youth.

Factors associated with tobacco smoking among Saudi college students: A systematic review

INTRODUCTION

There has been an increase in tobacco smoking among Saudi college students in recent years. However, no study has examined, with a systematic approach, the extent to which specific factors are associated with tobacco smoking among this population.

METHODS

PubMed, ProQuest, CINAHL, and Web of Science were utilized to retrieve studies addressing risk factors associated with tobacco smoking among Saudi college students between 2010 and 2019. After confirming their eligibility criteria, studies were imported to the NVivo software for data collection and synthesis. All included articles were critically appraised, based on a modified STROBE.

RESULTS

Twenty-one out of 300 studies met the eligibility requirements for inclusion. Riyadh was the location, health-related science was the field of study, and male the gender of the population of most of the included studies. Only one study used a longitudinal design based on a theoretical framework, the rest were cross-sectional and lacked theoretical utilization. Four individual and two social factors were established to have a significant relationship with tobacco smoking behavior among college students in four or more studies. Environmental factors were found to be associated with a change in smoking behavior among Saudi college students based on two studies.

CONCLUSIONS

There is a dearth of research in utilizing theoretical frameworks to guide the research in order to propose an intervention program among Saudi college students. Future research should aim to recruit participants from different institutions in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), apply other methodological approaches, test other measurements of tobacco smoking, and utilize a theoretical framework.

The top six risky behaviors among Iranian university students: a national survey

BACKGROUND

Multiple risk-taking behaviors are associated with increased risk of poor educational attainment, morbidity and premature mortality. This study involved a large representative sample of Iranian university students addressing multiple risk behaviors and associated factors.

METHODS

This cross-sectional study included 4261 participants, involving 13 medical universities throughout the country in 2017. The following six risky behaviors were addressed: (a) smoking cigarettes during the past month, (b) using some kinds of illicit drugs during the past month, (c) drinking alcohol during the past month, (d) engaging unprotected sex during the past year, (e) having suicidal ideation during the past month or attempting suicide in the past year, (f) and Internet addiction. The 20-item internet addiction test and the 28-item general health questionnaire were used.

RESULTS

Almost 37.3% of the participants engaged in at least one out of six risky behaviors. The prevalence of Internet addiction was 24.5%, cigarette smoking 13.5%, alcohol use 7.8%, illicit drug abuse 4.9%, unprotected sex 7.8%, suicidal ideation 7.4%, attempting suicide 1.7% and general health problems 38.9%.

CONCLUSION

A majority of the Iranian university students studied engaged in at least one risky behavior. Engaging in one risky behavior increases the risk of engaging in other risk-taking behaviors.

Comparison of health-promoting lifestyle behaviours between female students majoring in healthcare and non-healthcare fields in KSA

Objective

University students are considered to be at a critical stage of their lives. As members of the young generation, they tend to adopt unhealthy behaviours. These behaviours can adversely impact their health. Level of health promotion is a significant determinant of health status. This study compared healthy lifestyle habits of female university students enrolled in health-related (previously published) and non-health-related (present study) programmes in the KSA to identify variations and associations between such habits and demographic characteristics.

Methods

A cross-sectional study, using the Health-Promoting Lifestyle Profile II (HPLP-II) questionnaire, was conducted on third- and fourth-year non-health profession female students (n = 411). The data were compared with previously published data on female health profession students (n = 249).

Results

A low overall HPLP-II score of 2.39 ± .358 with significant variation between the two groups was observed (p < .05). Significant correlations (p < .05) were found between the total and domain scores by demographic variables. The non-health group had significantly more frequent engagement in physical activity than the health group, who showed better health responsibility, spiritual growth, and interpersonal relation practices. Decline of spiritual growth in non-health group and poor stress management in health group were also found.

Conclusions

Low overall HPLP-II scores in both groups, with the highest mean score in spiritual growth and lowest in physical health, reflect the current attitude of the young generation. The introduction of a ‘wellbeing and health curriculum’ with adequate support from the physical environment and a culture that promotes physical wellbeing is needed.

Smoking tobacco prevalence among college students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia: Systematic review and meta-analysis

INTRODUCTION

During the last two decades, several studies have been published regarding the prevalence of tobacco smoking among college students in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA). This systematic review and meta-analysis is intended to determine and examine the smoking prevalence in Saudi college students from 2010-2018.

METHODS

PubMed, Science Direct, APA PsycNET, Web of Science, and CINAHL were used to search for published articles reporting the smoking prevalence among Saudi college students. After eliminating irrelevant articles, investigators independently assessed the quality of each article, based on Russell & Gregory guidelines. MetaXL software was used to calculate the pooled prevalence among included studies, using the IVhert model. Heterogeneity among the included studies was evaluated, using I2 statistic. Sensitivity analyses were conducted between male and female genders.

RESULTS

Of the 295 published articles, 29 articles used a cross-sectional design to determine smoking prevalence among Saudi college students. Most of the studies were conducted in Riyadh at health-science-related colleges; the rest were performed in different cities and colleges. The meta-analysis showed that the pooled estimate of smoking prevalence among college students in the KSA was 17% (95% CI: 11-23%). Saudi male students had a prevalence rate of 26% (95% CI: 24-29%), whereas for Saudi female students the prevalence was 5% (95% CI: 3-7%).

CONCLUSIONS

Smoking among Saudi college students was higher than in the majority of regional countries (e.g. Iran). Saudi male students had a higher smoking prevalence than Saudi female college students. Additionally, studies that reported a high prevalence targeted students in specific disciplines. Public health authorities in the KSA should develop a surveillance system that monitors the prevalence of tobacco smoking on campuses. A surveillance system of monitoring tobacco use among Saudi college students could be beneficial in determining the degree of the tobacco problem and in improving current tobacco control programs.

Health promoting lifestyle of university students in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional assessment

Background

College is a critical time where students are more prone to engage in risky health behaviors known to negatively affect well-being, such as physical inactivity, stress, and poor dietary habits. A health promoting lifestyle is an important determinant of health status and is recognized as a major factor for the maintenance and improvement of health. This study was designed to assess the health-promoting lifestyle of students in health colleges and non-health colleges in Saudi Arabia.

Methods

A total of 1656 students participated in this descriptive cross-sectional study. Data gathering was conducted from November 2016 to February 2017 at King Saud University. Participating students completed a self-reported questionnaire that included questions regarding their demographic characteristics and their health-promoting behaviors.

Results

The majority of participants were females (70.4%), 20% of the participants were overweight and 11.3%, were obese. The analysis showed that there was a significant difference between health colleges and non-health colleges with regards to the factor of health responsibility. Students at both schools were found to have an inadequate level of adherence to recommendations regarding physical activity and healthy eating habits. The analysis also found that majority of the students in both colleges do not attend educational programs on health care. The model shows that gender, type of college, year in school, and family structure were significant predictors of the health lifestyle of students in Saudi Arabia.

Conclusion

The results of the current study indicate that university students are leading unhealthy lives, where the majority of them have unhealthy eating habits and poor physical activity level. Universities are ideal settings for implementing health promotion programs. Therefore, planning and implementing programs to motivate students to be more responsible for their own health, to engage more in physical activity, and to practice healthy eating habits and other forms of wellness are of paramount importance.

Quality of Life and Its Predictors Among Nursing Students in Saudi Arabia

Purpose: This study investigated the quality of life (QOL) and its predictors among nursing students in a university in Saudi Arabia. Design: A descriptive, cross-sectional design. Method: A convenience sample of 175 baccalaureate nursing students from a university in Saudi Arabia was surveyed in this study. Using the WHOQOL-BREF and a sociodemographic sheet, the QOL and its predictors among Saudi nursing students were investigated. Findings: The respondents reported a mean score of 4.09 ( SD = 0.71) and 4.02 ( SD = 0.87) for their overall perceptions of QOL and health, respectively. The psychological and physical health of these students had the highest and poorest QOL perception, respectively. Gender, academic year level, community type, and monthly family income exerted a multivariate effect on the four domains of QOL. Conclusion: The study underscores the need to ensure the highest level of health and well-being among nursing students while they are undergoing training for their professional roles as nurses. The findings should be utilized by policymakers in nursing institutions in Saudi Arabia in creating policies centered on the holistic development of nursing students in the country.

Clustering and Combining Pattern of High-Risk Behaviors among Iranian University Students: A Latent Class Analysis

Background: High-risk behaviors are increasing among young adults worldwide. We aimed to identify university students’ subgroups on the basis of high-risk behaviors and to assess the role of age, living alone, religious beliefs, and parental support in the membership of specific subgroups.

Study design: A cross-sectional study

Methods: The study was conducted in Bushehr (the south of Iran) from November to December 2016. The sample included 977 university students selected through random sampling. The data were collected using a self-administered questionnaire. Then, latent class analysis was used to classify the students.

Results: Totally, five latent classes were identified as follows: low risk, high risk, somewhat low risk, hookah user, and very high risk. Notably, 7.7% and 2.5% of the students belonged to high risk and very high risk classes, respectively. The results suggested the protective effect of familial support and religiosity on high-risk behaviors.

Conclusions: This study indicated the co-occurrence of high-risk behaviors. The findings can be used to plan and evaluate interventions by considering risk factors and protective factors in universities.