Exploring Student’s Health Behaviour in Vocational High Schools of the Greece Island Region

Introduction: Preventing students from engaging in risky behaviors during adolescence has benefits for their future health and well-being. Adolescents adopt healthy behaviors, with interventions in school health, through health promotion programs. Aim: The purpose of this study was to investigate individual student habits and their impact on lifestyle and health promotion behaviors. Material and Method: Contemporary descriptive study was performed with ease sampling. The sample consisted of 200 students from two sectors, three Vocational High Schools of Lesvos with response rate 100%. Students' health behaviors and lifestyles were assessed using the self-filled Anonymous Promoting Lifestyle Profile II questionnaire. The survey was conducted in November and December 2019. The level of statistical significance was set at p<0.05. Results: 56% were boys and 53,5% were students in the Health Department. The average value on the health promotion scale was 2,56±0,40. The highest average value was found in the "Interpersonal Relationship" factor (3,01 ± 0,52), while the lowest in the "Physical Activity" factor was found (2,29 ± 0,81). The students of the Health Department compared to the students of the Department of Mechanical Engineering had a higher price in the overall score (p<0,0005), in the subscales for "Health Responsibility" (p=0,002), "Spiritual Development" (p=0,02) and the "Interpersonal Relationships" (p<0,0005). Non-smoking students had a higher score than those who smoked, in "Health Responsibility" (p=0,02), "Physical Activity" (p<0,0005) and "Nutritional Habits" (p=0,01). Students that did not exercise (43%) had a lower score on the "Spiritual Development" subscale (p=0,01) and "Stress Management" (p=0,04). 40,5% of the sample did not use mechanisms for stress management. 42,5% of the students did not read on the labels of packaged food, nutrients, and fat and salt content. Further, 36,9% of students were smokers and 72,7% consumed alcohol every week. 22,5% of the sample thought that the appropriate age for sexual initiation was 17 years old and almost the entire sample (96%) knew the methods of prophylaxis for sexually transmitted diseases and contraception. 70% preferred to be informed about health prevention and promotion issues by a school nurse. Conclusion: Vocational High School students exhibit mediocre health promotion behaviors, lack stress management, do not choose the right diet, and do not exercise. The present study highlights the important role of the school nurse as a determining factor in the education of the student population in promoting health and a healthy lifestyle.

Category: Volume 59, N 3
Hits: 1165 Hits
Created Date: 15-12-2020
Authors: Anastasios Faros , Paraskevi Apostolara , Ioannis Kalemikerakis , Eleni Ntali , Dimitra Tsekoura , Anna Kavga