Autopercepción de salud y de red de apoyo y funcionalidad familiar, de los estudiantes que inician posgrados de medicina

Abstract

The healthy universities policy seeks to improve the environments and quality of life of students. Most of the students who are part of the university population perceive deficiencies regarding their lifestyle and self-rated health care. ObjectiveTo describe the self-rated health status and family support and functioning of a cohort of students starting medical/surgical residency at the Fundación Universitaria de Ciencias de la Salud, Bogotá. MethodologyA cross-sectional study was conducted during the induction period of the residency. Students admitted to the first semester of medical residency were invited to participate. They completed a 35-question questionnaire; 25 items were on their perception of health status and past history, and 12 were on their family support and functioning. ResultsOut of 89 students, 86 (96.6%) responded to the questionnaire. The mean age was 29.8 years (SD: 4.2); 68.6% were single; 24.4% were married; 20.9% lived alone, and 39.5% had moved to Bogotá to attend postgraduate school. Good or excellent health status was rated by 96.5%; 32.6% were overweight and 41.9% were sedentary; 30.6% did not fulfil the vaccination requirements for hepatitis B, and 49% for Varicella, respectively; 33.7% reported some degree of dysfunction in their families. ConclusionMost of the residents rated their health status as good or excellent. The most common health problems were overweight, sedentary behaviours, and lack of vaccination. One third of the students perceived family support and functioning as deficient. Individual and collective intervention plans must be developed within the Healthy Universities Strategy framework, based on this information.