Health Literacy, Health Behaviors, and Body Mass Index Impacts on Quality of Life: Cross-Sectional Study of University Students in Surabaya, Indonesia

Junaidi Budi Prihanto,Masayuki Kakehashi,Miwako Tsunematsu,Ryota Matsuyama,Faridha Nurhayati,Endang Sri Wahjuni

doi:10.3390/ijerph182413132

Abstract

University student life is an important transformation stage with many potential factors that can impact negatively on the Quality of Life (QOL) and the adoption of unhealthy behaviors. Health literacy (HL), Health Behaviors (HBs), and Body Mass Index (BMI) have been found to be essential components in influencing QOL, in addition to socioeconomic determinants. To identify the influential factors of QOL, we performed a cross-sectional survey in a university, and 955 undergraduate students were enrolled as respondents. We measured two different aspects of HL, i.e., Comprehensive Health Literacy (CHL) and Functional Health Literacy (FHL). Overall, QOL scores in four domains did not differ, regarded as medium with averages ranging from 57.00–63.98, and no significant difference between male and female students. In multivariate analysis, CHL had a significant positive influence on all domains, while FHL only affected the psychological and environmental domains with negative associations. Academic performance had a significant positive association with physical and psychological domains. Students from education majors had higher QOL in the psychological and social domains. Moreover, students with normal or underweight BMI status had better psychological QOL, and physical exercise had a positive association with the social relationship and environmental domains. The findings confirmed that CHL and FHL had significant associations with QOL domains in different ways that should be addressed accordingly. Public health practitioners should carefully empower students to use both CHL and FHL as decision-making skills by incorporating them into related curricula.

Highlights

University students are a distinct population characterized by the transition process from adolescence to young adulthood, being challenged by academic burdens, economic pressure, expectations of a better future, social identity, independent life far from parents, and uncertainty of life after graduation [1,2,3,4,5]
This study focused on the measurement of Quality of Life (QOL) and its association with socioeconomic determinants, Health Literacy (HL), Body Mass Index (BMI), and Health Behaviors (HBs) among Indonesian undergraduate students
Comprehensive Health Literacy (CHL) is especially important because it had significant positive relationships with all QOL domains

Summary

Introduction

University students are a distinct population characterized by the transition process from adolescence to young adulthood, being challenged by academic burdens, economic pressure, expectations of a better future, social identity, independent life far from parents, and uncertainty of life after graduation [1,2,3,4,5]. Burdens during study life at university can affect students’ mental health, sleep pattern, health behavior, and quality of life which can cause a detrimental effect on health or even lead to mortality [6,7,8,9,10,11]. Quality of Life (QOL) is defined by The World Health Organization (WHO) as “an individual’s perception of their position in life in the context of the culture and value systems in which they live and in relation to their goals, expectations, standards, and.

Methods

Discussion

Conclusion