Psychological Well-being and Health Behavior Patterns among Chinese University Students with Autoimmune Disorders

Abstract

Background: The prevalence of autoimmune disorders is found to be rapidly increasing in China, especially among university students, though there is a huge lack of awareness about such disorders. Aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the psychological wellbeing and health behavior patterns among Chinese university students with autoimmune disorders. Method: To determine the level of depression and anxiety among the associated participants, two different scales were used namely Self-Rating Anxiety Scale (SAS) and Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CESD). A sample of 770 Chinese university students, suffering from autoimmune disorders, responded to the questionnaires based on CESD and SAS scales, during December 2022 to April 2023. Results: The results showed that the prevalence of anxiety was 48% and depression was 73% among the participants. The regression analysis showed a comparison between self-rated health significant at (p < 0.05) in SAS and CASD. However, social support, consumption of alcohol and intake of immunosuppressant drugs were also found to be significant. Conclusion: In conclusion, the health behavior patterns and psychological wellbeing among individuals, suffering from autoimmune disorders, are largely influenced by the overall social support and intake of important drugs. Implications: This study has been effective in increasing awareness regarding the significance of psychological wellbeing among individuals with autoimmune disorders.