Studentu veselīga dzīvesveida paradumi un uztvertā stresa kopsakarības Covid-19 pandēmijas apstākļos

Abstract

The implementing of healthy habits in everyday life is still topical, as evidenced by the statistical data of the Centre for Disease Prevention and Control of Latvia. Thus, the aim of this article is to analyse the healthy lifestyle habits of the 1st year students from Pedagogy and Sports programmes of LiepU and RSU, Liepaja branch, analysing correlations between the healthy lifestyle habits and the self-assessment of perceived stress in academic years of 2019/ 2020 and 2020/ 2021, during the first and second wave of COVID-19 pandemic. The number of respondents for the survey on Healthy lifestyle habits is N=121, of which 8 students are from RSU, Liepaja branch, but the Perceived stress self-assessment survey was completed by N = 81, of which 8 are from RSU, Liepaja branch. Valid data were obtained from both surveys to determine interrelationships (N=57). Number of respondents for the survey conducted before COVID-19 (2018 /2019) is N=123, of which 16 are students of RSU, Liepaja branch. For statistical data processing, SPSS 23 tool was employed, as well as Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman tests. The survey results show that in general students should improve their healthy lifestyle habits in all priority healthy lifestyle components – physical activity, eating habits, and stress management. Perceived stress level is low for 23.5% of students, moderate for 71.6%, and only 4.9% of students have a high level of perceived stress. There are statistically significant differences between the genders – women have a higher level of perceived stress. In this study, the data show weak-negative and weak correlations between the perceived stress and some healthy lifestyle parameters, which show the respondents' attitudes towards the chosen specialty, stress management options and involvement in annual preventive medical examinations. The limiting factors of this study are the small number of respondents, as well as the fact that two different groups were used for comparing the data, thus the comparative results of this study can only serve as the source of information. While the indicators of students' healthy lifestyle habits and perceived stress level are informative, the observed tendencies are similar with the results of related research studies conducted in Latvia and elsewhere in the world, and it shows that for forming healthy lifestyle habits students need a friendly and supportive environment. Therefore, as it is stated in the draft of Latvian Sports Policy Guidelines for 2021-2027, there is a need for a state funding to provide opportunities at least for the 1st and 2nd year students to get involved in various physical activity programs without a fee.