Stress and health risk behaviors among university students

Cross-sectional analytical study carried out at a higher education institution in Picos-PI. A total of 377 students were evaluated for socio-demographic and academic variables, stress profile, sleep quality, alcohol use, smoking habits and level of physical activity. The Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS), version 20.0 was used for data processing and analysis.

Results:

Sleep quality was poor for 65.3% of the subjects, and sleep disturbances were found in 17.0%. Stress was observed in 68.7% of the sample. Stress was associated with the following variables: gender, time in the institution, poor sleep quality.

Conclusion:

Most of the students evaluated present some level of stress associated with poor sleep quality, which is a risk to the quality of life of these individuals.

Descriptors:
Stress; Psychological; Universities; Students; Sleep; Quality of Life

Variables	n	%	Median (P25-P75)
Gender
Male	145	38.5
Female	232	61.5
Age			21.0 (19.0 - 22.5)
18-21 years	232	61.5
22-25 years	104	27.5
> 25 years	41	10.9
Skin color or race/ethnicity
White	122	32.4
Brown	206	54.6
Black	42	11.1
Yellow	06	1.6
Indigene	01	0.3
Civil status
Married	14	3.7
Domestic partnership	06	1.6
Single	350	92.8
Others	07	1.9
Family income^ Classification calculated based on the Brazilian monthly minimum wage effective in 2016: R$ 880.00.			1200.00 (880.00 - 2000.00)
< 1 minimum wages	67	17.8
1-3 minimum wages	258	68.4
> 3 minimum wages	52	13.8
Socioeconomic level
A1-A2	06	1.6
B1-B2	92	24.4
C1-C2	202	53.6
D-E	77	20.4
Current living situation
Alone	18	4.8
With relatives	215	57.0
With friends	144	38.2
City of origin
Picos - PI	128	34.0
Other cities in Piauí	201	53.3
Other cities in the Northeast region	39	10.3
Cities in other regions	09	2.4

Variables	n	%
Smoking
Daily smoker	07	1.9
Occasional smoker	18	4.8
Ex smoker	01	0.3
Non-smoker	351	93.1
Alcohol use
Low risk	296	78.5
Risk	58	15.4
Harmful drinking	14	3.7
Probable dependence	09	2.4
Level of physical activity
Sedentary	41	10.9
Insufficiently active	116	30.8
Active	179	47.5
Very active	41	10.9
Sleep quality
Good	67	17.8
Poor	246	65.3
Sleep disturbance	64	17.0

Variables	Level of stress										p value^* * Likelihood ratio.
	No stress		Alert		Resistance		Near exhaustion		Exhaustion
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Gender											0.000
Male	73	61.9	02	40.0	59	28.9	09	20.9	02	28.6
Female	45	38.1	03	60.0	145	71.1	34	79.1	05	71.4
Age											0.154
18-21 years	75	63.6	02	40.0	131	64.2	20	46.5	04	57.1
22-25 years	27	22.9	03	60.0	55	27.0	16	37.2	03	42.9
> 25 years	16	13.6	-	-	18	8.8	07	16.3	-	-
Family income											0.168
< 1 wage	19	16.1	03	60.0	35	17.2	09	20.9	01	14.3
1-3 wages	89	75.4	02	40.0	135	66.2	28	65.1	04	57.1
> 3 wages	10	8.5	-	-	34	16.7	06	14.0	02	28.6
City of origin											0.976
Picos - PI	40	33.9	01	20.0	71	34.8	14	32.6	02	28.6
Other cities in Piauí	61	51.7	03	60.0	109	53.4	25	58.1	03	42.9
Other cities in the Northeast region	14	11.9	01	20.0	19	9.3	03	7.0	02	28.6
Cities in other regions	03	2.5	-	-	05	2.5	01	2.3	-	-
Area of study											0.054
Health and biological sciences	41	34.7	01	20.0	90	44.1	18	41.9	03	42.9
Humanities	21	17.8	01	20.0	51	25.0	14	32.6	03	42.9
Exact sciences	56	47.5	03	60.0	63	30.9	11	25.6	01	14.3
Time in the institution											0.031
1-12 months	38	32.2	02	40.0	33	16.2	05	11.6	03	42.9
13-24 months	21	17.8	01	20.0	63	30.9	09	20.9	03	42.9
25-36 months	26	22.0	01	20.0	46	22.5	11	25.6	-	-
37-48 months	26	22.0	01	20.0	39	19.1	10	23.3	-	-
49-60 months	07	5.9	-	-	21	10.3	07	16.3	01	14.3
>60 months	-	-	-	-	02	1.0	01	2.3	-	-

Variables	Level of stress										p value*
	No stress		Alert		Resistance		Near exhaustion		Exhaustion
	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%	n	%
Smoking											0.583
Daily smoker	-	-	-	-	05	2.5	02	4.7	-	-
Occasional smoker	07	5.9	-	-	09	4.4	02	4.7	-	-
Ex smoker	1	0.8	-	-	-	-	-	-	-	-
Non-smoker	110	93.2	05	100.0	190	93.1	39	90.7	07	100.0
Alcohol use											0.675
Low risk	101	85.6	04	80.0	155	76.0	31	72.1	05	71.4
Risk	13	11.0	01	20.0	34	16.7	08	18.6	02	28.6
Harmful drinking	03	2.5	-	-	08	3.9	03	7.0	-	-
Probable dependence	01	0.8	-	-	7	3.4	1	2.3	-	-
Level of physical activity											0.072
Sedentary	10	8.5	-	-	26	12.7	05	11.6	-	-
Insufficiently active	31	26.3	01	20.0	70	34.3	14	32.6	-	-
Active	57	48.3	04	80.0	91	44.6	21	48.8	06	85.7
Very active	20	16.9	-	-	17	8.3	03	7.0	01	14.3
Sleep quality											0.000^ Cramer's V = 0.258, p = 0.000: statistically significant moderate association between the variables level of stress and quality of sleep.
Good	38	32.2	-	-	26	12.7	01	2.3	02	28.6
Poor	74	62.7	03	60.0	141	69.1	25	58.1	03	42.9
Sleep Disturbance	06	5.1	02	40.0	37	18.1	17	39.5	02	28.6

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[1] Corresponding Author: Ellaine Santana de Oliveira E-mail: ellaineso_nutricao@hotmail.com