Lifestyle in undergraduate students and demographically matched controls during the covid-19 pandemic in Spain

• Autor(a) principal: Giner-Murillo, María
• Data de Publicação: 2021
• Outros Autores: Atienza-Carbonell, Beatriz, Cervera-Martínez, Jose, Bobes-Bascarán, Teresa, Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto, De Boni, Raquel Brandini, Esteban, Cristina, Garcia-Portilla, Maria Paz Gonzalez, Gomes-da-Costa, Susana, González-Pinto, Ana, Jaén-Moreno, María José, Kapczinski, Flávio Pereira, Ponce-Mora, Alberto, Sarramea, Fernando, Tabarés-Seisdedos, Rafael, Vieta, Eduard, Zorrilla, Iñaki, Balanzá-Martínez, Vicent
• Tipo de documento: Artigo
• Idioma: eng
• Título da fonte: Repositório Institucional da UFRGS
• Texto Completo: http://hdl.handle.net/10183/247700
• topic: Estilo de vida; Estudantes; Saúde mental; Pandemias; COVID-19; Lifestyle; Undergraduate students; Mental health; Pandemic

Few studies have used a multidimensional approach to describe lifestyle changes among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic or have included controls. This study aimed to evaluate lifestyle behaviors and mental health of undergraduate students and compare them with an age and sex-matched control group. A cross-sectional web survey using snowball sampling was conducted several months after the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. A sample of 221 students was recruited. The main outcome was the total SMILE-C score. Students showed a better SMILE-C score than controls (79.8 +- 8.1 vs. 77.2 +- 8.3; p < 0.001), although these differences disappeared after controlling for covariates. While groups did not differ in the screenings of depression and alcohol abuse, students reported lower rates of anxiety (28.5% vs. 37.1%; p = 0.042). A lower number of cohabitants, poorer self-perceived health and positive screening for depression and anxiety, or for depression only were independently associated (p < 0.05) with unhealthier lifestyles in both groups. History of mental illness and financial difficulties were predictors of unhealthier lifestyles for students, whereas totally/moderate changes in substance abuse and stress management (p < 0.05) were predictors for the members of the control group. Several months after the pandemic, undergraduate students and other young adults had similar lifestyles.