Vaida Batulevičienė, Jolita Kirvaitienė, Irena Leščinskienė, Žaneta Mickienė, Albina Vaičiulevičienė
Abstract
The prevalence of anemia varies in different countries and becomes a relevant public health problem. Students belong to the group of increased risk of health problems because of their life rhythm changes, high mental work and continual studies-related stress during first years of high education. Low levels of red blood cells, hemoglobin and iron are associated with faulty lifestyle, stress and self-reported health complains. Objective of the study was to assess the correlation between blood morphological changes, work-rest regime and self-reported health complains of students in Kaunas College, Faculty of Health Care. Second year students had significantly more morphological changes of blood than students of the first year (22.1% and 8.9%, respectively; p <0.05). Compared with first year students, second year students with morphological changes of blood often related their health problems with the work-rest regime (p <0.05). Lifestyle of second year students has changed over the past five years more than that of first year students (p <0.05). Second year students had to hurry and felt tired in the morning more frequently than first year students (p <0.05). Second year students were physically less active, but they worked more often in addition to their studies. Majority of students of second year with the morphological changes of blood slept less than 7 hours on weekends. Students with morphological changes of blood evaluated their health worse compared with students whose blood tests were in line with the requirements (p <0.05). Students with morphological changes of blood complained more frequently about condition of their health compared to the students without morphological blood changes. They felt stress more frequently (p<0.05), exhibited sleep disturbances (p <0.05), general weakness, fatigue, irritability, headaches and general exhaustion.
Article in Lithuanian
doi:10.5200/sm-hs.2012.093
Keyword(s): work-rest regimen; physical activity; morphological blood change
DOI: 10.5200/338
Full Text: PDF