Lifestyle in Undergraduate Students and Demographically Matched Controls during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain

Author(s):Show less -

Giner-Murillo, Maria ^[1] ; Atienza-Carbonell, Beatriz ^[1] ; Cervera-Martinez, Jose ^{[1, 2]} ; Bobes-Bascaran, Teresa ^{[3, 4, 5]} ; Crespo-Facorro, Benedicto ^{[3, 6, 7]} ; De Boni, Raquel B. ^[8] ; Esteban, Cristina ^[6] ; Garcia-Portilla, Maria Paz ^{[3, 4, 9]} ; Gomes-da-Costa, Susana ^[10] ; Gonzalez-Pinto, Ana ^{[3, 11]} ; Jaen-Moreno, Maria Jose ^{[12, 13]} ; Kapczinski, Flavio ^{[14, 15]} ; Ponce-Mora, Alberto ^[16] ; Sarramea, Fernando ^{[3, 12, 17]} ; Tabares-Seisdedos, Rafael ^{[3, 18]} ; Vieta, Eduard ^{[3, 10]} ; Zorrilla, Inaki ^{[3, 11]} ; Balanza-Martinez, Vicent ^{[3, 18]}

Affiliation:Show less -

^[1] Univ Valencia, Dept Med, Valencia 46010 - Spain

^[2] Hosp Denia Marina Salud, Alicante 03700 - Spain

^[3] Ctr Invest Biomed Red Salud Mental CIBERSAM, Madrid 28007 - Spain

^[4] Inst Invest Sanitaria Principado Asturias ISPA, Serv Salud Principado Asturias SESPA, Oviedo 33011 - Spain

^[5] Univ Oviedo, Dept Psychol, Oviedo 33003 - Spain

^[6] IBIS, Hosp Univ Virgen Rocio, Seville 41013 - Spain

^[7] Univ Seville, Dept Psychiat, Fac Med, Seville 41004 - Spain

^[8] Oswaldo Cruz Fdn FIOCRUZ, Inst Sci & Technol Commun & Informat Hlth ICICT, BR-21040360 Rio De Janeiro - Brazil

^[9] Univ Oviedo, Dept Psychiat, Sch Med, Oviedo 33003 - Spain

^[10] Univ Barcelona, Hosp Clin, Inst Neurosci, IDIBAPS, Catalonia 08036 - Spain

^[11] Univ Basque Country, Hosp Univ Alava, BIOARABA, Vitoria 01005 - Spain

^[12] Inst Maimonides Invest Biomed Cordoba IMIBIC, Cordoba 14004 - Spain

^[13] Univ Cordoba, Dept Ciencias Morfol & Sociosanitarias, E-14071 Cordoba - Spain

^[14] McMaster Univ, Dept Psychiat & Behav Neurosci, Mood Disorders Program, St Josephs Healthcare Hamilton, Hamilton, ON L8S 4L8 - Canada

^[15] Univ Fed Rio Grande Sul UFRGS, Inst Nacl Ciencia & Tecnol Translac Med INCT TM, Dept Psychiat, BR-90040060 Porto Alegre, RS - Brazil

^[16] Univ Politecn Valencia, CMT Motores Term, Valencia 46002 - Spain

^[17] Univ Cordoba, Hosp Univ Reina Sofia, E-14004 Cordoba - Spain

^[18] Univ Valencia, Teaching Unit Psychiat & Psychol Med, Dept Med, Valencia 46010 - Spain

• Document type: Journal article
• Source: INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH AND PUBLIC HEALTH; v. 18, n. 15 AUG 2021.
• Web of Science Citations: 0

Abstract

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. (AU)

• FAPESP's process: 14/50891-1 - INCT 2014: Translational Medicine
• Grantee: Jaime Eduardo Cecilio Hallak
• Support Opportunities: Research Projects - Thematic Grants