Pattern of personal
behavioral choices
Induces higher or
reduced health risks
(McGinnis et al,1993)
Lifestyle
Health behaviours are
established early in life
setting the pattern for
latter years (Steptoe et al.,
It is of interest to
examine lifestyles of
today’s medical students
– tomorrow’s doctors
2002)
(Webb et al., 1998)
McGinnis, J. M., and Foege, W. H. (1993). "Actual Causes of Death in the United States." Journal of the
American Medical Association 270:2207–2212.
Steptoe, A., Wardle, J., Cui, W., Bellisle, F., Zotti, A., Baranyai, R., & Sanderman, R. (2002). Trends in
smoking , diet, physical exercise and atittudes toward health in European university students from 13
Countries, 1990-2000. Preventive Medicine, 35, 97-104.
Webb, E., Ashton, C. H., Kelly, P. & Kamali, F. (1998). Na update on British medical students’ lifestyles.
Medical education, 32, 325-331
(1)Describe health related habits of
Portuguese medical students
(2)Study the influence of medical schools
and its’ knowledge on health behaviour of
medical students
(3) Analyse the impact of some academic
and social characteristics in student’s
lifestyle.
Study Design
Cross-sectional study on the health habits of
Portuguese medical students
Sample includes first and fourth year medical students
from Faculty of Medicine, University of Porto
Information about health habits was obtained by
applying a self-report questionnaire
Data collection instrument
Health and Behaviour Survey (HBS)
•Created for the European Health and Behaviour
Study (Steptoe & Wardle, 1991). It was used the
Portuguese version (Geada, Justo, Santos, Steptoe
& Wardle, 1994)
•Only parts of section A was of interest for this study
•It was added some independent variables like sex,
residence status and grades
•Other marginal changes were made
Steptoe, A., & Wardle, J. (1991). The European health and behaviour survey: rationale,
methods and initial results form the United Kingdom. Social Sciences Medicine, 33, 925-936.
Geada, M., Justo, J., Santos, S., Steptoe, A., & Wardle, J. (1994). Hábitos de saúde,
comportamentos de risco e níveis de saúde física e psicológica em estudantes
universitários. Psicologia da Saúde: áreas de intervenção e perspectivas futuras, 157-175.
Sample description:
Number of questionnaires: 328
Blank questionnaires: 3
Non-respondents per variable: 3.28
Firts year students: 247
Fourth year students: 81
Females: 223
Males: 102
For the treatment of data it was used:
•SPSS software
•Unpaired T-test, for continuous variables
•Chi-square test, for categorical variables
• Statistical significance defined as p<0.05
Pattern of health behaviour of Portuguese medical
students
Would not like to reduce what is consumed
89%
Alcohol
Never or rarely drink
Less than 3 times per fortnight
58%
62%
Exercise
Would like to do more exercise
Are not trying to loose weight
Weig
ht
72%
64%
Normal Body Mass Index
Never or almost
Smoking
0%
86%
25%
50%
95%
75%
100%
Pattern of health behaviour of Portuguese medical
students - Continuation
Residence
Live with relatives
49%
Eating fruit At least one time per each two/three days
Avoid eating aliments rich in saturated fats
Fats
Sleeping
Adding salt
Oral hygiene
0%
64%
67%
Between six and eight hours
76%
Rarely or never add salt to prepared dishes
83%
Brush their teeth two times per day or more
25%
50%
75%
86%
100%
Comparison between first and fourth year students –
alcoholic drinks
68%
Do not or
rarely drink
55%
P=0,038
32%
Often drink
45%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
4.º year
1.º year
Difference between residency status - Perception of
personal health condition
2%
Weak
0%
Good/
reasonable
47%
P=0,0025
27%
51%
Excellent/
very good
73%
0%
25%
50%
75%
Do not live with relatives
Live with relatives
100%
Difference between residency status - Physical exercise per
fortnight
68%
Less than
three times
P=0,019
55%
32%
More than
three times
45%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Do not live with relatives
Live with relatives
Difference between residency - Smoking per
day
More than
one
cigarrett
8%
P=0,029
2%
92%
less than
one
cigarrett
98%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Do not live with relatives
Live with relatives
Difference between residency status - Number of
meals per day
One or two
meals
10%
P=0,015
3%
90%
Three or
more
meals
97%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Do not live with relatives
Live with relatives
Difference between residency status - Adding salt to
food
Frequently
or
sometimes
P=0,036
21%
12%
79%
Never or
rarely
88%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Do not live with relatives
Live with relatives
Difference between residency status - Reducing the
quantity of alcoholic drinks consumed
17%
Yes
P=0,008
3%
83%
No
97%
0%
25%
50%
75%
100%
Do not live with relatives
Live with relatives
•New data entry
•Further general comparison
•Analysis of relation between variables
•The third objective has not yet been fulfiled
Geada, M., Justo, J., Santos, S., Steptoe, A., & Wardle, J. (1994). Hábitos de
saúde, comportamentos de risco e níveis de saúde física e psicológica em
estudantes universitários. Psicologia da Saúde: áreas de intervenção e
perspectivas futuras, 157-175.
Piko BF. Does knowledge count? Attitudes toward smoking among medical,
nursing, and pharmacy students in Hungary. J Community Health. 2002
Aug;27(4):269
Skemiene L, Ustinaviciene R, Piesine L, Radisauskas R. Peculiarities of medical
students' nutrition. Medicina (Kaunas). 2007; 43(2):145-52.
Steptoe, A., & Wardle, J. (1991). The European health and behaviour survey:
rationale, methods and initial results form the United Kingdom. Social Sciences
Medicine, 33, 925-936.
Steptoe, A., Wardle, J., Cui, W., Bellisle, F., Zotti, A., Baranyai, R., & Sanderman, R.
(2002). Trends in smoking , diet, physical exercise and atittudes toward health in
European university students from 13 Countries, 1990-2000. Preventive Medicine,
35, 97-104.
Webb, E., Ashton, C. H., Kelly, P. & Kamali, F. (1998). Na update on British medical
students’ lifestyles. Medical education, 32, 325-331