NEGATIVE PERCEPTION OF HEALTH STATUS IN UNIVERSITY STUDENTS: PREVALENCE AND ASSOCIATED FACTORS

Abstract

This study aimed to analyze the prevalence of self-perceived health status and associated factors in university students studying Physical Education at a public institution in northern Minas Gerais, Brazil. It was an observational, cross-sectional, analytical study carried out in the Bachelor’s Physical Education course at the State University of Montes Claros, located in northern Minas Gerais. A questionnaire containing sociodemographic, behavioral, and clinical factors was used. The outcome variable referred to the perception of health status through the question, “In comparison with people your age, how do you consider your health status?”. The data obtained were analyzed using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences statistical software after descriptive, bivariate, and multivariate analyses. One hundred thirty-two university students participated in the study, of whom 59.1% were men. The prevalence of negative self-perception of health status was 21.2%. The presence of overweight/obesity remained associated with the outcome (PR = 2.42; 95% CI 1.30 - 4.49). Practicing individual sports acted as a protective factor (PR = .33; 95% CI .15 - .71). In conclusion, the investigated sample showed a high prevalence of negative self-perception of health remaining associated with overweight/obesity.