title: Upper respiratory tract diseases in self-evaluation of health status of Polish students based on the SF-36 questionnaire.
abstract: People's health beliefs have remained under the influence of various factors. Our health is determined by physical and social environment, health behaviors, and lifestyle. The evaluation of frequency of upper respiratory tract diseases among Polish students was the aim of the study. Survey was conducted among 476 students of medicine and dentistry in the Pomeranian Medical University of Szczecin and pedagogy students of the Zielona Góra University, Poland. SF 36 questionnaire with few additional questions concerning health and disease was used in the study. Students' participation in the research was voluntary and anonymous. More than 80% of medical students treat their upper respiratory infections by themselves. From all surveyed subjects only 48 (9.4%) of the students did not suffer from any illness during an academic year. Part of the students (39.7%) spends their leisure time in a passive way. Pedagogy students more often than medical ones spend their leisure time actively. Male medical students showed much lower values comparing to female medical students. Pedagogy students showed reversed situation. There was a high variability of general health components observed among female, but not male students. Frequent respiratory tract infections, lack of systematic physical activity, and low amount of sleep cause lower level of self evaluation in regard to health status among medical students.
authors.affiliation: Chair and Department of Anatomy, Pomeranian Medical University, Szczecin, Poland. teul@life.pl
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Teul
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Baran
authors.forename: W
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Zbislawski
mesh_terms: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D003069:Coffee; D004032:Diet; D004644:Emotions / Q000502:physiology; D005221:Fatigue / Q000453:epidemiology; D005260:Female; D006304:Health Status; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D008297:Male; D009043:Motor Activity; D011044:Poland / Q000453:epidemiology; D011788:Quality of Life; D012140:Respiratory Tract Diseases / Q000453:epidemiology* / Q000523:psychology; D012141:Respiratory Tract Infections / Q000453:epidemiology; D012919:Social Behavior; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D013334:Students / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D013335:Students, Dental; D013337:Students, Medical / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D000697:Central Nervous System Stimulants; D003069:Coffee