Journal List > Korean J Women Health Nurs > v.24(1) > 1094767

Nho and Yoo: Relationships among Lifestyle, Depression, Anxiety, and Reproductive Health in Female University Students

Abstract

Purpose

To identify relationships among lifestyle, psychological distress, and reproductive health in female university students.

Methods

We used a descriptive cross-sectional design. A total of 275 subjects were enrolled. Subjects agreed to undergo a face-to-face interview, including administration of structured questionnaires to determine health promotion lifestyle profile II (HPLP-II), depression anxiety stress scale for depression and anxiety (DASS-D, DASS-A), and reproductive health (knowledge, attitude, behavior, menstruation irregularity, dysmenorrhea, and gynecologic symptoms).

Results

The mean age of subjects was 21.2 years. Those with low HPLP-II score showed significantly high menstruation irregularity. Those with high depression and anxiety had significantly high reproductive symptoms. In addition, high HPLP-II score was correlated with low depression, anxiety, and high reproductive health.

Conclusion

The life style of female university students is associated with depression, anxiety, and reproductive health. To improve female university students' reproductive health, life style interventions including healthy nutritional habit, physical activity, and stress management are important.

References

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Table 1.
General Characteristics, Lifestyle, Depression, Anxiety and Reproductive Health (N=275)
Variables   Categories n (%) or M±SD Min∼Max or Median
Demographic Age   21.2±1.2 20∼27
characteristics Grade (n=263) 1 93 (35.4)  
    2 88 (33.5)  
    3 48 (18.3)  
    4 34 (12.9)  
  Residence (n=273) Home 175 (64.1)  
    Dormitory 35 (12.8)  
    Rent 63 (23.1)  
  Spending money (thousand won, month)   373.36±132.34 0∼900
  Religion Yes 116 (42.2) 15.03∼34.13
  BMI (kg/m2) <18.5 44 (16.0)  
    18.5∼22.9 180 (65.5)  
    ≥23 51 (18.5)  
Health promoting     2.39±0.42 1.44∼3.71
lifestyle profile Health responsibility   2.06±0.54 1.00∼3.78
  Physical activity   1.87±0.67 1.00∼3.63
  Nutrition   2.25±0.58 1.00∼3.67
  Spiritual growth   2.58±0.58 1.22∼4.00
  Interpersonal relations   3.10±0.51 1.67∼4.00
  Stress management   2.44±0.50 1.13∼3.75
Depression     9.53±7.24 8.00
  Yes (≥10)   121 (44.0)  
  No (<10)   154 (56.0)  
Anxiety     7.93±6.55 6.00
  Yes (≥8)   122 (44.4)  
  No (<8)   153 (55.6)  
Reproductive health Knowledge   21.80±4.58 8∼31
  Attitude   46.05±6.13 24∼60
  Behavior   59.49±6.79 1∼100
  Menstruation      
  Irregularity Yes 118 (42.9)  
  Dysmenorrhea   4.52±2.67 0∼10
  No (0)   18 (6.5)  
  Mild (1∼3)   92 (33.5)  
  Moderate (4∼6)   80 (29.1)  
  Severe (7∼10)   82 (29.8)  
  Gynecologic symptom Yes 139 (50.5)  
  Abnormal vaginal discharge   74 (26.9)  
  Genital itching   62 (22.5)  
  Genital pain   9 (3.3)  
  Irregular vaginal spotting   24 (8.7)  
  Pain at urination   19 (6.9)  
  Dyspareunia   10 (3.6)  
  Warts   13 (4.7)  

Double choice; BMI=body bass index.

Table 2.
Lifestyle, Depression, Anxiety and Reproductive Health according to General Characteristics (N=275)
Variables Categories Lifestyle Depression Anxiety Reproductive health
Knowledge Attitude Behavior
M±SD t or F or r (p) M±SD t or F or r (p) M±SD t or F or r (p) M±SD t or F or r (p) M±SD t or F or r (p) M±SD t or F or r (p)
Age     .11   .035   .083   .17   .06   –.01
      (.077)   (.559)   (.171)   (.005)   (.294)   (.827)
Grade 1a 2.38±0.41 3.88 8.73±7.33 1.45 7.23±6.14 1.66 20.40±4.89 5.82 45.42±5.95 2.38 52.26±6.19 0.35
  2b 2.31±0.39 (.010) 10.45±7.16 (.228) 7.95±6.17 (.177) 22.48±4.40 (.001) 46.36±5.81 (.070) 59.26±7.06 (.792)
  3c 2.37±0.45 d>b 10.58±7.16   9.79±8.29   23.46±4.08 b, c>a 44.96±7.10   60.38±6.77  
  4d 2.60±0.46   8.47±6.59   7.53±6.29   21.68±4.29   48.21±5.16   59.41±7.64  
Residence Homea 2.44±0.43 3.64 9.45±7.23 0.13 8.03±6.88 0.37 21.53±4.64 1.40 45.74±5.84 0.65 59.88±6.92 1.79
  Dormitory 2.32±0.39 (.028) 9.09±6.81 (.875) 8.06±6.41 (.694) 21.69±4.79 (.248) 46.03±5.60 (.521) 57.51±6.67 (.169)
  Rentb 2.28±0.40 a>b 9.84±7.26   7.24±5.44   22.65±4.35   46.78±7.02   59.32±6.39  
Spending money   0.01   .01   –.09   .07   .09   0.03
      (.836)   (.859)   (.135)   (.225)   (.127)   (.593)
Religion Yes 2.42±0.42 0.98 9.05±6.78 –0.92 8.24±7.27 0.70 22.27±4.31 1.43 46.26±6.41 0.42 59.44±6.73 –0.13
  No 2.37±0.43 (.327) 9.87±7.58 (.358) 7.68±6.00 (.488) 21.47±4.77 (.155) 45.94±5.92 (.675) 59.55±6.87 (.896)
BMI <18.5 2.35±0.40 1.67 10.91±8.74 1.24 8.64±7.15 0.47 22.05±4.98 0.75 44.18±5.20 2.46 58.89±5.54 0.40
  18.5∼22.9 2.42±0.44 (.191) 9.08±6.98 (.292) 7.67±6.38 (.626) 21.94±4.66 (.474) 46.44±5.88 (.087) 59.76±6.53 (.674)
  ≥23 2.31±0.37   9.95±6.66   8.27±6.71   21.10±3.93   46.26±7.43   59.09±8.54  

a, b, c d=Scheffé test; BMI=body bass index.

Table 3.
Reproductive Health according to Demographic Characteristics, Lifestyle, Depression and Anxiety
Variables Categories Reproductive Health
Menstruation irregularity Dysmenorrhea Gynecologic symptoms
Yes (n=118) No (n=156) t or F or r (p) No (n=18) Mild (n=92) Moderate (n=80) Severe (n=82) t or F or r (p) Yes (n=139) No (n=136) t or F or r (p)
n (%) or M± SD n (%) or M± SD n (%) or M± SD n (%) or M± SD n (%) or M± SD n (%) or M± SD n (%) or M± SD n (%) or M± SD
Demographic characteristics                
Age   21.1±1.2 21.3±1.3 –0.95 (.342) 20.9±0.9 21.1±1.2 21.3±1.2 21.4±1.3 1.53 (.208) 21.32±1.26 21.14±1.13 –1.28 (.203)
Grade 1 43 (37.1) 50 (34.2) 2.63 (.460) 9 (50.0) 36 (40.9) 25 (33.3) 23 (29.1) 6.84 (.654) 42 (31.8) 51 (38.9) 3.11 (.376)
  2 43 (37.1) 45 (30.8)   5 (27.8) 26 (29.5) 29 (38.7) 27 (34.2)   43 (32.6) 45 (34.4)  
  3 18 (15.5) 30 (20.5)   3 (16.7) 16 (18.2) 10 (13.3) 17 (21.5)   29 (22.0) 19 (14.5)  
  4 12 (10.3) 21 (14.4)   1 (5.6) 10 (11.4) 11 (14.7) 12 (15.2)   18 (13.6) 16 (12.2)  
Residence Home 72 (61.5) 102 (65.8) 0.53 (.787) 12 (66.7) 62 (68.1) 56 (70.9) 44 (25.3) 9.85 (.054) 84 (61.3) 91 (66.9) 1.08 (.582)
  Dormitory 16 (13.7) 19 (12.3)   3 (16.7) 9 (9.9) 11 (13.9) 10 (12.2)   18 (13.1) 17 (12.5)  
  Rent 29 (24.8) 34 (21.9)   3 (16.7) 20 (22.0) 12 (15.2) 28 (34.1)   35 (25.5) 28 (20.6)  
Spending money (month) 38.02±12.55 36.87±13.78 0.71 (.478) 38.33±16.18 35.98±13.40 37.27±12.48 38.24±13.13 0.47 (.703) 38.88±13.50 35.76±12.81 –1.96 (.051)
Religion Yes 48 (41.0) 68 (43.6) 0.71 (.382) 9 (50.0) 38 (41.3) 33 (41.8) 36 (43.9) 0.91 (.914) 61 (44.2) 55 (40.4) 0.40 (.543)
  No 69 (59.0) 88 (56.4)   9 (50.0) 54 (58.7) 46 (58.2) 46 (56.1)   77 (55.8) 81 (59.6)  
BMI <18.5 18 (15.3) 26 (16.7) 0.63 (.729) 2 (11.1) 14 (15.2) 15 (18.8) 13 (15.9) 1.72 (.946) 27 (19.4) 17 (12.5) 3.53 (.170)
  18.5∼22.9 76 (64.4) 104 (66.7)   12 (66.7) 62 (67.4) 48 (60.0) 55 (67.1)   84 (60.4) 96 (70.6)  
  ≥23 24 (20.3) 26 (16.7)   4 (22.2) 16 (17.4) 17 (21.3) 14 (17.1)   28 (20.1) 23 (16.9)  
Lifestyle   2.33±0.40 2.44±0.44 –2.02 (.044) 2.45±0.43 2.42±0.42 2.33±0.43 2.40±0.43 0.88 (.451) 2.35±0.42 2.43±0.43 1.48 (.139)
HR   2.00±0.50 2.10±0.57 –1.60 (.110) 2.01±0.43 2.03±0.57 1.99±0.53 2.15±0.55 1.24 (.296) 2.01±0.53 2.10±0.55 1.35 (.179)
PA   1.76±0.58 1.95±0.71 –2.46 (.014) 1.78±0.71 1.89±0.68 1.79±0.64 1.93±0.68 0.82 (.481) 1.80±0.66 1.94±0.66 1.77 (.078)
NUT   2.22±0.61 2.28±0.56 –0.81 (.422) 2.43±0.59 2.32±0.57 2.18±0.56 2.21±0.60 1.62 (.184) 2.22±0.61 2.29±0.55 1.00 (.319)
SG   2.51±0.61 2.63±0055 –1.71 (.089) 2.68±0.72 2.66±0.56 2.50±0.58 2.55±0.57 1.31 (.271) 2.55±0.57 2.61±0.59 0.85 (.394)
IR   3.07±0.47 3.12±0.54 –0.77 (.445) 3.22±0.36 3.10±0.53 3.07±0.53 3.09±0.48 0.41 (.745) 3.09±0.49 3.10±0.52 0.20 (.845)
SM   2.37±0.47 2.49±0.52 –1.86 (.065) 2.47±0.43 2.48±0.50 2.39±0.50 2.43±0.51 0.52 (.666) 2.39±0.52 2.48±0.47 1.55 (.123)
Depression   10.33±7.72 8.92±6.83 –1.60 (.111) 8.29±9.24 9.15±6.92 9.88±7.07 9.49±7.10 0.30 (.825) 10.57±7.79 8.47±6.48 –2.43 (.016)
Anxiety   8.76±6.72 7.33±6.39 –1.79 (.074) 5.33±5.09 8.48±6.80 7.10±5.88 8.44±6.64 1.83 (.143) 8.95±7.33 6.90±5.49 –2.62 (.009)

BMI=body bass index; HR=health responsibility; PA=physical activity; NUT=nutrition; SG=spiritual growth; IR=interpersonal relationship; SR=stress management.

Table 4.
Correlation of Life style, Depression, Anxiety and Reproductive Health (N=275)
Variables Depression Anxiety Reproductive health
Knowledge Attitude Behavior
r p r p r p r p r p
Life style –.41 <.001 –.14 .020 .07 .246 .35 <.001 .29 <.001
Health responsibility –.20 .001 .02 .778 .17 .005 .27 <.001 .21 <.001
Physical activity –.22 <.001 –.07 .778 .04 .662 .25 <.001 .10 .094
Nutrition –.21 <.001 –.12 .045 –.02 .797 .19 .002 .18 .002
Spiritual growth –.49 <.001 –.09 .126 .07 .246 .29 <.001 .23 <.001
Interpersonal relations –.41 <.001 –.16 .008 .02 .793 .36 <.001 .38 <.001
Stress management –.37 <.001 –.24 <.001 .07 .246 .35 <.001 .29 <.001
Depression         .07 .224 –.17 .006 –.03 .650
Anxiety         .12 .052 –.03 .626 –.01 .949
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