Bad Habits and Their Impact on Students’ Health

The aim: Is to investigate the bad habits of the students of higher education institutions and their impact on health.

Materials and methods: The research of the students’ bad habits was conducted at Polissia National University and Zhytomyr Ivan Franko State University in 2014-2019. 647 students of different specialties between the ages of 17 and 23 were interviewed. The research methods included theoretical methods (the analysis and generalization of literary sources, the evaluation of the quality of students’ performance in classes, the study and analysis of the medical records of students); empirical methods (pedagogical observations, questionnaires, surveys); the methods of mathematical statistics.

Results: The study found that 32.4 % of male students and 14.9 % of female students smoke. It was defined that male students of the special education department smoke the most – 37.7 %; 32.5 % and 27.1 % of the male students of the main and sports departments smoke respectively. Among female students, 18.4 % of the students of the sports department, 14.6 % – of the main department and 13.4 % – of the special department smoke. The study determined that 2.7 % of both male and female students of the first year of study drink alcohol almost every day, 3.7 % – 2-3 times a week, 18.2 % – once a week, 66.0 % – only on holidays. Besides, the research indicated that some students use drugs. It was found that the students know that smoking, alcohol, and drugs are harmful but cannot or do not want to get rid of these bad habits.

Conclusions:The study established that the environment of students is unfavorable for the activation of the healthy lifestyle components; it contributes to the spread of bad habits, the consequences of which students do not realize fully. Many students do not have a need to take care of their own health.