Perfil da qualidade de vida e saúde mental de estudantes de educação física de uma instituição pública do Piauí

Abstract

University students go through several stressful situations, such as reduced time for leisure, rest, the need to balance study and work, poor diet, sedentary lifestyle, demands on academic performance, financial problems, among others. The research aimed to analyze the profile of quality of life and symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress in students of the Physical Education course at a Public Higher Education Institution. The research was approved by the Research Ethics Committee (No. 6,772,224). Sample of 69 students, both sexes, distributed from the 1st to the 5th period. The DASS-21 scale was used to assess psychological symptoms and the WHOQOL-bref to measure quality of life. The results indicated moderate levels of stress (mean: 16), anxiety (mean: 10) and depression (mean: 13), with no statistically significant differences between sexes or academic periods. However, the 3rd period presented the highest stress and anxiety scores, while the 5th had the lowest. Most students rated their quality of life as “good” (73.9%) and were satisfied with their health (71.0%). There was a significant difference in health satisfaction between the sexes (p=0.012), with women being more satisfied. In the WHOQOL-bref domains (physical, psychological, social relationships and environment), no statistically significant differences were observed between groups, although the environmental domain presented the lowest scores. It is concluded that, despite the overall positive assessment of quality of life, symptoms of psychological distress are present among university students, highlighting the need for institutional strategies aimed at promoting mental health and well-being in the academic environment.