1.College perception and well-being assessment of medical students in a public medical school in the Philippines: A cross-sectional study
Armando E. Chiong III ; Jemima F. Cabanlong ; Chelsea Patricia Immanuelle L. Lopez ; Karl Gerard R. Crisostomo ; Jian Kenzo O. Leal ; Jeune Keith G. Mabang ; Charlotte M. Chiong
Acta Medica Philippina 2025;59(9):7-18
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE
Given the rigors of medical training with its high documented prevalence of mental issues as well as the global need to safeguard the well-being of medical students, there is an urgency to assess the well-being of medical students and their perception of support from their respective medical schools during their education. This also applies in the context of public medical school students in the Philippines, where there is still a relative lack of literature. This cross-sectional study investigates the well-being and such perceptions of medical students at the University of the Philippines College of Medicine (UPCM).
METHODSThe study uses a quantitative approach using a subset of secondary data from a college-wide survey online that was disseminated, through convenience sampling, to medical students from October 3, 2018 to December 3, 2018. A total of 432 responses were included in the analysis, out of the total student population of the included learning unit levels of 809. Participants were grouped based on their entry into medical school, either through the Integrated Liberal Arts and Medicine (INTARMED) program or lateral entry. Exclusion criteria comprised responses from Learning Unit I-II (pre-medical proper) students and incomplete survey sets. Responses were interpreted using established scales such as the World Health Organization Well-Being Index (WHO-5), Perceived Stress Scale-4 (PSS-4), and Oldenburg Burnout Inventory-Medical Student (OLBI-MS). Data analysis involved statistical techniques including one-way ANOVA and independent samples t-test using Statistical Package for the Social Sciences (SPSS).
RESULTSThe findings suggest that medical students at UPCM generally find the administrative and academic systems satisfactory, but express concerns about inadequate educational resources and infrastructure, especially as they progress through their studies and engage more with clinical settings like the Philippine General Hospital (PGH). As students advance through the program, there are different patterns for wellbeing outcomes, including decreasing perceived stress and increasing burnout. In particular, LU IV and LU VII students reported lower well-being and higher burnout levels, respectively. This is potentially due to heavier workloads and clinical responsibilities. Lateral entrants, who are older and typically enter with prior degrees, tend to have higher well-being and lower burnout compared to INTARMED students, suggesting age and previous educational experience may play a role in adjustment and coping mechanisms.
CONCLUSIONOverall, the study highlights the medical students’ generally satisfactory perception of medical educational aspects, as well as the patterns of wellbeing throughout their medical college experience. Furthermore, it identifies different areas for improvement to ensure effective education and student mental health. By analyzing trends across different year levels, the study provides insights for interventions and program refinements, while also suggesting avenues for further research to assess student experiences over time.
Mental Health ; Students, Medical ; Philippines
2.Cardiovascular risk in medical students: Is living alone a factor?
Cyrille Jane O. Barrion ; Christine Gabrielle R. Bien ; Arian Jaya B. Caballero ; Julian John L. Cai ; Jovinian Aji D. De la cruz ; Jerahmeel Matthew G. De leon ; Michelle Anne Maree Y. Del pilar ; Francis Charles L. Fernandez ; Jose Ronilo G. Juangco
Health Sciences Journal 2025;14(1):24-29
INTRODUCTION
Cardiovascular diseases (CVD) are a leading global health concern. Modifiable behavioral risk factors are increasingly recognized in young adults, especially among medical students who often live independently. This study investigated the association between living alone and modifiable cardiovascular risk factors—sleep quality, sodium intake, physical activity, and body mass index (BMI)—among medical students at UERMMMCI during the 2022-2023 academic year.
METHODSResearchers conducted an analytical cross-sectional study among 220 medical students. Validated tools were used: Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), Scored Sodium Questionnaire, International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and BMI classification. Researchers performed statistical analyses using Chi-square tests and calculated relative risks (RR) with 95% confidence intervals.
RESULTSA significant positive association was found between living alone and poor sleep quality (RR 2.132 p = 0.047). No significant associations were observed between living alone and sodium intake (RR 0.96 p = 0.6868), physical activity (RR 1.18 p = 0.2239), or BMI (RR 1.03 p = 0.7367).
CONCLUSIONAmong the studied cardiovascular risk factors, only poor sleep quality was significantly more prevalent among students living alone. These findings highlight the importance of interventions targeting sleep hygiene in this demographic.
Human ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Risk Factors ; Students, Medical ; Sleep Quality ; Living Alone ; Home Environment
3.Accumulated Effects of 24 Hours Physical Activity,Sedentary Behavior,and Sleep on Cardiorespiratory Fitness in College Students.
Yun-Feng SONG ; Chi XU ; Kai-Xin LI ; Si-Jie TAN ; Yu-Gang QI
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(2):155-163
Objective To explore the accumulated effects of physical activity,sedentary behavior,and sleep on cardiorespiratory fitness(CRF)among college students and provide effective measures for enhancing their CRF. Methods From May to June in 2023,223 college students aged 18 to 24 years old were recruited from Tianjin University of Science and Technology for a 24 hours activity behavior survey and CRF testing.Compositional analysis was employed to investigate the relationships of physical activity,sedentary behavior,and sleep with CRF.Isotemporal substitution models were established to predict the effects of substituting various activity behaviors on CRF.Results The proportion of time spent on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA)was positively correlated with CRF of college students(β=6.40,P=0.002),while the proportion of time spent on sedentary behavior was negatively correlated with CRF(β=-3.02,P=0.004).Light physical activity(LPA)and sleep were not correlated with CRF(β=-1.06,P=0.504).Isotemporal substitution results for 15-min increments showed that replacing other activity behaviors with MVPA significantly increased the CRF of college students[SB:1.72 mL/(kg·min),95% CI=0.94-2.51;LPA:1.82 mL/(kg·min),95% CI=0.95-2.68;sleep:1.64 mL/(kg·min),95% CI=0.84-2.45].In the dose-response relationship from -30 min to 30 min,reallocating time from other behaviors to MVPA had greater adverse effect on CRF than reallocating time from MVPA to other behaviors.Among all the substitutions,replacing LPA with MVPA had the most beneficial effect on improving CRF.Additionally,a 5-min increment was considered the optimal tipping point for MVPA replacing other activities.Conclusions This study underscores the importance of participating in MVPA for improving the CRF of college students.The isotemporal substitution model provides clear goals for the allocation of time for these behaviors,aiding in future intervention measure development and policy-making.
Humans
;
Sedentary Behavior
;
Sleep
;
Students
;
Cardiorespiratory Fitness
;
Exercise
;
Young Adult
;
Adolescent
;
Universities
;
Male
;
Female
4.Effects of Compositional Isotemporal Substitutions of 24 Hours Activity Behaviors on Novel Obesity Indicators in College Students.
Yun-Feng SONG ; Chi XU ; Si-Jie TAN ; Yu-Gang QI
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(2):164-174
Objective To explore the effects of time reallocation among moderate-to-vigorous physical activity(MVPA),light physical activity(LPA),sedentary behavior(SB),and sleep on a body shape index(ABSI),body roundness index(BRI),conicity index(CI),and relative fat mass(RFM)of college students by the compositional isotemporal substitution method,thus providing measures for alleviating the obesity problem of college students. Methods Two hundred and ten college students(111 males and 99 females)aged 18-22 years old were recruited from Tianjin University of Science and Technology from April to June in 2023.Three-dimensional acceleration sensors were used to collect data of MVPA,LPA,SB,and sleep of college students.The body height,body weight,and waist circumference were measured,and four novel obesity indicators(ABSI,BRI,CI,and RFM)were calculated.The effects of substituting each activity behavior for 15 min on the obesity indicators were predicted,and the dose-effect relationship was explored at intervals of 5 min from -30 to 30 min.Results MVPA was negatively correlated with ABSI(β=-0.03,P=0.001),BRI(β=-0.27,P=0.049),CI(β=-0.10,P=0.001),and RFM(β=-9.95,P=0.004).LPA was negatively correlated with CI(β=-0.05,P=0.011)and RFM(β=-8.74,P=0.007).Neither SB nor sleep had correlations with ABSI,BRI,CI,and RFM.The results of 15 min isotemporal substitutions showed that increasing the MVPA time decreased the ABSI,BRI,CI,and RFM by 0.006-0.008,0.306-0.393,0.162-0.205,and 2.468-2.897,respectively.Decreasing the MVPA time increased the ABSI,BRI,CI,and RFM by 0.012-0.014,0.548-0.632,0.286-0.328,and 4.358-4.748,respectively.In the dose-effect relationship from -30 min to 30 min,MVPA was irreplaceable,and the negative benefits from substituting MVPA for other activity behaviors were much greater than the positive benefits from substituting MVPA for other activity behaviors.Conclusions Future research should take 24 hours activity behaviors as a whole.Increasing the time spent on MVPA and LPA and decreasing the time spent on SB is one of the effective ways to alleviate the obesity problem among college students.
Humans
;
Male
;
Students
;
Female
;
Young Adult
;
Obesity
;
Sleep
;
Adolescent
;
Exercise
;
Universities
;
Sedentary Behavior
;
Body Mass Index
;
Body Weight
5.Cross-Sectional Analysis of the Relationship Between Bedtime Procrastination and Fear of Missing Out and the Effect of Exercise Intervention.
Jun-Ge PENG ; Meng-Ying ZHANG ; Jiang XIAO ; Kai-Xin LI ; Yue ZHAO ; Yan LI
Acta Academiae Medicinae Sinicae 2025;47(2):175-181
Objective To explore the relationship between bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out and the intervention effect of aerobic exercise on bedtime procrastination,so as to provide a theoretical basis and practical reference for remedying bedtime procrastination.Methods Totally 988 students were selected through random sampling and then surveyed with the bedtime procrastination scale and the fear of missing out scale.Correlation and regression analyses were performed to explore the relationship between bedtime procrastination and fear of missing out.A total of 36 students were recruited from the 988 students to participate in the exercise intervention and they were assigned into an exercise group and a control group by the random number table method,with 18 students in each group.The exercise group performed aerobic exercise for 12 weeks,while the control group maintained daily activities.The participants' scores on the bedtime procrastination scale and the fear of missing out scale were recorded before and after the intervention and compared.Results The fear of missing out was positively correlated with bedtime procrastination among college students(r=0.214,P<0.001),and it was an important predictive factor for bedtime procrastination(β=0.241,P<0.001).After the intervention,the scores of bedtime procrastination scale decreased in the exercise group(t=2.277,P=0.036),while there was no significant difference in the scores of the control group before and after intervention(t=-0.787,P=0.442).Conclusions A high level of fear of missing out indicates severe bedtime procrastination.And 12-week exercise intervention could remedy bedtime procrastination.
Humans
;
Fear
;
Exercise
;
Male
;
Female
;
Procrastination
;
Young Adult
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Students/psychology*
;
Adult
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
;
Adolescent
6.Perceptions of medical students on e-learning platform as mode of teaching family counseling in a medical school: A case series.
Niko C. CEDICOL ; Allan R. DIONISIO ; Martha Jane Pauline S. UMALI
Acta Medica Philippina 2025;59(20):85-91
Medical students need the basic skills and techniques in family counseling to holistically manage a family. E-learning as a mode of teaching family counseling was experienced by medical students due to the COVID-19 pandemic. This was a case series of ten medical students in a tertiary training hospital who described their thoughts and feelings about the e-learning platform used. A focused group discussion composed of seven students was conducted independently. The students’ perceptions on the use of e-learning were generally negative in nature. The volume of online learning materials to be studied and the poor-quality videos reflected the sudden shift to e-learning due to the pandemic. Limitations on the e-learning format resulted in the inability to recognize non-verbal gestures which was crucial in counseling. The poor internet connectivity within the students’ learning environment was a hindering factor as it prolonged the counseling. Positive perception was mainly due to the effectiveness of the instructor in teaching online family counseling. The adeptness in navigating online platforms and guidance to students during the demo-returndemo resulted in the achievement of the expected outcomes of the workshop. The high preference to face-to-face mode may be attributed to the number of negative perceptions by the students.
Human ; Male ; Female ; Young Adult: 19-24 Yrs Old ; Adult: 25-44 Yrs Old ; Students, Medical
7.Extent of health-promoting lifestyle among student nurses in private schools in Baguio City: A quantitative descriptive research study.
Florence L. PULIDO ; Gemson Yahweh S. AQUINO ; Aira Marie PARUNGAO ; Kyle Cristel B. BALOALOA ; Trinna Camille B. ABRIGO ; Clarissa V. CAJAYON ; Irish Justine J. GONZALES ; Rhea Kathleen A. MEJIA ; Vincent Kyle E. DE CASTRO ; Rolando C. ESGUERRA ; Sofia Rafaela D. VELARDE
Acta Medica Philippina 2025;59(19):30-42
INTRODUCTION
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program spans four years and includes general education and professional courses. Student nurses attend lecture hours, clinical duties, and related learning experiences that might be affecting their time in attending to a healthy lifestyle. Health-promoting lifestyle is a multi-dimensional pattern of activities and perceptions that begins with self-motivation and assists in promoting self-improvement and health. The domains of health-promoting lifestyle are essential factors to further improve their way of dealing with daily challenges. Multiple factors can also influence student nurses’ lifestyles, including their separation from family, busy schedules, and dietary choices. A study highlights various factors affecting student nurses' lifestyles, underscoring the need for tailored health promotion strategies and curriculum enhancements. Research into these domains can better equip future healthcare leaders. Gender, year level, and living arrangements influence student nurses' lifestyles, prompting researchers to investigate the extent of health-promoting lifestyles among them and differences based on these factors. By addressing these domains and conducting further research, nursing education and practice can better prepare future healthcare leaders to promote health and lifestyle effectively within their communities.
OBJECTIVESTo determine the extent of health-promoting lifestyle among student nurses and identify the significant differences according to gender, year level, and living arrangement.
METHODSA quantitative, descriptive research design was used with 360 respondents, employing Yamane’s formula and quota sampling. The study adopted the Health-Promoting Lifestyle II questionnaire with a validity of 0.962.
RESULTSStudent nurses often engage in health promoting behaviors (mean=2.56). Male student nurses reported higher scores in health responsibility, physical activity, spiritual growth, and stress management compared to female students (p=0.40). Level IV students engaged in health-promoting activities more frequently than Level I students (p=0.74). Living arrangements did not significantly impact health-promoting lifestyles (p=0.99).
CONCLUSIONNo significant difference in health-promoting lifestyles among student nurses. Respondents demonstrated the least health-promoting lifestyle behaviors in the domains of health responsibility, nutrition, and physical activity. In contrast, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management attained the highest mean scores.
Human ; Physical Activity ; Exercise ; Interpersonal Relations ; Students, Nursing ; Life Style
8.Association between visual impairment and body mass index in students from rural China.
Hongyu GUAN ; Zhijie WANG ; Yuxiu DING ; Yunyun ZHANG ; Kang DU ; Yaojiang SHI
Singapore medical journal 2025;66(7):362-367
INTRODUCTION:
Visual impairment and obesity remain the major public health issues among school-age students in rural areas of China. Obesity is an underlying risk of vision problems. This study aimed to assess the association between visual impairment and body mass index (BMI) among school-age students in rural northwest China.
METHODS:
This study included 39,385 students from the 4 th to 9 th grade in rural northwest China. From 2018 to 2020, students underwent an assessment of visual acuity (VA) and completed a questionnaire on family demographics, and height and weight measurements. Multiple logistic regression analyses were used to analyse the data.
RESULTS:
The association between visual impairment and BMI groups was significant in the study population ( P = 0.002) and in different groups (at the different educational, provincial and national levels) ( P < 0.001, separately). Multiple logistic regression analyses revealed a positive relationship between visual impairment and obesity in the study population, including those attending primary school, Han students and the residents of Ningxia autonomous region.
CONCLUSION
The association between visual impairment and obesity was significant among school-age students in rural northwest China. There should be implementation of policies to address the problem about visual impairment and obesity among school-age students in rural areas.
Humans
;
China/epidemiology*
;
Body Mass Index
;
Male
;
Female
;
Rural Population
;
Vision Disorders/complications*
;
Child
;
Adolescent
;
Students
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
;
Logistic Models
;
Obesity/complications*
;
Visual Acuity
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
9.Association Between Introversion Personality and Social Media Usage-Related Social Anxiety Among Chinese College Students: Chain Mediating Effects of Interaction Anxiousness and Mobile Phone Addiction.
Su-Yan WANG ; Wen-Hui LI ; Hong-Liang DAI
Chinese Medical Sciences Journal 2025;40(3):180-187
BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: Social anxiety arising from intensive social media usage (SMU) among adolescents and youth has gained extensive attention in recent years due to its negative influence on mental health and academic performance. In spite of that, there is a dearth regarding the etiology of SMU-related social anxiety. This study aims to further clarify the influence of introversion personality on SMU-related social anxiety and the mechanism underlying such an association and provide a new perspective for developing effective intervention strategies for the highly prevailing SMU-related anxiety among Chinese college students. METHODS: A cohort of 979 college students (266 males and 713 females) aged 20.90 ± 1.91 years was enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Four measures including the "extroversion" domain of Eysenck Personality Questionnaire Revised, Short Scale (EPQ-R-S E), Interaction Anxiousness Scale (IAS), Mobile Phone Addiction Index (MPAI), and Social Anxiety Scale for Social Media Users (SAS-SMU) were used to evaluate the influence of introversion personality on SMU-related social anxiety that was potentially mediated sequentially by interaction anxiousness and mobile phone addiction. Hayes PROCESS was used for correlation and mediation analysis. RESULTS: Interaction anxiousness (indirect effect = -1.331, 95% CI : -1.559 - -1.122) partially mediated the association between introversion personality and SMU-related social anxiety. Besides, a sequential mediation of interaction anxiousness and mobile phone addiction in the link between introversion personality and SMU-related social anxiety was revealed (indirect effect = -0.308, 95% CI : -0.404 - -0.220). No significant mediating effect was found with mobile phone addiction in the association between introversion personality and SMU-related social anxiety. CONCLUSION: Targeting interaction anxiousness and mobile phone addiction may represent an efficient strategy alleviating SMU-related social anxiety among Chinese college students with introversion personality.
Humans
;
Male
;
Female
;
Social Media
;
Students/psychology*
;
Anxiety/psychology*
;
Young Adult
;
Cross-Sectional Studies
;
Universities
;
Behavior, Addictive/psychology*
;
Cell Phone
;
Adolescent
;
Introversion, Psychological
;
China
;
Surveys and Questionnaires
;
Internet Addiction Disorder/psychology*
10.Extent of health-promoting lifestyle among student nurses in private schools in Baguio City: A quantitative descriptive research study
Florence L. Pulido ; Gemson Yahweh S. Aquino ; Aira Marie Parungao ; Kyle Cristel B. Baloaloa ; Trinna Camille B. Abrigo ; Clarissa V. Cajayon ; Irish Justine J. Gonzales ; Rhea Kathleen A. Mejia ; Vincent Kyle E. De castro ; Rolando C. Esguerra ; Sofia Rafaela D. Velarde
Acta Medica Philippina 2025;59(Early Access 2025):1-13
INTRODUCTION
The Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) program spans four years and includes general education and professional courses. Student nurses attend lecture hours, clinical duties, and related learning experiences that might be affecting their time in attending to a healthy lifestyle. Health-promoting lifestyle is a multi-dimensional pattern of activities and perceptions that begins with self-motivation and assists in promoting self-improvement and health. The domains of health-promoting lifestyle are essential factors to further improve their way of dealing with daily challenges. Multiple factors can also influence student nurses’ lifestyles, including their separation from family, busy schedules, and dietary choices. A study highlights various factors affecting student nurses' lifestyles, underscoring the need for tailored health promotion strategies and curriculum enhancements. Research into these domains can better equip future healthcare leaders. Gender, year level, and living arrangements influence student nurses' lifestyles, prompting researchers to investigate the extent of health-promoting lifestyles among them and differences based on these factors. By addressing these domains and conducting further research, nursing education and practice can better prepare future healthcare leaders to promote health and lifestyle effectively within their communities.
OBJECTIVESTo determine the extent of health-promoting lifestyle among student nurses and identify the significant differences according to gender, year level, and living arrangement.
METHODSA quantitative, descriptive research design was used with 360 respondents, employing Yamane’s formula and quota sampling. The study adopted the Health-Promoting Lifestyle II questionnaire with a validity of 0.962.
RESULTSStudent nurses often engage in health promoting behaviors (mean=2.56). Male student nurses reported higher scores in health responsibility, physical activity, spiritual growth, and stress management compared to female students (p=0.40). Level IV students engaged in health-promoting activities more frequently than Level I students (p=0.74). Living arrangements did not significantly impact health-promoting lifestyles (p=0.99).
CONCLUSIONNo significant difference in health-promoting lifestyles among student nurses. Respondents demonstrated the least health-promoting lifestyle behaviors in the domains of health responsibility, nutrition, and physical activity. In contrast, spiritual growth, interpersonal relations, and stress management attained the highest mean scores.
Human ; Physical Activity ; Exercise ; Interpersonal Relations ; Students, Nursing ; Life Style


Result Analysis
Print
Save
E-mail