QUALITY-OF-LIFE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE:

a cross-sectional study in university students

Autores

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.17058/447gcd40

Palavras-chave:

Academic routine, Health-related quality of life, Exercise, Psychological Wellness

Resumo

Introduction: academic performance is influenced by multiple demographics, socioeconomic, behavioral, and quality-of-life factors. However, few studies have assessed these variables in an integrated manner among Brazilian university students.  Objective: To assess the association between academic performance and demographic, socioeconomic, behavioral, and quality-of-life factors among undergraduate. Method: This cross-sectional study included 347 undergraduate students from a private university in southern Brazil. Data were collected through an online questionnaire, including demographic, socioeconomic, and behavioral characteristics, as well as quality of life assessed using the WHOQOL-BREF. Academic performance was the outcome and was self-reported and categorized as “good” or “poor.” Logistic regression with a hierarchical model was used to examine associations. The results were interpreted using the odds ratio (OR), and 95% confidence interval. Results: The mean age was 22.28 years [Standard Deviation (SD) 5.05]. In the adjusted models, female students were more likely to report good academic performance (OR 2.55; 95% CI 1.30–4.98), as were those engaging in physical activity (OR 2.11; 95% CI 1.07–4.16). Higher psychological domain scores were also associated with better academic performance (OR 1.04; 95% CI 1.01–1.07).  Conclusão: Female sex, regular physical activity, and better psychological well-being were positively associated with academic performance. These findings highlight the need for institutional strategies that promote student well-being, particularly in the psychological domain, as a means of supporting academic success.

Downloads

Os dados de download ainda não estão disponíveis.

Biografia do Autor

  • Juliane Carla Taufer, Atitus Educação

    Mestre, Atitus Educação, Passo Fundo, RS, Brasil.

  • Fernanda Ruffo Ortiz, Atitus Educação

    Doutora, Atitus Educação, Passo Fundo, RS, Brasil.

  • Victor Fagundes Rodrigues, Uri Erechim

    Graduado, Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões, Erechim, RS.

  • Juliana Gottlieb Sebem, Atitus Educação

    Mestre, Atitus Educação, Passo Fundo, RS, Brasil.

  • Simone Tuchtenhagen, Uri Erechim

    Graduado, Universidade Regional Integrada do Alto Uruguai e das Missões, Erechim, RS, Brasil.

Referências

1. Li Y, Pu W, Phakdeephirot S. The effect of learning motivation on academic performance of university students in China. Front Psychol. 2022;13:845345. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2022.845345.

2. Byrne C. What determines perceived graduate employability? Exploring the effects of personal characteristics, academic achievements and graduate skills in a survey experiment. Stud High Educ. 2022;47(1):159–176. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03075079.2020.1735329.

3. Seyyedmoharrami I, Rahimi A, Hosseini S, et al. Academic success of students with low socioeconomic status: Explanation and evaluation of a model with a mixed-methods approach. J Educ Health Promot. 2024;13(1):336. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/jehp.jehp_537_23.

4. Kuśnierz C, Rogowska AM, Pavlova I. Examining gender differences, personality traits, academic performance, and motivation in Ukrainian and Polish students of physical education: A cross-cultural study. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(16):5729. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.3390/ijerph17165729.

5. Carvalho RGG. Gender differences in academic achievement: The mediating role of personality. Pers Individ Differ. 2016;94:54–58. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.paid.2016.01.002.

6. Loprinzi PD, Cardinal BJ, Loprinzi KL, et al. Benefits and environmental determinants of physical activity in children and adolescents. Obes Facts. 2012;5(4):597–610. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1159/000342684.

7. Donnelly JE, Hillman CH, Castelli D, et al. Physical activity, fitness, cognitive function, and academic achievement in children: A systematic review. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2016;48(6):1197–1222. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1249/MSS.0000000000000901.

8. Chattu VK, Chattu SK, Rangaiah S, et al. An exploratory study of quality of life and its relationship with academic performance among students in medical and other health professions. Med Sci. 2020;8(2):23.

9. Senarath MKID, Thalwaththe STRD, Tennakoon SUB. Evaluation of the quality of life among undergraduates of Faculty of Allied Health Sciences, University of Peradeniya. Int J Sci Appl Res. 2021;8(2):1–10.

10. Silva RM, Costa ALS, Mussi FC, et al. Health alterations in nursing students after a year from admission to the undergraduate course. Rev Esc Enferm USP. 2019;53:e03450. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/S1980-220X2018008103450.

11. Duckworth AL, Shulman EP, Mastronarde AJ, et al. Will not want: Self-control rather than motivation explains the female advantage in report card grades. Learn Individ Differ. 2015;39:13–23. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2015.02.006.

12. Lee E, Kim Y. Effect of university students’ sedentary behavior on stress, anxiety, and depression. Perspect Psychiatr Care. 2019;55:164–169.

13. Pradhan G, Mendinca NL, Kar M. Evaluation of examination stress and its effect on cognitive function among first-year medical students. J Clin Diagn Res. 2014;8:BC05–BC07.

14. Alsulami S, Omar Z, Haseeb M. Perception of academic stress among health science, Preparatory Program in two Saudi Universities. Adv Med Educ Pract. 2018;9:159–164. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.2147/AMEP.S143151.

15. Marcus AH, Christian UK, Susan JH. The quality of life of medical students studying in New Zealand: A comparison with non-medical students and a general population reference group. Teach Learn Med. 2016;24(4):334–340. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10401334.

16. Liselotten D, Mathew RT, Tait DS. Systemic review of depression, anxiety and other indicators of psychological distress among U.S. and Canadian medical students. Acad Med J. 2018;81(4):20–27. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1097/00001888-200604000-00009.

17. WHOQOL Group. The World Health Organization quality of life assessment (WHOQOL): position paper from the World Health Organization. Soc Sci Med. 1995;41(10):1403-1409.

18. Ilić M. Psychometric properties of the Serbian version of the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF). J Psychosom Res. 2019;120:77-84.

19. Victora CG, Huttly SR, Fuchs SC, et al. The role of conceptual frameworks in epidemiological analysis: A hierarchical approach. Int J Epidemiol. 1997;26(1):224–227. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1093/ije/26.1.224.

20. Khaola PP, Mahao ME. The influence of core self-evaluations on helping behaviour and academic achievement: The gendered effects. Int J Manage Educ. 2019;17(2):100317. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.ijme.2019.100317.

21. Voyer D, Voyer SD. Gender differences in scholastic achievement: A meta-analysis. Psychol Bull. 2014;140(4):1174–1204. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1037/a0036620.

22. DasCarlo M, Swadi H, Mpofu D. Medical student perceptions of factors affecting productivity of problem-based learning tutorial groups: does culture influence Théo outcome? Teach Learn Med. 2003;15(1):59–64.

23. You S, Sharkey JD. Advanced mathematics course-taking: A focus on gender equifinality. Learn Individ Differ. 2012;22(4):484–489. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.lindif.2012.04.002.

24. Gomes da Silva S, Arida RM. Physical activity and brain development. Expert Rev Neurother. 2015;15:1041–1051. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1586/14737175.2015.1077115.

25. Edwards JU, Mauch L, Winkelman MR. Relationship of nutrition and physical activity behaviors and fitness measures to academic performance for sixth graders in a Midwest city school district. J Sch Health. 2011;81:65–73. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2010.00562.x.

26. Calais SL. Journalism freshmen and veterans' stress. Estud Psicol. 2007;24(1):69–77.

27. Dessie Y, Ebrahin J, Awoke T. Mental distress among university students in Ethiopia: A cross-sectional survey. Pan Afr Med J. 2013;15:95. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.11604/pamj.2013.15.95.2173.

28. Behere SP, Yadav R, Behere PB. A comparative study of stress among students of medicine, engineering and nursing. Indian J Psychol Med. 2011;33(2):145–148. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4103/0253-7176.92064.

29. Hamaideh SH. Stressors and reactions to stressors among university students. Int J Soc Psychiatry. 2011;57(1):69–80. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1177/0020764009348442.

30. Caro JS, Eduardo N. Stress and quality of life among university students: A systematic review. Health Prof Educ. 2018;4:70–77. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.hpe.2017.03.002.

31. Iqbal S, Akram M, Mushtaq I. Relationship between stress and educational performance of university students. Rev Educ Admin Law. 2021;4(4):805–811. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.47067/real.v4i4.198.

Downloads

Publicado

2026-08-01

Edição

Seção

ARTIGO ORIGINAL

Como Citar

Taufer, J. C. ., Ruffo Ortiz, F., Fagundes Rodrigues, V. ., Gottlieb Sebem, J., & Tuchtenhagen, S. (2026). QUALITY-OF-LIFE, PHYSICAL ACTIVITY, AND ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE:: a cross-sectional study in university students. Revista Interdisciplinar De Promoção Da Saúde, 9. https://doi.org/10.17058/447gcd40