Lifestyle in Undergraduate Students and Demographically Matched Controls during the COVID-19 Pandemic in Spain.
Few studies have used a multidimensional approach to describe lifestyle changes among undergraduate students during the COVID-19 pandemic or have included controls. This study aimed to evaluate lifestyle behaviors and mental health of undergraduate students and compare them with an age and sex-matched control group. A cross-sectional web survey using snowball sampling was conducted several months after the beginning of COVID-19 pandemic in Spain. A sample of 221 students was recruited. The main outcome was the total SMILE-C score. Students showed a better SMILE-C score than controls (79.8 + 8.1 vs. 77.2 + 8.3; p < 0.001), although these differences disappeared after controlling for covariates. While groups did not differ in the screenings of depression and alcohol abuse, students reported lower rates of anxiety (28.5% vs. 37.1%; p = 0.042). A lower number of cohabitants, poorer self-perceived health and positive screening for depression and anxiety, or for depression only were independently associated (p < 0.05) with unhealthier lifestyles in both groups. History of mental illness and financial difficulties were predictors of unhealthier lifestyles for students, whereas totally/moderate changes in substance abuse and stress management (p < 0.05) were predictors for the members of the control group. Several months after the pandemic, undergraduate students and other young adults had similar lifestyles.
['Giner-Murillo|María|M|0000-0001-8059-5128', 'Atienza-Carbonell|Beatriz|B|0000-0002-9286-3676', 'Cervera-Martínez|Jose|J|0000-0002-4710-2990', 'Bobes-Bascarán|Teresa|T|0000-0002-5279-504X', 'Crespo-Facorro|Benedicto|B|', 'De Boni|Raquel B|RB|0000-0002-2455-5997', 'Esteban|Cristina|C|0000-0001-8562-2615', 'García-Portilla|María Paz|MP|0000-0003-3643-1622', 'Gomes-da-Costa|Susana|S|', 'González-Pinto|Ana|A|', 'Jaén-Moreno|María José|MJ|', 'Kapczinski|Flavio|F|', 'Ponce-Mora|Alberto|A|0000-0002-6350-8157', 'Sarramea|Fernando|F|0000-0003-0457-2340', 'Tabarés-Seisdedos|Rafael|R|0000-0002-1089-2204', 'Vieta|Eduard|E|0000-0002-0548-0053', 'Zorrilla|Iñaki|I|0000-0001-6444-8208', 'Balanzá-Martínez|Vicent|V|0000-0001-7772-7396']
D001007:Anxiety D000086382:COVID-19 D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies D003863:Depression D006801:Humans D008019:Life Style D058873:Pandemics D000086402:SARS-CoV-2 D013030:Spain D013334:Students D055815:Young Adult
lifestyle undergraduate students COVID-19 pandemic mental health