Kanaan S.1, Almhdawi K.1
1Jordan University of Science and Technology, Rehabilitation Sciences, Irbid, Jordan
Background: Healthcare is expanding beyond management of physical and mental disorders to include improving the quality of life. Rehabilitation sciences' students may have decreased levels of quality of life due to socio-demographic, academic, mental health, physical health, and life style related factors. There is limited studies investigated certain factors associated with quality of life of rehabilitation sciences students.
Purpose: To identify predictors of physical and mental health related quality of life in undergraduate rehabilitation sciences' students. We hypothesized that several sociodemographic, academic, mental, musculoskeletal factors would be significant predictors of physical and mental health related quality of life. Understanding these factors would help in establishing effective prevention and treatment strategies in order to enhance students' quality of life.
Methods: A cross sectional survey was conducted on rehabilitation sciences undergraduate students at Jordan University of Science and Technology in 2016. The participants were in their last 2 years of their study from three academic majors: physical therapy, occupational therapy, and speech pathology. Socio-demographics, academic-related, and life style data were collected. The students completed Arabic validated translation of the SF-12 Health Survey Questionnaire, Depression Anxiety Stress Scale (DASS 21), and Nordic Musculoskeletal Questionnaire. Two multiple linear regressions models were conducted to investigate the predictors of physical health related quality of life (P-QOL) and mental health related quality of life (M-QOL). Significance level was set at p .05.
Results: A total of 232 students (84.5% females) completed the study (physical therapy (n=84), occupational therapy (n=79), speech pathology (n=69). Regression analysis showed that DASS anxiety score
(β= -.17, p =.001), number of sports hours per week (β= .13, p= .027), number of cigarettes per day
(β= -.18, p= .013), lower back pain (β= -2.11, p= .027), neck dysfunction (β= -4.98, p .001), and hand and wrist pain (β= -2.94, p= .002) were significant predictors of P-QOL. While DASS stress score
(β= -.45, p .001), DASS depression score (β= -.319, p= .001), number of sports hours per week
(β= .26, p= .028), physical therapy major of study (β= 2.59, p= .027), students grade point average (GPA) (β= .22, p= .004), and neck pain (β= -2.53, p .043) were significant predictors of M-QOL.
Conclusion(s): Anxiety, depression, and stress all negatively impact quality of life of students. Lower back and neck pain and dysfunction are associated with poorer quality of life among rehabilitation sciences students. Unhealthy life style such as low sport participation and cigarettes smoking can negatively impact quality of life. Quality of life is higher in physical therapy students and high-achieving students. Future research could investigate potential effects of academic counseling, preventive and therapeutic measures for spine disorders and life style modification on students quality of life.
Implications: Wellbeing of undergraduate students is important for optimal learning for the future therapists. Providing effective academic and psychological counseling, and life style modification might improve students quality of life. Prevention and treatment of neck and low back pain can improve students quality of life physically and mentally. Academic institutions are advised to facilitate services for their students to improve their quality of life.
Funding acknowledgements: The study was funded by the Deanship of Scientific Research at Jordan University of Science and Technology [Grant# 20160034].
Topic: Education
Ethics approval: The study was approved by Jordan University of Science and Technology Human Subjects Committee.
All authors, affiliations and abstracts have been published as submitted.
