Internet addiction is a behavioral problem that is rapidly growing increasingly widespread, especially among higher education students. This study aimed to profile psychophysiological characteristics of students at different levels of risk of developing behavior-modifying internet addiction. We invited 261 students and established their levels of internet addiction using the Chen Internet Addiction Scale, then formed two groups: group 1 — students showing no signs of internet addiction; group 2 — students prone to internet addiction. Students' mental and social health and quality of life were assessed. Compared to the participants from group 1, group 2 students were found to exhibit 1.7 times more intense compulsive symptoms, 1.5-fold stronger withdrawal and tolerance symptoms, and had intrapersonal/health issues and time management problems that were 1.3 and 1.4-fold more grave, respectively; all these factors contributed to their predisposition to internet addiction. The risk of internet addiction in group 2 externalized as greater irritability (1.5-fold higher than in group 1), resentment (1.4-fold higher), feelings of guilt and hostility (1.3-fold more intense), verbal aggression (1.2-fold), stress (1.3-fold), anxiety and negative emotional experiences (1.2-fold), and 1.2 times lower quality of life in terms of its psychological component. The resulting data suggest the need for prevention measures designed to reduce the risk of internet addiction through management of negative emotional states in students with the help of socio-psychological inventory.
VIEWS 1444
The allergic diseases, the major role in etiology of which is played by allergens present in ambient air, are common. To develop practical guidelines on prevention of allergic rhinitis as the most prevalent disorder in the structure of allergy, it is necessary to estimate all the conditions, both negatively and positively affecting this disorder. The study was aimed to assess factors affecting the incidence, detection, and registration of cases of allergic rhinitis in the Voronezh Region. The report forms № 12 and № 30 provided substantive inputs to the study, along with the laboratory test data provided by private clinics and the social and hygienic monitoring data. Epidemiological analysis was performed by retrospective method; the territories were ranked by various indicators; the correlation analysis method was applied. We determined the incidence rates and the districts at high risk of allergic rhinitis (pollinosis) in all population groups for the period 2012–2021. We determined the structure of aeroallergens identified in private healthcare institutions, assessed the staffing levels of allergists in the public institutions of the Voronezh Region, and identified significant environmental factors. The identified features of the prevalence, diagnosis, and registration of allergic rhinitis in the Voronezh Region can be used to improve preventive measures targeting this allergic disorder.
VIEWS 1420
Recently, the problem of psychological status of students, including university students, and its influence on the health of the individual has become very relevant. The applicants entering higher education institutions of our county face an especially difficult period. They have to deal with a lot of exams affecting their future destiny, the complicated process of adaptation to the new training conditions existing in the educational institutions, as well as with the completely unfamiliar team of teachers and students. The study was aimed to perform comparative analysis of psychological health of the students attending the medical university and to determine the indicators most strongly affecting the students’ quality of life and body’s condition. A total of 1050 first-year, third-year, and sixth-year students of the medical university were enrolled. Each subject was offered to voluntarily pass three different tests to determine his/her psychological status. The scores of functional reserve of the CNS below 50% were reported for more than one third of students of the pediatric faculty (39%). In students of the faculty of pediatrics, the decreased performance was observed in 51% of cases, mostly in females. To summarize, it is worth noting, that medical students, especially first-year students, often have psychological health problems.
VIEWS 1560
The paper reports the issues of the medical assistance of students attending secondary medical educational institutions in Volgograd and the Volgograd region. It has been found that the regional regulatory documents contain no unified requirements related to students’ health protection. Primary medical care provision to students is ensured by pediatric (under the age of 18 years) and adult outpatient clinics (over the age of 18 years) of Volgograd and the Volgograd region in accordance with the concluded contracts. Furthermore, the students have a mandatory medical check-up before the beginning of practical training in accordance with the Order № 29N of the Ministry of Health of the Russian Federation dated January 28, 2021. At the same time, there is no dynamic monitoring of the students’ health status during the educational process. It has been shown that none of the secondary medical educational institutions of Volgograd and the Volgograd region conducts assessment and monitoring of occulational risk factors corresponding to the studied specialty. It is necessary to develop the system for informational communication of medical professional with medical institutions conducting preventive medical examinations and routine check-ups of students. Furthermore, it is important to consider the features of the chosen profession taking into account potential risk factors of the learning process and future professional activity.
VIEWS 1488
It is difficult to overestimate the relevance of the study of the actual nutrition of students of higher education institutions, as nutrition is the most important component of healthy lifestyle. The aim of the study was to perform hygienic assessment of the medical university students’ daily dietary intake. The study involved 1200 students of the 1st, 2nd and 3rd years at the department of general medicine, pediatric department and dental department. The method of studying actual nutrition with the help of an electronic food diary, where the subjects entered information about the foods consumed during the day, was chosen to record actual nutrition facts. Data processing showed that the daily nutritional intake of students at all the studied faculties was characterized by reduced caloric content, reduced intake of nutritional substances, lack of systematization of meals and eating mainly in the evening. Thus, hygienic assessment of the medical students’ daily dietary intake revealed shortcomings in the organization of nutrition of this population group, which should be eliminated in order to preserve and improve the health of future specialists. In subsequent studies, one would need to assess the nutrition of different gender groups in order to trace the emerging nutritional stereotypes in groups of young men and women, taking into account the differences in age and the chosen specialty.
VIEWS 1599