Is primary prevention accessible to students?
Abstract
The college years are critical to students' health as they face various challenges, including social influences and unhealthy lifestyles. Limited access to health services in residence halls increases the risk of unhealthy behaviours. The aim of this study was to investigate students' attitudes towards public health services for primary prevention in dormitories and to make suggestions for improvement. A cross-sectional study was conducted using a questionnaire among students living in halls of residence. The survey explored students' views on healthcare and the availability of preventive services for students living away from home. A total of 996 students participated (response rate 99.1%). Most were unemployed (83.9%). The most frequent preventive visits were to dentists (34.4% twice a year, 24.7% once a year), while 37.7% never visited a gynaecologist/urologist. The majority (68.6%) stated that a pharmacy was necessary in their dormitories. Basic health services include general practitioners (82.3%) and psychologists (21.4%). Attitudes towards health centres varied significantly by place of residence (p<0.001). Primary prevention should be improved by health centres with student-friendly opening hours and additional activities that promote access to healthcare and awareness of prevention.
References
Almutairi KM, Alonazi WB, Vinluan JM, Almigbal TH, Batais MA, Alodhayani AA, et al. Health promoting lifestyle of university students in Saudi Arabia: a cross-sectional assessment. BMC Public Health. 2018;18(1):1093.
Chao DP. Health-promoting lifestyle and its predictors among health-related and non-health-related university students in Taiwan: a cross-sectional quantitative study. BMC Public Health. 2023;23(1):827.
Jakubiec D, Kornafel D, Cygan A, Górska-Kłęk L, Chromik K. Lifestyle of students from different universities in Wroclaw, Poland. Rocz Panstw Zakl Hig. 2015;66(4):337—44.
Deasy C, Coughlan B, Pironom J, Jourdan D, McNamara PM. Psychological distress and lifestyle of students: implications for health promotion. Health Promot Int. 2015;30(1):77—87.
Núñez-Rocha GM, López-Botello CK, Salinas-Martínez AM, Arroyo-Acevedo HV, Martínez-Villarreal RT, Ávila-Ortiz MN. Lifestyle, Quality of Life, and Health Promotion Needs in Mexican University Students: Important Differences by Sex and Academic Discipline. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020;17(21):8024.
Wang D, Xing XH, Wu XB. Healthy lifestyles of university students in China and influential factors. The ScientificWorldJournal. 2013;2013:412950.
Aging policy United Nations Economic Commission for Europe UNECE 6/2010.
World Health Organisation. The world health report 2002 — Reducing Risks, Promoting Healthy Life. Geneva, 2002.
Stancic A, Djurovic O. Primary prevention of cerebrovascular diseases. Sestrinska rec. 2015;19:19—22.
Puente-Hidalgo S, Prada-García C, Benítez-Andrades JA, Fernández-Martínez E. Promotion of Healthy Habits in University Students: Literature Review. Healthcare (Basel). 2024;12(10):993.
Donev D. International movement for health promotion and prevention of non-communicable diseases. Proceedings of the ECPD international summer schools of management in healthcare; 2013; University for Peace, Belgrade, Serbia. Belgrade: ECPD; 2005;116—27.
Zhang Z, Abdullah H, Ghazali AHA, D’Silva JL, Ismail IA, Huang Z. The influence of health awareness on university students’ healthy lifestyles: The chain mediating role of self-esteem and social support. PLoS ONE. 2024;19(10):e0311886.
Tol A, Tavassoli E, Shariferad GR, Shojaeezadeh D. Health-promoting lifestyle and quality of life among undergraduate students at school of health, Isfahan university of medical sciences. J Educ Health Promot. 2013;2:11.
Health Insurance Law. “Official Gazette of RS”, No. 107/2005, 109/2005 — corrigendum, 57/2011, 110/2012 — US decision, 119/2012, 99/2014, 123/2014, 126/2014 — US decision , 106/2015 and 10/2016
Rulebook on the manner and procedure of exercising the rights from compulsory health insurance. “Official Gazette of RS”, No. 10/2010, 18/2010 — correction, 46/2010, 52/2010 —correction, 80/2010, 60/2011 — decision US, 1/2013, 108/2017, 82/2019 — second rulebook, 31/2021 — second rulebook and 4/2024 — second rulebook.
Institute of Public Health of Serbia “Dr Milan Jovanović Batut”. Health Statistical Yearbook of Republic of Serbia, 2023. Belgrade: Statistical Office of the Republic of Serbia 2024.
Regulation on the plan of the network of health care facilities. “Official Gazette of the RS”, No. 5/2020, 11/2020, 52/2020, 88/2020, 62/2021, 69/2021, 74/2021 and 95/2021.
List of private pharmacies [Internet]. Republic Funf Of Health Insurance; 2025 [cited 2025 July 21]. Available from: https://view.officeapps.live.com/op/view.aspx?src=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.rfzo.rs%2Fdownload%2Fdzu%2Fprivapo%2Fapo1-1.xlsx&wdOrigin=BROWSELINK.
Alothman SA, Al Baiz AA, Alzaben AS, Khan R, Alamri AF, Omer AB. Factors Associated with Lifestyle Behaviors among University Students-A Cross-Sectional Study. Healthcare (Basel). 2024;12(2):154.
Eisenberg D, Golberstein E, Gollust SE. Help-seeking and access to mental health care in a university student population. Med Care. 2007;45(7):594 — 601.
El Ansari W, Stock C. Is the Health and Wellbeing of University Students Associated with their Academic Performance? Cross Sectional Findings from the United Kingdom. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2010;7(2):509–27.
Urgent Care [Internet]. MIT Health; 2025 [cited 2025 Feb 21]. Available from: https://medical.mit.edu/services/urgent-care.
Imeri H, Jadhav S, Barnard M, Rosenthal M. Mapping the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on pharmacy graduate students' wellness. Res Social Adm Pharm. 2021;17(11):1962–7.
