IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v21y2024i5p597-d1388794.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Assessing the Relationship between Physical Health, Mental Health and Students’ Success among Universities in Lebanon: A Cross-Sectional Study

Author

Listed:
  • Samer A. Kharroubi

    (Office of Student Affairs, American University of Beirut, P.O. BOX 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
    Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon)

  • Nayla Al-Akl

    (Office of Student Affairs, American University of Beirut, P.O. BOX 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon
    Department of Landscape Design and Ecosystem Management, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon)

  • Sarah-Joe Chamate

    (Office of Student Affairs, American University of Beirut, P.O. BOX 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon)

  • Tarek Abou Omar

    (Office of Student Affairs, American University of Beirut, P.O. BOX 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon)

  • Rouba Ballout

    (Department of Nutrition and Food Sciences, Faculty of Agricultural and Food Sciences, American University of Beirut, P.O. Box 11-0236, Riad El Solh, Beirut 1107-2020, Lebanon)

Abstract

Background: Achieving high academic success is known to be influenced by many factors including, but not limiting to, physical and mental health. The present study aimed to assess the relationship between physical health, mental health, and university students’ success, and to explore the associations between these factors and their academic achievement. Methods: A cross-sectional, self-administered online survey was used to collect data from college students in three different universities in Lebanon during the Fall 2023 semester. Mental health was evaluated using validated screening tools for depression, anxiety, and stress, specifically the Patient Health Questionnaire (PHQ-9), the General Anxiety Disorder (GAD-7), and Cohen’s Perceived Stress Scale (PSS), respectively. Additionally, general questions regarding physical health and lifestyle factors were incorporated into the questionnaire. Academic achievement was measured using students’ grade point average (GPA). Results: A total of 261 students completed the self-administered online survey. The results revealed that approximately 42% and 36% of students were experiencing moderate to severe symptoms of depression and anxiety, respectively, and 75.1% of students exhibited symptoms of moderate stress. The majority of participants (99.2%) did not report any physical disability. Chi-square analysis revealed a significant association between mental health status (depression, anxiety, and stress) and GPA level ( p = 0.03, p = 0.044, p = 0.015, respectively). Multiple logistic regression models identified eight correlates of GPA and highlighted the relationship between physical health and student success. For instance, students who considered themselves moderately active had lower odds of achieving a higher GPA than those who considered themselves active (OR = 0.41, p = 0.045). Conclusions: This is the first investigation into Lebanese university students’ academic success in relation to lifestyle and mental health profiles. The findings indicate that implementing public health programs and interventions targeting mental health and lifestyle behaviors is essential for enhancing student success.

Suggested Citation

  • Samer A. Kharroubi & Nayla Al-Akl & Sarah-Joe Chamate & Tarek Abou Omar & Rouba Ballout, 2024. "Assessing the Relationship between Physical Health, Mental Health and Students’ Success among Universities in Lebanon: A Cross-Sectional Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 21(5), pages 1-18, May.
  • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:5:p:597-:d:1388794
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/5/597/pdf
    Download Restriction: no

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/21/5/597/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Catriona Kar Yuen Ong & Melinda J. Hutchesson & Amanda J. Patterson & Megan C. Whatnall, 2021. "Is There an Association between Health Risk Behaviours and Academic Achievement among University Students?," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(16), pages 1-14, August.
    2. Karl Peltzer & Supa Pengpid & T. Alafia Samuels & Neslihan Keser Özcan & Carolina Mantilla & Onja H. Rahamefy & Mee Lian Wong & Alexander Gasparishvili, 2014. "Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity and Its Associated Factors among University Students from 22 Countries," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 11(7), pages 1-17, July.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Holly Blake & Kathryn Watkins & Matthew Middleton & Natalia Stanulewicz, 2021. "Obesity and Diet Predict Attitudes towards Health Promotion in Pre-Registered Nurses and Midwives," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(24), pages 1-20, December.
    2. Feng Sun & Qiang He & Xiaohan Sun & Jianxin Wang, 2022. "The Association between Body Mass Index and Muscular Fitness in Chinese College Freshmen," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(21), pages 1-13, October.
    3. Maja Grujičić & Miloš Ilić & Budimka Novaković & Aleksandra Vrkatić & Zagorka Lozanov-Crvenković, 2022. "Prevalence and Associated Factors of Physical Activity among Medical Students from the Western Balkans," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-16, June.
    4. Sorina Madalina Boariu & Ana Maria Scutariu & Delia Reurean Pintilei & Monica Tarcea & Raquel P. F. Guiné & Manuela Ferreira, 2024. "Food Literacy Assessment of a Sample of Romanian Higher Education Students," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-13, January.
    5. Che Wan Jasimah Wan Mohamed Radzi & Hashem Salarzadeh Jenatabadi & Ayed R. A. Alanzi & Mohd Istajib Mokhtar & Mohd Zufri Mamat & Nor Aishah Abdullah, 2019. "Analysis of Obesity among Malaysian University Students: A Combination Study with the Application of Bayesian Structural Equation Modelling and Pearson Correlation," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 16(3), pages 1-17, February.
    6. Julia Pfisterer & Constantin Rausch & Doreen Wohlfarth & Philip Bachert & Darko Jekauc & Kathrin Wunsch, 2022. "Effectiveness of Physical-Activity-Based Interventions Targeting Overweight and Obesity among University Students—A Systematic Review," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(15), pages 1-23, August.
    7. Janina Petkeviciene & Vilma Kriaucioniene & Asta Raskiliene, 2022. "Academic Achievements, Satisfaction with Studies and Risky Behaviours among First-Year Students of Kaunas (Lithuania) Universities, 2000–2017," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-12, June.
    8. Ladislav Pilař & Lucie Kvasničková Stanislavská & Roman Kvasnička, 2021. "Healthy Food on the Twitter Social Network: Vegan, Homemade, and Organic Food," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(7), pages 1-15, April.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:21:y:2024:i:5:p:597-:d:1388794. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.