Predictors of Risky Health Behaviours among Undergraduate Students in Allied Health Sciences in a Nigerian University

Recently, there has been an increase in the number of individuals pursuing training in the medical field in Nigeria. However, some students drop out before graduation due to health issues caused by the physical, mental, and emotional demands of the program. These pressures and stressors often lead students to engage in various behaviors, including risky health practices. This study explores the prevalence and factors influencing risky health behaviors among undergraduate students in allied health sciences at a Nigerian university. The research is grounded in the Health Belief Model (HBM), Social Cognitive Theory (SCT), Cognitive-Behavioral Theory (CBT), and Cognitive Consistency Theory (CCT). A cross- sectional approach was used, with 280 participants selected through both purposive and random sampling from the College of Medicine. Data were collected using a questionnaire with standardized psychological scales. Descriptive statistics, Pearson correlation, t-test for independent groups, F-ratio, and Multiple Regression analysis were employed for data analysis. The findings showed that 103 (36.8%) participants engaged in high-risk health behaviors, while 177 (63.2%) exhibited low-risk health behaviors. Additionally, 146 (52.1%) students reported low emotional stability, while 134 (47.9%) displayed high emotional stability. A total of 148 (52.9%) participants had a low risk perception, while 132 (47.1%) had a high risk perception. A significant negative correlation was found between health risk behaviors and health risk perception, though emotional stability was not significantly linked to health risk behaviors. While both factors together predicted health risk behaviors, only health risk perception had a significant contribution. The study emphasizes the need to improve health risk perception among university students, particularly in relation to their health behaviors. Enhanced parental education, student orientation, and training integrated into the curriculum focusing on health risk perception and behaviors.