Exploration of mental health problems in association with health‑promoting lifestyle profile in Iranian medical students: A cross‑sectional study

The aim was to explore the relationship between mental health problems (MHPs) and health‑promoting lifestyle (HPL) in the medical students.

This cross‑sectional study was carried out on medical students in 2017 at Semnan University of Medical Sciences applying a stratified random sampling. The Symptom Checklist‑25 and the HPL profile scales were used. Logistic regression models were used to analysis.

Of the participants, 84 were male and 148 were female. The mean age was 22.69 years (±2.42). Most students (95.3%) were single and 40.1% were in the preclinical stage. The mean MHP score was 44.14 (±13.99), and 3% were in the severe category. The mean HPL score was 104.88 (±16.84); 95.7% and 4.3% of them had average and satisfactory lifestyles, respectively. The MHP score of the female (P < 0.001), younger (P < 0.001), single (P = 0.045), preclinical (P < 0.001), and who were away from home (P = 0.009) were significantly higher. The HPL score of female (P < 0.001), older (P = 0.041), and married students (P = 0.028) were significantly higher. The female gender (odds ratio [OR] = 4.45, P < 0.001) and studying in the clinical level (OR = 0.30, P < 0.001) were the most important associated factors with MHP. Adjusting for them, there was a significant relationship between an increase in the HPL score and a decrease in the likelihood of MHP (OR = 0.96, P < 0.001).

The mental health of medical students was shown to be in association with lifestyle independent of other important determinants, including gender and academic level. It seems that modifying the lifestyle to a healthier way can improve students’ mental health.