Abstract

ICART ISERN, MT; PULPON SEGURA, AM  and  ICART ISERN, MC. Minor health disorders in a sample of students of the University of Barcelona. Educ. méd. [online]. 2006, vol.9, n.3, pp.42-47. ISSN 1575-1813.

Background: To determine the prevalence of certain minor health disorders (MHD) in a sample of students from the University of Barcelona (2004-05). Methods: The study was carried out in the faculties of Economic Sciences, Pharmacy, Medicine, Psychology and Chemistry, and in the School of Nursing, all of the University of Barcelona. An observational, descriptive and cross-sectional design was used and involved the administration of a mixed questionnaire to 600 students during December 2004. The studied variables correspond to the following MHD: insomnia, constipation, headache, bone and muscle pain, nervous tics, onychophagia and trichotillomania. Results: 64% of the sample was female and the mean age of interviewees was 22.7 (SD: 3.27; CI 95%: 22.43-22.96). Women accounted for 67.79% of the 1,245 MHD identified. There were significant sex differences in the prevalence of bone and muscle pain and trichotillomania, which mostly affected females. Onychophagia (264; 21.20%; CI 95%: 18-24.4) was the most common MHD, followed by headache (233; 18.72%; CI 95%: 15.6-21.84). Psychology students reported the highest number of MHD, followed by those from Economic Sciences; the smallest percentages were presented by students from Pharmacy and Chemistry. Conclusions: MHD are most prevalent among women. Onychophagia and headache were the main MHD identified in the sample. Psychology students report the largest number of MHD, the most common being migraine, bone and muscle pain and trichotillomania.

Keywords : university students; insomnia; constipation; headache; bone and muscle pain; nervous tics; Onychophagia; trichotillomania.

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