St.

Paul University Surigao

St. Paul University System
Senior High School Department
8400 Surigao City, Philippines

The Impact of Health Practices among SPUS college

students on their Mental Health

by

Escopete, Christian Jay

Iligan, Julianne B.
Saclolo, Alejandro III

OCTOBER 2022
 CHAPTER 1

Introduction

Health is not simply an absence of physical illness; it also includes healthy personality and

mental conditions. Mental health is an important element in overall health and wellbeing

(Xiaosheng Lei, 2021). Health behaviors are decisions people make that have an impact on

their health. Individually, young adults' mental health and wellbeing have been linked to sleep,

exercise, and food. It is proven that they can predict mental health and wellbeing of a person

(Çelmeçe, 2020). They include behaviors that promote better health, like eating healthily and

exercising, as well as behaviors that raise one's risk of disease, like smoking, binge drinking, and

dangerous sexual conduct. Risky behavior and health-promoting behavior are the two categories

into which health behaviors fall (Psychiatry, 2017).

The long-lasting pandemic situation and onerous measures such as lockdown and stay-at-home

orders, the COVID-19 pandemic brings negative impacts on higher education. The findings of

our study highlight the urgent need to develop interventions and preventive strategies to address

the mental health of college students (Changwon Son, 2020). In a survey conducted by the

WHO, over 30% of college students from eight countries were estimated to have experienced

mental distress, which seriously affected their study and daily lives, leading to role impairments

and poor academic records. Healthy lifestyle can be beneficial for one’s mental health. In order

to prevent mental disorders, it is helpful to identify what are lifestyle choices that enhance

psychological well-being and lower mental issues. Although there are studies have been

conducted on the mental health of college students, there is a possibility that health habits have a

major factor that affects the mental status of a college students.

The purpose of this research study is to assess college students with mental health problems,

thorough assessments are critical in order to deliver suitable interventions and to guarantee better

outcomes, such as success in their studies and identify the possible health practices that may

affect the mental health of a college student. We want to conduct this research because people

nowadays take their health for granted. The objective of this paper is to disseminate information

regarding health practices that may or may not affect the mental health of college students and

seeks to prevent self-esteem, neurocognitive and functional decline.

 Conceptual Framework of the Study

This study is anchored on two research paper

1. The Big Three Health Behaviors and Mental Health and Well-Being Among Young

Adults: A Cross-Sectional Investigation of Sleep, Exercise, and Diet (E DISCUSS)

2. Beck Anxiety & Depression Inventory

Profile Health Behavior / Mental Health of College

Practices of College Students in terms of

1. Age
Students in terms of
 Beck Anxiety
2. Sex
1. Sleep Pattern Inventory
3. Year Level
2. Social Activities  Beck Depression
4. Course
Inventory
3. Activities of
5. Socio-economic
Daily Living
Status
4. Diet
6. Type of Family
5.
 Statement of the Problem

This study has a chief concern regarding to the health practices that affects the mental health of

SPUS college students. To collect the essential knowledge and information, the research sought

to answer the questions as follow:

1. What is the profile of SPUS College Students?

1.1 Age

1.2 Sex

1.3 Year level of college students

1.4 Course

1.5 Socio-Economic Status

1.6 Type of Family

2. What is the health behavior of SPUS College Students in terms

2.1 Sleep Pattern

2.2 Social Activities

2.3 Activities of Daily Living

2.4 Diet

3. What is the mental health status of SPUS college Students in terms of

3.1 Beck Anxiety Inventory

 3.2 Beck Depression Inventory

4. Is there a significant relationship between the students’ health practices and their

mental health?
 Hypotheses

1. There is no significant relationship between the students’ health practices and their

mental health.

Significance of the Study

The results of the study will be of great benefits to the following:

Medical healthcare practitioners. Medical healthcare practitioners would greatly benefit from

the study because it aims to determine the risk factors of mental health caused by certain health

behaviors.

Psychologists. Psychologists could greatly benefit from the study to help determine the behaviors

of students that are factors influencing their emotional wellbeing.

Teachers. The results are provided to show how this study is also beneficial to teachers. The

study is aiming to raise awareness about mental health and health behaviors, thus making them

individuals who are capable of sharing knowledge.

Students. Similar to teachers, Students are also a beneficiary to the study because the study

highlights determining that their health behaviors are a great effect on their mental health thus

raising awareness about it.

Future Researchers. The results provide data and results that future researchers can be used as a

preference for their future research about health behaviors and mental health in the future.
Guidance Counselors. Guidance counselors would greatly benefit from this study they would be

able to know what the effective solutions are for students who are dealing with anxiety and

depression.

Scope and Limitations of the Study

This research study was conducted at Saint Paul University Surigao from September 2022 to

_____ 2022. The scope of the study is to assess and understand the health practices/habits that

may influence the mental health status of a college student at St. Paul University Surigao. The

study is limited only to Saint Paul University Surigao, 8400 Surigao City Philippines, college

department specifically to the College of Health and Sciences ages 18-25 or young adults,

students from Bachelor of Science in Nursing and Bachelor of Science in Psychology all levels

to determine health behaviors that may affect the mental health status of a college student in

college St. Paul University Surigao.

Definition of Terms

Health Behaviors. These are actions that are being taken that could affect an individual’s health

or mortality. It can either promote or detract from the health of an individual or a group.

Mental Health. Refers to cognitive, behavioral, and emotional well-being. It affects how an

individual thinks, feels, and acts.

Young Adults. An individual that is in their teens or their early 20s

Health-Promoting Behavior. It is a positive approach to how an individual lives, as well as

improving their well-being and quality of their life.

At-Risk Behavior. These are behaviors that potentially harm an individual, which prevents them

from reaching the quality of life. These are behaviors that can cause significant morbidity or

mortality.

Sleep Pattern. The timing of an individual’s typical period of sleep.

Social Activities. Activities that bring individuals together to interact.

Exercise. An activity that requires physical effort to sustain or improve status of health and

fitness.

Social Activities. Activities that bring individuals together to interact.

Activities of Daily Living. ADL is considered as “the task of everyday life.” It includes eating,

dressing, getting out or into bed, taking a bath, and using the toilet.

Diet. It refers to the total amount of nutrition consumed by a person.

Beck Anxiety Inventory. It is a self-report inventory with 21-items survey that is used to assess

the levels of anxiety in adults and adolescents.

Beck Depression Inventory. It is a self-report inventory with 21-items survey for evaluating

characteristics and symptoms of depression among adults and adolescents.

 CHAPTER 2

Review of Related Literature

Health Behaviors and Mental Health among Young Adults

According to a study conducted by (Jutta Mata, 2021) in Germany, Shortly after the

lockdown started, anxiety, depression, and loneliness symptoms peaked. The symptoms

gradually stabilized or diminished slightly in accordance with patterns of habituation. The

proportion of those with significant degrees of anxiety, despair, and loneliness was noticeably

higher among those who were more likely to experience poor mental health during the lockdown

(such as women). These groups also reported having less practices that promote health. Across

all time points, more screen time, more snacking, and less exercise were linked to higher levels

of anxiety, sadness, and loneliness symptoms. Most frequently, changes in mental health

symptoms did not predict changes in health behaviors over time.

A study by (OXFORD ACADEMIC, 2014) Combining healthy behaviors such as not

smoking, drinking alcohol in moderation, participating in regular physical activity, maintaining a

healthy weight, and eating a balanced diet of fruits and vegetables are linked to lower rates of

FMD in both men and women as well as lower rates of self-reported diagnosed depression in

women.
 As mentioned in the article of A nationwide longitudinal 5-wave panel study in Japan by

(Yamamoto, 2020) that lack of physical activity could be a risk factor of poor mental health

conditions. Cross-sectional studies were also mentioned in this study and it reported that healthy

lifestyle factors are associated positively with better mental health outcomes. These lifestyle

factors that impose relationship with mental health were: duration of sleep, physical exercise,

smoking and drinking habits. The study concluded that men's poor mental health problems were

significantly correlated with socioeconomic status characteristics like unemployment. Self-

employment and irregular employment, on the other hand, exhibited inverse relationships with

poor mental health conditions among women. The study also implies that unhealthy lifestyle

choices like lack of sleep, and less exercise could be risk factors for poor mental health in both

men and women.

A study conducted by (Bich Na Jang, 2020) found out that depression and a lack of

healthy behaviors are strongly correlated. Additionally, men and women had different health

behaviors that had the greatest influence on depression. Depression must be treated using

interventional techniques that are tailored to gender features. Additionally, governmental policies

are required to promote actions to enhance individual lifestyles, such as engaging in healthy

behaviors.

A cross-sectional study stated by (Shay-Ruby Wickham, 2020), physical activity and

sleep quantity were the two factors that had the greatest predictive power for depressive

symptoms and overall well-being.

When correcting for confounders, only one dietary factor—consumption of fresh fruits

and vegetables—predicted better wellbeing but not depressive symptoms. There were some
higher-order links between different health behaviors that helped predict the results, but these

connections failed to stand up during cross-validation.

A study conducted by (Jutta Mata, 2021) in Germany, Shortly after the lockdown started,

anxiety, depression, and loneliness symptoms peaked. The symptoms gradually stabilized or

diminished slightly in accordance with patterns of habituation. The proportion of those with

significant degrees of anxiety, despair, and loneliness was noticeably higher among those who

were more likely to experience poor mental health during the lockdown (such as women). These

groups also reported having less practices that promote health. Across all time points, more

screen time, more snacking, and less exercise were linked to higher levels of anxiety, sadness,

and loneliness symptoms. Most frequently, changes in mental health symptoms did not predict

changes in health behaviors over time.

Fewer depressed symptoms were reported by people who slept between 8 and 12 hours

per night (not more or less), and whose sleep was of higher quality. Similar to sleep quality,

physical activity was the second-best predictor of depressed symptoms and showed a linear but

less significant dose-response association with depressive symptoms. Unexpectedly, the

controlled regression model does not show depression symptoms as a result of dietary

determinants. Importantly, depression symptoms remained to be predicted by sleep quality and

other healthy behaviors to the same extent. (Shay-Ruby Wickham, 2020)

Intraclass correlations were performed to determine how much of the variation in health

behaviors and mental health was attributable to individual characteristics as opposed to within-

person changes across time and illustrated that all variables of interest presented a considerable

within-person difference over time and multilevel modeling was utilized. (Jutta Mata, 2021)
 The psychological distress felt by undergraduate nursing/midwifery and teacher

education students was shown by (Deasy C, 2014) a study that pinpoints their distress, unhealthy

coping mechanisms, and how those relate to their lifestyle choices. The results can guide

initiatives to reduce student stress and unhealthy coping both in college and in the future.

A study stated by (Jing Sun, 2011) the likelihood that students may indulge in unhealthy

behaviors like smoking and cooing increases as stress and depression levels rise. However, the

less likely kids are to smoke if their stress levels and coping mechanisms are poor and they

consider smoking is a bad habit.

A study conducted by (Reeve KL, 2013) said to be that the best method to deal with

stress is to seek out social support from friends, family, and close relationships. However,

receiving social support from academics who are more knowledgeable about them and not

enough research has been done on how to get better.

 CHAPTER 3

METHOD

This chapter presents the research design, participants, instruments, data gathering procedure, and tools

for data analysis that will be applied in the investigation and analysis of interpretation of data.

Research Design

The researchers will utilize descriptive correlation method using survey-questionnaire as the

study will be conducted via google forms by the researchers to evaluate the impact of the mental

health of SPUS college students through their health practices.

For that reason, the utilization of the said methodology is considered the most effective to use as

to the researcher's aim is to evaluate the impact of health practices among SPUS college students

on their mental health.

Participants

The participants of this study are the students from the College of Health Sciences in Saint Paul

University Surigao. The profile of the respondents are described in terms of age distribution, sex

distribution, year level & course, socio economic status, and their type of family

Data Gathering Procedure

A letter of request to conduct the study was prepared via google forms. The researchers used

Beck’s Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck’s Anxiety Inventory (BAI) questionnaire checklist,

will be then validated by the assigned instructor/adviser, then the questionnaire checklists are
disseminated through google form link. The researchers conduct the research in Saint Paul

University Surigao via google forms survey. The researchers explain to the respondents the

importance of their response to the study. The researchers clarified some terms to the

respondents so that the respondents can answer the questionnaire with full knowledge of their

responsibility as the subject of the study. The researchers requested the respondents to answer

with all honesty. The researcher uses a randomized sampling, the researchers believes that this

method is the most appropriate in choosing the sample for the research, After the respondents

answered the questionnaire, the researchers will collect and tally the data for interpretation, The

researchers then come up with conclusion and recommendations for this study.

Instrumentation

The instruments used in this study are questionnaires developed by the researches after

reviewing the literature and related research, which comprising of these studies: Beck Anxiety &

Depression Inventory, Katz Index,