Emerging adults are characterized as a unique study population, as their well-being istypically influenced and shaped as they enter a period of transition, such as entry intohigher education. On the other hand, we currently live in an industrialized society inwhich, through technology, we have access to all information. Emerging adults live inconstant connection with the virtual world, which has an increasing impact on thedevelopment of these young people and their lifestyle. Given the potential increase inrisky behaviors with entry to university, it is essential to foster health literacy to reducerisky behaviors that have a major influence on health. As such, the present investigationaimed to understand how health literacy, digital health literacy and the use of socialnetworks are related to the lifestyles and well-being of military and civil higher educationstudents. Participated in the study 356 Higher Education students, 233 from the MilitaryAcademy (65.4%) and 123 students from 25 non-military higher education institutions(34.6%), aged between 18 and 30 years (M = 21,13, SD = 1,84), being 67.1% male.Participants filled out a set of self-report instruments on the variables under study. Theresults show that 30.7% have problematic or inadequate levels of health literacy and 66%sufficient and excellent levels. Digital health literacy correlated negatively with chronicillness and positively correlated with healthy health behaviors and lower tobaccoconsumption. Health literacy proved to be a predictor of well-being in this sample.Military education students showed higher levels of disease prevention, physicalactivity/association, nutrition and introspection about their emotions compared to highereducation. These results are relevant in the context of interventions with emerging adultsto promote health literacy, healthy lifestyles and well-being in the context of highereducation.
Date of Award | 15 Dec 2020 |
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Original language | Portuguese |
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Awarding Institution | - Universidade Católica Portuguesa
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Supervisor | Rita Francisco (Supervisor) |
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- Health literacy
- Digital health literacy
- Lifestyles
- Well-being
- Social networks
- Mestrado em Psicologia do Bem-Estar e Promoção da Saúde
Ensino superior militar e não militar: bem estar, redes sociais, estilos de vida saudáveis e literacia em saúde
Matos, B. F. D. (Student). 15 Dec 2020
Student thesis: Master's Thesis