Nursing and medical students’ engagement and quality of life

Abstract

Objective: To investigate the correlation between nursing and medical students’ engagement and quality of life at a private college. Methods: This is an observational, analytical, cross-sectional study with a quantitative approach, carried out with 219 undergraduate students, using three self-administered questionnaires: one with sociodemographic data; Study & Well-being Survey, to assess student engagement; and the Medical Outcomes Study 36 – Item Short-Form Health Survey (SF-36), to assess quality of life. Data normality was tested using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov test, and for inferential analysis, within expected standards, Spearman’s correlation test between the engagement dimensions and the quality of life domains was used. Results: A total of 171 medical students and 48 nursing students participated, 160 (73.06%) female and 59 (26.94%) male. Engagement had a mean score of 3.57 ± 0.92 and quality of life with an average greater than 50. The correlation between engagement and quality of life was considered moderate between the vigor dimension and the energy/vitality domain (r=0.505), and health mental (r=0.332) and between dedication (r=0.400) and absorption (r=0.313) dimensions with the energy/vitality domain. Conclusion: The correlation was weak between most nursing and medical students’ quality of life and engagement domains.