Sense of coherence and associated factors among university students in China: cross-sectional evidence

Background: Sense of Coherence (SOC) is considered as a health-promoting resource; it is mainly developed before the age of 30. The multiple demands university students face, such as study-related stress and financial difficulty, could challenge their SOC development. This study aimed to: 1) investigate the association between SOC, socio-demographic and lifestyle-related characteristics; 2) assess the effect of perceived stress on SOC controlling for other variables among the Chinese university students. Analyses were done to derive a better view on possible strategies to strengthen students' SOC and with that to promote their health. Methods: The data used were from a Chinese university student health survey (N= 1,853). Logistic regression analyses were used to explore the effects of varied socio-demographic, lifestyle-related variables on students' level of SOC, as well as the association between perceived stress and SOC controlling for other variables in the analysis. Results: Both social support (OR = 2.56[1.87-3.50]) and better performance compared with peers (OR = 1.64 [1.15-2.34]) were associated with a stronger SOC. Not feeling isolated at university (OR = 1.60[1.04-2.47]) and satisfaction with the political situation (OR = 2.05[1.57-2.67]) were also associated with a stronger SOC. This counts also for high health awareness (OR= 1.40[1.05-1.87]) and nutrition importance (OR = 1.67[1.04-2.69]). Perceived stress (OR = 0.81[0.79-0.83]) was negatively associated with a strong SOC when controlling for socio-demographic and lifestyle-related variables. Conclusion: We suggest integrating stress coping, emotion management training programmes as well as measures promoting social integration for students and teachers at campus, promoting healthy behaviours, and creating a supportive learning environment as strategies for enhancing the SOC level of university students in China.