Health-Promotion Behaviors of Undergraduate Nursing Students: A Survey Analysis

AIM To examine health promotion behaviors and barriers to health promotion in traditional and nontraditional nursing students in an associate degree nursing program in the northeastern United States. BACKGROUND Nursing students are exposed to concepts of health promotion in the nursing curriculum, but do not necessarily apply them to their own lives. Examining the variables affecting the health behaviors of nursing students may provide the information required to motivate lifestyle changes in this population. METHOD A cross-sectional descriptive design was used to examine the relationship between study variables. RESULTS Nontraditional nursing students participate in health promoting behaviors less often than traditional nursing students and experience more barriers to health promotion. CONCLUSION Implementation of health promotion programs targeting nontraditional students may lead to improved health among these individuals, which may result in increased success in nursing programs.