Associations between health-related quality of life and health behaviours in Australian nursing students

Health-related quality of life (HRQoL) is being increasingly studied as an indicator of wellbeing. This study evaluated the HRQoL of nursing students and relationships between lifestyle behaviours including smoking, diet, alcohol intake and physical activity. A cross-sectional study was conducted in 2018 using the Short Form 12V2 to measure the HRQoL of 475 students from both regional and metropolitan universities in Queensland, Australia. Z-scores were aggregated into a Physical Composite Score (PCS) and Mental Composite Score (MCS). Multivariate linear regression was used to explore the associations. Nursing students (94.5% female) had lower HRQoL scores relative to the general Australian population. Students enrolled at the regional university, with higher income, intakes of Vit A, calcium and iodine, and more physical activity had a higher MCS, but those with health conditions, high intakes of meat, fat, carbohydrates and sugar reported lower PCS compared to their counterparts. Skipping breakfast, physical inactivity and alcohol score were inversely associated with HRQoL. This study highlights the need for strategies to address the poor lifestyle and HRQoL in nursing students to support their physical and mental health.