Health promotion behaviors in nursing students

The purpose of the study was to determine if there were significant differences in wellness behaviors in three groups of nursing students. One group of students had completed a course entitled Health Promotion Behaviors, one group had participated in a personalized health assessment program in an interdisciplinary health clinic, and one group that served as the control had no unusual treatment. The intent was to determine if either teaching strategy was more effective in promoting health behaviors. The Lifestyle Assessment Questionnaire as well as physiological parameters, such as apical pulse and systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and a height/weight ratio were used to measure wellness behaviors. While the findings revealed significant differences in the treatment groups with regard to exercise and pulse rate, the overall trend was for wellness behaviors to actually decrease in all groups over the course of six months. The results are discussed with their implications for nursing education.