Study of Lifestyle during Covid-19 Epidemic in Nursing Students of Yazd Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences in 2020

The spread of COVID-19 rapidly affected the daily lives of individuals, including students. It has led to changes in students' usual curricula and nursing students' lifestyles. It has affected not only on the personal life and health of nursing students but also the lifestyle and health of other people in the community. Therefore, this study aimed to determine the lifestyle of nursing students of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services during the COVID-19 epidemic in 2020.

This was a cross sectional  study in 2020 on 171 nursing students of Shahid Sadoughi University of Medical Sciences and Health Services using the convenience sampling method. To collect the required data, demographic information form and lifestyle questionnaire during the COVID-19 epidemic were used. The collected data were then analyzed by SPSS software version 16 using descriptive and inferential statistics methods (independent t-test and ANOVA).

The mean and deviation score of students' general lifestyle was at a moderate level, 38.08 ± 16.8. Mean and deviation scores of both happy and healthy lifestyles were at a low level, 21.66 ± 9.4 and 16.42 ± 8.5, respectively. There was no significant relationship between demographic characteristics and mean lifestyle score (P≥0.05).

Due to the fact that students' lifestyle are at a moderate level and the score of lifestyle components (both happy and healthy) was at a poor level, and given that the end of the COVID-19 pandemic is uncertain, therefore, it is necessary for managers and officials of universities and the Ministry of Health to plan timely and effective interventions to improve the lifestyle of nursing students.