Assessment of the Lifestyle of University Students in the Healthcare Area Using the Fantastic Questionnaire

Abstract Background: The constant concern about quality of life nowadays has incited individuals to seek parameters for disease prevention. Along with that, arise a need to investigate and the ability to measure elements that characterize an appropriate lifestyle. Objective: To compare the factors determining the quality of life of students in the healthcare area using the Fantastic questionnaire. Methods: Descriptive, cross-sectional, population study. The sample was obtained by convenience and comprised medical and physical therapy students of both sexes and any ethnicity, attending a private institution of higher education, who agreed to fill out the questionnaire voluntarily. The Fantastic instrument used in this study has 25 closed questions that explore nine domains including physical, psychological, and social lifestyle components. Results: In total, 57 university students participated, of whom 28 (15%) were physical therapy students and 29 (50.8%) were medical students. The mean age was 23 ± 2 years, and 40 (70.1%) were female and 17 (28.8%) were male. The overall rating was "regular", and none of the participants scored in the "very good" and "excellent" categories. The domains that mostly required change among medical students related to nutrition and physical activity, while among physical therapy students they related to cigarette, drugs, and alcohol. Conclusion: According to the data collected using the Fantastic questionnaire, there was a remarkable need for improvement in the management of the quality of life of physical therapy and medical students, therefore allowing some social and educational measures through health promotion and disease prevention.