Risks for non-communicable chronic diseases: A cross-sectional study with undergraduate nursing students

Abstract

Background: The situational analysis is one of the essential competencies of the nurse as a health promoter to ensure planning by the use of adequate strategies, coherent approaches and attainable goals in a community. The present study focused on performing a situational analysis of lifestyles related to the risk factors for non-communicable chronic diseases (NCCD) with undergraduate nursing students.

Methods: A cross-sectional study developed with 77 female nursing undergraduates where the sociodemographic variables, physical conditions and lifestyles inherent to the risk for non-communicable chronic diseases were investigated.

Results: Female undergraduates between the ages of 20 and 24 years prevailed in the study. They were white, single, belonged to social class B and were in the 3rd and 4th year of the course. Though sedentary, the students had their weight fitting their height and their waist circumference values within normal standards. In addition to this, they stated being non-smokers, besides presenting low risk regarding alcohol consumption.

Conclusions: It is worth noting the nurse’s role as a health promoter at the development of encouragement strategies for healthy life practices and the planning of interventions against sedentarism.