The Effects of College Students’ Stress on Drinking, Smoking, and Health Promoting behaviors

The purpose of this study was to identify the effects of college students’ stress on drinking, smoking, and health promotion behaviors and to provide basic data for health promotion of university students.

This study is a descriptive correlation study. The data were collected via structural questionnaires completed by 132 college students located in S, C and G province who agreed to participate in this study. It is a proper sample size with a significance level (α) of 0.05, a power (1-β) of 0.95, and a medium effect size (f) of 1.5 according to the G*power 3.1.9.2 program

There were statistically significant correlations between stress and the following factors: drinking (r=.946 p<.001), smoking (r=.227, p=.009), health promoting behavior (r=-.238, p=.006). Multiple regression analysis revealed that the following factors exert a significant influence on stress of college students: drinking (B=1.099, p<.01), smoking (B=1.81, p<.08) and health promoting behaviors (B=-.090, p<.006).

Educational authorities need to know increasing stress for college students in relation to their drinking, smoking and health promoting behaviors and to support that.