Abstract

Objective: To describe extracurricular activity participation and explore its relationship with college students’ health. Participants: 159 college students majoring in dental hygiene or occupational therapy. Methods: Data were collected prospectively at baseline, one- and two-year follow-ups. Self-reported participation in extracurricular activities over the past six months was grouped into eight categories: Fitness, Sports, Creative arts, Leisure, Social, Work, Caregiving, and Animal care. Physical and mental health were measured using SF-36, a valid tool measuring general health. Results: Participation in fitness, sports, creative arts, and work significantly decreased at one-year and two-year follow-ups (p < 0.01). Work/volunteer activity participation was associated with poorer physical health (β = –1.4, 95% CI: (–2.2, −0.5), p < 0.01), but a change from nonparticipation to some participation in work/volunteer activity was associated with better mental health (β = 2.6, 95% CI (0.3, 4.9), p = 0.04). Conclusions: Educators should consider the potential impact of maintaining extracurricular activities on college students’ health when designing academic courses.

 抽象的

目的：描述大学生课外活动参与情况并探讨其与健康的关系。参与者： 159 名口腔卫生或职业治疗专业的大学生。方法：在基线、一年和两年随访时前瞻性收集数据。过去六个月自我报告的课外活动参与情况分为八类：健身、运动、创意艺术、休闲、社交、工作、看护和动物护理。使用 SF-36 测量身体和心理健康状况，SF-36 是衡量一般健康状况的有效工具。结果：在一年和两年的随访中，健身、运动、创意艺术和工作的参与度显着下降 (p < 0.01)。参与工作/志愿者活动与较差的身体健康状况相关（β = –1.4, 95% CI: (–2.2, −0.5), p < 0.01），但从不参与到部分参与工作/志愿者活动的变化也与之相关心理健康状况更好（β = 2.6，95% CI (0.3, 4.9)，p = 0.04）。结论：教育工作者在设计学术课程时应考虑维持课外活动对大学生健康的潜在影响。