Quality of life of nursing students from nine countries: A cross-sectional study

Abstract

Background: Nursing student life is stressful as a result of the work they exert to learn concepts ranging from basic to complicated issues and health concerns for maintaining overall human health. Hence, assessing the quality of life (QOL) of nursing students is important to determine if they have excellent well-being levels as they go through the learning process. Objectives: This study measured and compared QOL of respondents by country of residence, and identified the QOL predictors of students. Design: Descriptive, cross-sectional design. Settings: A multi-country study conducted in Chile, Egypt, Greece, Hong Kong, India, Kenya, Oman, Saudi Arabia, and the United States of America. Participants: A convenience sample of 2012 Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN) students. Methods: A self-administered questionnaire containing demographic characteristic items and the World Health Organization QOL-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) was used to gather data from respondents. Results: The highest overall QOL was recorded in the physical health domain, whereas the lowest was in the social health domain. The perceived highest and lowest QOL dimension varied between countries. Age, country of residence, and monthly family income showed statistically significant multivariate effect on the aspects of QOL. Conclusions: Considering their stressful lives, the present study underscores the importance of ensuring the highest level of well-being among nursing students. The maintenance of high levels of well-being among nursing students should also be prioritized to maximize their learning and ensure their satisfaction in their student life.