Abstract

• This study was carried out during the month of September 1976 to analyse and compare the health complaints of two groups of the university women, those who lived at home and those who lived in the university dormitory. The purpose of the study was to provide basic data required by the university health program for planning related to the health need of women students. The study sample consisted of 434 students living in the dormitory and 381 students living at home enrolled for the fall semester 1976 in a womens university in Seoul. The instrument used for the collection of data was an abridged version of a modified Cornell Medical Index. The questionarre included 35 items related to physical health complaint and 22 items related to mental health complaints. The data was treated by a computer (SPSS) using one way analysis, the Fishers' ratio and Chi-Square test at the 5% level were used for the test for statistical significance. The interpretation of this study is limited due to the sample which was restricted to one university and not randomly selected. To guide the direction of the study, it was hypothesized that the rate of expressed health problems of students living in the dormitory would be greater than that of students living at home. The hypothesis was tested and rejected. The following is a summary of the findings; 1. Total health (physical and mental) complaints a. There was no statistically significant difference between the home and dormitory groups with regard to total health complaints expressed. b. The rate of total complaints expressed by the home group significantly higher than dormitory group only among third year students. c. There was no statistically significant between the home and dormitory groups in their satisfaction with their economic situation. d. The home group showed a significantly higher rate of complaints related to the Nervous System compared to that of the dormitory group. 2. Physical health complaints a. Students living at home showed a significantly higher rate of physical complaints than the dormitory group. b. When the year variable was controlled, the third year was the only group which showed a different rate between home and dormitory groups; the home group presented a higher rate. c. Since the year variable seemed to affect the physical complaints those data were further analysed to see whether the specific system areas were operating as variables in each year. The results were as follow: Among the home group, First year students showed a higher rate in Family History of Disease, while the third year students more Nervous System and Cardiovascular System complaints. Among the dormitory group, only fourth year students showed a higher rate in the Skeletal-Muscular System. This was the only area the dormitory group though only for the fourth year students supported the hypothesis. d. When the economic satisfaction variable was controlled, the satisfied group was the only group which showed a different rate between home and dormitory groups; the home group presented higher rate. e. Since the economic satisfaction variable seemed to affect the physical compaints those data were further analyzed to see whether the specific system areas were operating as variables in each economic satisfaction level, but there was no statistically significant difference between home and dormitory groups. 3. Mental health complaints a. There was no significantly difference between home and dormitory groups with regard to mental health complaints expressed. b. When the year variable was controlled the third year group was the only group which showed a different rate between home and dormintory groups; the home group presented a higher rate. c. Since the year variable seemed to affect the mental complaints, those data were further analyzed to see whether the specific system areas were operatmgs variables in each economic satisfaction level. The result were as follows: Among the home group, the third year students showed higher rates in Inadequacy and Anxiety. d. When the economic satisfaction variable was controlled, the very satisfied group was the Only group which showed a different rate between home and dormitory groups; the home group presented a higher rate. Since the economic satisfaction variable seemed to affect the mental complaints, those data were further analysed to see whether the specific system areas were operating as variables in each economic satisfaction level, but there was no Statistical significant difference between the home and dormitory groups. Although the social environment of dormitory life differs from family life, there was no difference in the rate of total health problem complaints between the home and dormitory groups but the home group showed a higher rate of physical health complaints than the dormitory group. Possible positive factors influencing domitory life and negative factors influencing family life affecting health complaints must be explored in order to relate to the health needs of the university health program. This study could not define the causes for the fewer physical complaints of dormitory students living at home. Further study of such causal factors recommended in order to provide the data needed to contribute to a more effective health program.

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