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Psicologia, Saúde & Doenças

Print version ISSN 1645-0086

Psic., Saúde & Doenças vol.8 no.2 Lisboa Nov. 2007

 

Experiências adversas, comportamentos de risco, queixas de saúde e preocupações modernas de saúde em universitários: Uma comparação entre diferentes licenciaturas

Angela Costa Maia*1 & Armanda Seabra2

1Departamento de Psicologia, Universidade do Minho, Braga

2Instituto da Droga e da Toxicodependência, Porto

 

RESUMO: As queixas de saúde subjectivas são muito frequentes e as preocupações modernas de saúde estão associadas a estas manifestações de mal-estar. Vários modelos procuram explicar a forma como diferentes sujeitos lidam com os sintomas de doença, sendo que as experiências adversas parecem estar sistematicamente associadas a um aumento de comportamentos de risco para a saúde, bem como a um aumento de queixas. Neste estudo, onde participaram 136 estudantes universitários de 3 licenciaturas (Medicina, Psicologia, Letras), verificou-se uma relação positiva significativa entre adversidade, comportamentos de risco e queixas e preocupações modernas de saúde, para além de uma relação positiva de todas estas variáveis com os sintomas de psicopatologia e negativa com o apoio social. Estes resultados, bem como as diferenças verificadas entre os alunos quando se considera a licenciatura, são discutidos considerando o impacto das experiências adversas na saúde e a relevância prevenir estas experiências e intervir de modo a diminuir os seus efeitos.

Palavras chave: Adversidade, Apoio social, Preocupações modernas de saúde, Psicopatologia, Queixas de saúde.

 

Adverse experiences, health risk behaviour, subjective health complaints and modern health concerns in college students: A comparation between different degrees

ABSTRACT: Subjective health complaints are very frequent, and modern health concern s are associated with health symptoms. Some theories try to explain how different individuals deal with illness symptoms, and research shows that adverse experiences are systematically associated with a higher probability of health risk behaviour and health problems. In our study, with 136 college students from 3 different degrees (medicine, psychology, literature) we found a significant positive association between adversity, health risk behaviours and modern health concerns; and a positive relation between all these variables and psychopathology symptoms and negative with social support. These results, and the differences between the students when taking into consideration the degree, are discussed considering the impact of adverse experiences in health and the relevance of preventing these experiences and intervening with the victims in order to diminish the negative effects.

Key words: Adversity, Health complaints, Modern health concerns, Psychopathology, Social support.

 

Texto completo disponível apenas em PDF.

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* Contactar para E-mail: angelam@iep.uminho.pt

 

Recebido em 10 de Maio de 2007 / aceite em 18 de Setembro de 2007