Medical students' health changes during their studies at the medical university

Investigating the health status of medical students, along with the factors that influence it, is essential for developing and evaluating preventive measures and health promotion initiatives within higher medical education institutions. Objective. To describe the medical and social characteristics and to analyze the health status of students in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th years of the medical university. Materials and methods. A cross-sectional study was conducted among Sechenov University students enrolled in the «Clinical Medicine» specialty program for the 2024—2025 academic year. Medical and social characteristics were investigated through a survey of 1.884 students. The health status of the students was assessed based on the results of a preventive medical examination, utilizing data from randomly selected outpatient records — 400 students per academic year. Statistical analysis was performed using SPSS version 25 software. Results. The mean ages of students in the 1st, 3rd, and 5th years included in the study were 18.3±1.3, 20.3±3.4, and 22.5±2.1 years, respectively, with female students accounting for 73.7%, 75.9%, and 81.6% of each group, respectively. It was observed that the health status of students declined from the 1st to the 5th year of study, with the proportion of students in the first health group decreasing by a factor of 2. Notably, the prevalence of overweight among young male students has doubled. The prevalence of all identified disease classes has also increased by a factor of 2. The four most prevalent disease classes among students were disorders of the eye and adnexa, musculoskeletal disorders, nervous system disorders, and respiratory diseases. Key socio-demographic, behavioral, and academic risk factors contributing to the development of these diseases have been identified. Conclusion. The findings regarding the health status of medical students and their determinants can be used to develop prevention and health promotion programs relevant to most medical universities across the country.