Characteristics of risky forms of behavior that were formed against the background of prolonged social isolation during lockdown, and their influence on the state of youth students’ health
Authors: Letiaho H.V. , Chernusky V.H. , Vodolazhskyi M.L. , Tolmachova S.R. , Nosova O.M. , Nikolska O.S. , Bilopolska M.I. 
Published: August 2024

Background. The issues of risky forms of behaviour have actual importance. During the long period of self-isolation, new conditions were created to study the risky forms of behaviour. Therefore, how different manifestations of addictive behaviour showing themselves in the case of long-term restriction on the state of health, it is a new direction of research, especially among student youth. Unresolved issues regarding the emergence and spread of risky forms of behaviour among student youth in completely new social conditions determine the relevance of this work.

Purpose – to determine the RFB of student youth, that were formed during long-term social self-isolation, and to establish their impact on the state of health of student youth.

Materials and Methods. The presence of the risky forms of behaviour was evaluated by an anonymous survey of 799 higher education applicants using Google Forms. The questionnaire used was developed by the staff of the institution where the research was conducted. 287 students were identified who noted the appearance of risky forms of behaviour (poor nutrition, smoking, alcohol consumption, indifference to studies, and appearance) during long-term social self-isolation. The obtained data were statistically processed by obtaining the relative value and its error (P ± m, %).

Results. It is shown that the risky forms of behaviour as a result of long-term self-isolation are determined both individually and in a series of combinations. 50.53% of the respondents noted that during the lockdown they had one of the types of the risky forms of behaviour, and 49.47% – everal risky forms of behaviour. The most common risky forms of behaviour were indifference to appearance (44.03%) and apathy towards education (36.57%). Every tenth student stated that he started smoking or drinking alcoholic beverages during the lockdown. About 10% of respondents point out that junk food was added to their diet. It was detected that under the risky forms of behaviour such complaints as headache (p < 0.01), cardialgia (p < 0.01), anxiety (p < 0.01), impaired vision (p < 0.01), hypodynamia (p < 0.01), weight gain (p < 0.01) was reliably determined more often than in the control group without the risky forms of behaviour. It is also shown that with more combinations of different risky forms of behaviour – the frequency of identified complaints increased reliably.

Conclusions. Long-term self-isolation led to the development of risky forms of behaviour, which occurred in a third of the respondents. During the lockdown, the frequency of bad habits (smoking, alcohol) increased and signs of social maladaptation (indifference to education and appearance) were identified. In half of the respondents with the risky forms of behaviour, a large number of their combinations were determined, among which every fifth case was the risky forms of behaviour from fast food, smoking, alcohol, indifference to studies, and appearance. The risky forms of behaviour affected the frequency of several complaints (hypodynamia, weight gain, nervousness, irritability, heart pain, headache, impaired vision, anxiety), the frequency of which increased with an increase in the number of the risky forms of behaviour.