A Cross-Sectional Study of Mental Health, Lifestyle, and Anxiety in Japanese Nursing Students by Year of College

For students in nursing colleges to develop necessary competencies as health care professionals and prevent post-graduation “reality shock” deterioration in the quality of care they provide, appropriate measures are needed in response to changes that occur as college years progress. In this study, mental health status, lifestyle, and various types of anxiety were investigated in 448 nursing college students during a four-year program in Japan. Students from each year of the program were surveyed with the K10 scale to measure mental health, and the Student Life Questionnaire to assess dietary habits, sleep duration, and exercise. Mean K10 scores for first-year students was 13.1, with 30% having anxiety about college life. Similarly, for second-year students the K10 score was 13.7, and compared to first-year students, rates of meal skipping and sleeping less increased. For third-year students, the K10 score (15.9) was higher than for other groups, as were their percentages of all items. Fourth-year students had a mean K10 score of 14.6, with a higher rate of meal skipping and feeling anxious about the future than other groups. These results suggest the need for support tailored to the characteristics of each year in the bachelor’s program in nursing.