Chronic Conditions and School Participation of First-Year University Students—HOUSE ULisbon Study

Abstract

Students with chronic conditions (CC) tend to experience several barriers in terms of their school participation and performance. Therefore, the present study aims to explore the factors related to the time of diagnosis of CC (recent/non-recent), the barriers to participation and academic success (health condition, people’s attitude towards CC and school physical environment), the physical and mental health (physical/psychological symptoms and concerns) and school-related variables (relationship with teachers and peers), regarding the school participation of first-year students with CC. This work is part of the HOUSE-Colégio F3 Project, University of Lisbon, which includes 1143 first-year university students from 17 Faculties and Institutes of the University of Lisbon. In this specific study, only the subsample of 207 students with CC was considered, 72.4% of which were female, aged between 18 and 54 years ( M = 20.00; SD = 4.83). The results showed that students with a recent diagnosis of CC and students with school participation affected by the CC were those who presented more negative indicators regarding barriers to school participation, physical and mental health, and school-related variables. A greater impact of CC in terms of school participation was associated with having a recent diagnosis, with people’s attitude towards CC and with the health condition as barriers, with more psychological symptoms and worse relationships with teachers and peers. This is a relevant message for the organization of health services for students with CC at the beginning of their university studies, especially since they are often displaced from home and managing their health conditions alone (in many cases, for the first time).

Overcoming Barriers: Trajectories for a School Environment That Promotes the Participation of Adolescents with Chronic Conditions

“…They also had lower perception of academic ability and experienced more physical and psychological symptoms. These findings are consistent with the literature, as there is evidence that adolescents with CCs tend to experience more emotional and behavioral problems and increasing difficulties academically [1,12,15,20]. It is crucial to highlight that the analysis of gender and the impact of chronic conditions on school-attendance disparities is essential for devising effective strategies and interventions tailored to the distinct requirements of students with CCs.…”

“…This specific study showed an association between barriers to participation (i.e., school physical conditions, attitudes towards CCs, and the health condition itself) and academic success and school participation affected by CCs. The results of an article by Cerqueira, Guedes, Marques-Pinto, et al [15] with students in the first year of university (with an average age of 19.62 years) revealed that students with school participation affected by their health condition experience more barriers to school participation. This study's results align with these data, reinforcing the importance of working at a preventive and interventional level to contribute to more balanced and inclusive school environments for students with CCs throughout their academic careers.…”

“…A CC existence impacts adolescents' functioning in various domains of their lives [1], affecting their psychosocial well-being and quality of life [11][12][13]. The literature shows that chronically ill adolescents experience more challenges in participation, academic performance, and success [12,14,15].…”