Health as a value in the context of smoking and alcohol consumption among university students

Introduction: The study of smoking and alcohol consumption habits is one of the most relevant and common elements of health behaviour assessment. According to European Health Interview Survey data, 27% of women aged 18-34 years and 35% of men smoke daily. According to the WHO, alcohol consumption also presents a negative picture and is responsible for 3 million deaths worldwide each year. Objective: Our primary objective was to examine how university students' health values relate to smoking and alcohol consumption habits. Methods: Our data collection method was interviewing, and our questionnaire consisted of nearly 30 questions that could be divided into several main groups. For data collection, we used a validated questionnaire, the IRVS Values Importance and Achievement Scale. For the assessment of smoking habits, we used the questionnaire from the National Population Survey (2003), compiled by the National Center for Epidemiology. A total of 380 university students completed the questionnaire. Data were processed using SPSS 26.0 statistical software. Differences were considered significant at p < 0.05. Results: Using principal component analysis, we obtained the eight-item variable, 'Importance of health value', with the highest loading of the value 'Health importance' (0.711 points). Our results showed a significant negative association between the health value and the number of cigarettes smoked per day, rs = -0.089, p = 0.041 (1-tailed), using Spearman correlation. Conclusion: Promoting a healthier lifestyle among university-aged individuals should be encouraged and prioritized. We believe that it is important to develop a preventive approach and create an inclusive educational environment.