A study to assess the factors and level of homesickness among nursing students residing in selected hostel at Vijayapur district

Background of the Study: Homesickness is a common experience among hostel students who have moved away from their homes to pursue their education in a new city or State. It is a feeling of longing for familiar surroundings, comforts, and routines that one had back at home. This emotional and psychological distress can take a toll on students' well-being and academic performance. One of the main reasons why hostel students experience homesickness is the change in environment. The new surroundings in a hostel can be overwhelming and unfamiliar, leading to feelings of isolation and loneliness. Students miss the warmth and comfort of their homes, the presence of family and friends, and the security of familiar routines. Objectives The objectives of the study were: 1.To assess the level of homesickness using home sickness rating scale.2.To determine the factors influencing homesickness.3.To find the association between the level of homesickness and selected demographic variables. Methods: The study was conducted by record, review andinterviewingof107nursingstudents who were residing in College hostel using a structured homesickness rating scale. Analysis of data included descriptive statistics to assess the level of homesickness and factors influencing them, inferential statistics to determine the association.Results: The findings of the study depicted that out of 107 respondents, majority (80) of the subjects (74.77%) experienced moderate homesickness. The most influencing factor suggested by candidates was missing family with the score range from 02-15 with mean score of 8.47, SD score of 3.21 and mean percentage of 52.93. There was a significant association between level of homesickness and selected demographic variable of religion and occupation of the parents.Conclusion: The present study attempted to assess the level of homesickness and factorsinfluencingthemamongnursingstudentsresidinginselectedhostelatMangalore. This study helps to identify the diagnostic variables in the form of factors influencing homesickness and the level of homesickness the students experience during the stay in College hostel.