Assessment of Student Satisfaction with Physical Fitness and Wellness Services at Sports Facilities of a Higher Education Institution

The relevance of the study is due to the need to assess among university students the level of satisfaction with physical education and health-enhancing services, which play an important role in maintaining the physical and mental-emotional status of students. A sufficient involvement in physical activity and positive experience of using such services contribute to the formation of a healthy lifestyle. However, the presence of organizational, methodological, and motivational barriers can reduce the effectiveness of their implementation, which requires scientific analysis and development of recommendations for their elimination. The objective of the study is to determine the level of students’ satisfaction with physical education and health-enhancing services, to identify the factors that influence this indicator, and to develop recommendations for improving the quality and availability of such services in higher education institutions. Methods. The study involved 172 higher education students who filled out an adapted version of the questionnaire for assessing the quality of physical education and health-enhancing services using the modified Service Quality Assessment Scale (SQAS). The SF-36 questionnaire was also used to assess the quality of life among students. Psychometric analysis confirmed the high reliability and validity of the applied methods. Results. The study showed that the key determinants of students’ satisfaction are the quality of the facilities and resources, staff competence, accessibility and convenience of services, as well as the use of an individual approach. The analysis of the data obtained indicated the need to improve the infrastructure, increase the level of advanced training of staff, and introduce adapted programs of physical education and health-enhancing activities that take into account the specifics of the student population. Conclusions. The obtained results can be used to improve educational and recreational programs in higher education institutions, which will increase the level of students’ involvement in physical activity and improve their physical, mental, and emotional health.