Abstract
Background:
Hostel life plays an important role in shaping students’ academic, social, and personal development. Living away from home can influence students’ learning environment, adjustment patterns, and overall academic performance. Understanding the relationship between hostel life and academic performance is essential for improving student support systems in higher education institutions.
Objective:
To evaluate the relationship between hostel life and academic performance among undergraduate health sciences students and to examine the association between selected demographic characteristics and academic performance levels.
Methodology:
A comparative cross-sectional study was conducted at the new campus of People’s University of Medical and Health Sciences for Women (PUMHSW), SBA. A total sample of 278 undergraduate students from BSN (Generic), DPT, Pharm-D, and BSPH programs was selected. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire that included demographic information and an Academic Performance Scale. Data analysis was performed using SPSS version 20. Descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, t-tests, ANOVA, and regression analysis were applied to determine associations between variables. Ethical approval was obtained from the Institutional Review Board prior to data collection.
Results:
The mean age of respondents was 21.41 ± 1.515 years. Most participants demonstrated good to excellent academic performance levels. Chi-square analysis revealed that gender, ethnicity, economic status, academic program, academic year, and accommodation status (hostler and non-hostler) did not show a statistically significant association with academic performance (p > 0.05). Religion showed a statistically significant association with academic performance levels (χ² = 12.941, p = 0.010). Both hostlers and non-hostlers predominantly exhibited good to excellent academic performance.
Conclusion:
The study concluded that hostel life does not have a significant impact on academic performance among undergraduate health sciences students. Academic performance was generally consistent across most demographic variables. Although religion showed a significant association, the finding should be interpreted cautiously due to unequal group distribution. Overall, the results suggest that academic performance is influenced by multiple factors beyond accommodation status.