Study Habits and Associated Demographic Determinants among Students of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences

Introduction: Improving the learners' academic performance is the basis of their achievement and progress. Study habits are skills that increase motivation for study and learning in learners and bring about increased efficiency and effectiveness, thereby promoting learning. This study aimed to determine the status of study habits among students of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences.

Methods: This descriptive, cross-sectional study was carried out among 300 students of Kermanshah University of Medical Sciences. Samples were selected using probability proportional to size method in each faculty. Data were collected by Palsane and Sharma Study Habits Inventory. The collected data were analyzed by SPSS.21 software using descriptive statistics (mean and standard deviation) and inferential statistics (chi-square, ANOVA and Pearson correlation coefficient); P<0.05 was considered significant.

Results: Study habits of 6.6%, 82.2% and 11.2% of students were found to be unfavorable, relatively favorable and favorable, respectively. Students with favorable study habits had a significantly higher GPA (P<0.05). Further, the students not living in dormitory had more favorable study habits (P<0.05).

Conclusion: Our finding indicated only 11.2% of the students had favorable study habits. These results can be warning to educational policy makers in university; and should be the focus of special attention.