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THE INFLUENCE OF HEALTH ON ACADEMIC PERFORMANCE AMONG SECONDARY SCHOOL STUDENTS: A CASE STUDY OF AN URBAN SECONDARY SCHOOL IN KANO STATE, NIGERIA
Abstract
Parents and teachers often put considerable pressure on children to make the most out of their studies and produce a good result. This resulted in the growing interest in the potential factors that influence educational outcome as poor results may have background health problems that further aggravate ongoing academic problems. It is therefore essential to investigate the influence of these factors in order to timely intervene for better outcomes in both health and academic achievement. This was a descriptive cross-sectional study among 143 students of Day Science College Kano Nigeria to determine the prevalence and influence of asthma, enuresis, haematuria, abnormal visual acuity and body mass index with the students’ academic performance. Data on asthma, enuresis, haematuria and vision among the students was obtained using pretested questionnaires. Visual acuity was assessed using Snellen’s chart while weight and height were respectively taken using weighing scale and stadiometer after which the BMI was calculated. The data was analysed using SPSS computer software and two sample student t-tests was used to determine the association between the average marks of the students and the prevalent health parameters, level of significance was set at P-values less than 0.05. Academic performance was significantly lower among those who reported difficulty in reading their books or reading from the board due to poor vision as compared to those who did not report similar problems. Overweight was found to be associated with better academic performance (p =0.01), potentially from either excessive mental, without physical activity, or better economic status that may be associated with better access to calories and educational materials. Asthma, enuresis, haematuria, visual problem and abnormal BMI are prevalent among the study group. Early diagnosis and treatment of prevalent health conditions among students will help to improve students’ wellbeing and academic performance.
Keywords: Academic performance, development, health, student, urban.