Relationship of general health and improvement motivation with educational success among the students of Fasa University of Medical Sciences in 2013

Introduction and Aims:
Since the health can affect the various aspects of life, the purpose of this study was to investigate the relationship between
general health and improvement motivation with educational success among the Fasa University of Medical Sciences students.
Materials and Methods:
372 students of Fasa University of Medical Sciences were randomly selected for a cross-sectional study. They completed the
demographic questionnaire of 28 items Goldberg health and Herman’s achievement motivation. Having an average mark of
15 out of 20 and not failed in any subjects at any time were the criteria for educational achievement in this study. Paired T
test, ANOVA and chi-square test were used for comparing the groups analytically.
Results:
Mean score for success motivation among the students who entered the university in 2013 was 83.5±7.7, in 2012: 71.9±7.7,
in 2011: 72.6±6.9 and in 2010: 72.1±5.1 (P˂0/001). Students’ field of study and their interest were related to the score of
achievement motivation, so that the highest scores belonged to Hygiene 78.1±5.9 (P˂0/01), Medicine 74.6±6.1 (P˂0/01)
and surgical technology 69.7±6.8 (P˂0/05) respectively. 69.7 percent of students had mental health. In comparison of 4 parts
of Goldberg questionnaire and the score of: anxiety, depression, health disorder and social withdrawal, there was a reverse
meaningful correlation between the last semester average with depression score (r= -0/33, P˂0/01) and social performance
(r= -0/29, P˂0/05).
Conclusion:
About 30 percent of students had low health score. There was a relationship between educational achievement and depression.
So there is a demand for a precise planning regarding the medical students’ training program in order to improve the
educational achievements and health.

* Corresponding Author: Fasa, Fasa University of Medical Sciences, Department of Physiology.
Email: Ghodsi@fums.ac.ir