Introduction:

Various studies have reported the high stress levels perceived by university students, which are caused by academic demands as well as financial or family problems. Very little information is available about the potential effect of work on the health of Latin American nursing students.

Objective:

Characterize the relationship between work and self-perceived health among nursing students from San Francisco Xavier University in Chuquisaca, Bolivia.

Method:

A cross-sectional study was conducted of 126 third year students (response 83.4%) based on a self-applied questionnaire exploring sociodemographic and economic characteristics, lifestyle, social support, current job and self-perceived health. Crude and adjusted odds ratios were estimated with a 95% confidence interval using logistic regression models.

Results:

Most of the students participating in the study were female, aged under 24 years, single, living with their family or friends, and under low or medium financial stress. In the adjusted model, students who worked (adjusted odds ratio 5.6; 95% confidence interval; 2-17.9) and those reporting having been under financial stress in the last twelve months (3.6; 1.4-8.9) were the most prone to have a negative perception of their own health.

Conclusions:

The additional condition of worker and the presence of financial stress during professional training, are important factors affecting health self-perception among nursing students. Institutional strategies should be considered in support of working students to improve their health self-perception, the quality of instruction and their professional performance.

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