EXPERIENCES OF HEALTHY HABITS AND LIFESTYLES FROM THE PERSPECTIVE OF HEALTH EDUCATION

Nursing students, by virtue of their life course, are part of the population at risk for chronic diseases, and, simultaneously are recognized sanitarily and socially as health educators and as models of healthy living. The objective of the study was to understand the influence of health education on the development of healthy lifestyle habits among nursing students at a public university in Colombia, 2021. The approach was qualitative, hermeneutic phenomenological and 14 students participated in this study. Data analysis followed Van Manen's phases. Six phenomenological themes emerged: individual factors associated with Healthy Lifestyles Habits; Coherence between theory and practice; Contribution of knowledge in decision making; Approach to the topic of self-care and healthy lifestyles habits in and out of classroom; Initiatives that would encourage introspection and the practice of health education; Barriers to practicing self-care. It can be concluded that Education for health in the university scenario, has not been considered as a process aimed at improving the different agents involved in its realization, so it is urgent to examine the social function of this pedagogical process in the light of the study plan of the Nursing Program. The participants incur in behaviors harmful to health in spite of having a theoretical-scientific foundation in Health Education received as a transversalized educational process in the curriculum.