Health As The Condition For Forming The Future University Graduate Professional Culture

Global problems and modern university

At the present stage of development, the changing conditions of life on the planet dictate the need to search for new approaches to solving global problems caused by the population growth, deteriorating environmental conditions of life, providing people of the Earth with necessary food, clothing, housing, work and education for their livelihood, etc. Among them are the problems caused by globalization in higher education. It is higher education that must grow world's talents capable of creating new technologies for solving social problems and evolutionary changes on the planet.

A modern university graduate should be ready for the professional work, which is formed in the course of preparation in higher education. It is a personal psychological neoplasm, "including the interaction of the need-motivational, moral-orientation, cognitive, communicative-organizational components, characterizing the manifestation of personality in the activity, the moral-orientation component being the leading one" (Motornaya, 2014). These components are based on the social components of culture, and they shape a future specialist’s professional culture of as a whole.

As a result, the university becomes the central figure in the society, as it concentrates the world's talents (future graduates with a professional culture). They create new technologies to meet new demand (global problems) based on the competence that was formed in higher education. The future specialists serve the society at the national and multicultural levels, while the basis of their actions is the spiritual and moral potential and the need for evolutionary creative changes.

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This process is conventionally depicted in Figure 01 : the circle is limited by the knowledge society, the university is shown in the form of a house, and spiritual resources are the basis of the process of creating a future specialist (Motornaya, 2014).

The state of health of a specialist and how to ensure the future.

A highly qualified specialist has some knowledge, abilities and skills. He is a bearer of the corresponding personal qualities and professional culture. However, he will be able to realize his potential only on the condition that he is in good health and leads a healthy lifestyle. The health should be preserved, and a healthy lifestyle instilled during the educational and upbringing process, including the higher education.

However, the vital activity of a specialist in the modern society is accompanied by unfavorable socio-economic factors that cause stress. The deterioration of the environmental conditions and the intensity of relationships caused by the lifestyle of large cities, contribute to reducing the level of psychic and physical health of a person. The World Health Organization predicts the prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (the first place), depressions (the second place), and psychic disorders which will be among the first five sicknesses by 2020.

Nowadays, both the mental and physical health of the population is deteriorating.

Our studies have revealed a negative dynamics of the cardiovascular system state with students: the myocardial activity with male university students is less effective than with adolescents, and this fact confirms an increase in the level of heart mobilization a decrease of its adaptive potential during university studies (Korepanov, Golovko, Vasilenko, & Motornaya, 2018). The revealed regularities are a manifestation of a decrease in the functional resources of young people’s bodies (Miroshnikova, Samoylov, Klyuchnikova, & Vyhodec, 2013).

Therefore, the problem of preserving students’ health in the education process is not only topical, but of paramount importance, since both the possibility of human activity and the possibility of evolutionary changes on the Earth as a whole will depend on the new generation.

Human health in the context of different approaches.

The biological approach to the consideration of health is presented in the works of Hippocrates, in the twentieth century. The main idea of those works was the need of a physically healthy organism for a person. Everything else seemed to be secondary. Since the 70-ies of the twentieth century, scientists began to consider the health issue in terms of the social approach. A. Ado, T. Engelhardt, A. Alonzo, Dobos and P. Tischenko distinguished the leading role of life conditions for realization of human existence. However, even Cicero in the 1st century BC emphasized the importance of mental states for human health. Then Z. Freud in 1920 and his followers A. Adler, K. Jung, as well as K. Rojders in the 80-ies of the twentieth century considered the relationship of psychic health with the individual’s integration, integrity and ability to optimally adapt to the life conditions in the framework of the humanistic psychology. Many psychologists and philosophers of the twentieth century understood the man’s multifacetedness and made attempts to unite the biological, social and psychological approaches, realizing that "the truth lies in the middle". Among them we note J. Locke in the 17th century, while Shustrov, A. Lazursky, E. Erikson, G. Sullivan, V. Myasischev, B. Skinner, E. Apostolov, N. Wolanski, J. Engel, E. Erde and V. Kaznacheev in the 20th century. They considered the sources of personal health in terms of the basic factors of cognitive and social development, in observing the dynamic and static balance of the human body and the environment and in implementing homeostatic self-regulation.

The problem of research in contemporary scientific developments.

At present, the problem of medical and psychological support for training future specialists acquires special significance. The urgency of the problem is determined by continuing cases of sudden students’ deaths: 1 out of 50 thousand young people die during physical training because of timely non-diagnosed heart diseases - cardiomyopathies, carditis, arterial anomalies, etc. (Maron, 2014). Many researchers note a decline in the health indicators of contemporary youth. Thus, an increase in contemporary young people’s body mass index and body weight was shown (Chaves, Baxter-Jon, Souza, & Santos, 2015). In his studies, Kolpa and Jankowicz-Szymanska (2017) established an inverse relationship between the body mass index and the level of physical activity of students: adolescents with excessive body weight move little. Young people have a violation of food preferences formed during adolescence - they prefer fast food to vegetables and fruits. A significant negative correlation was found between the quantity of the consumed fast food products and the level of motor activity (Kolpa & Jankowicz-Szymanska, 2017). Methods and approaches of the donosological correction of the student’s health level are also investigated. The effectiveness of mastering the skills of respiratory gymnastics, muscle relaxation, complexes for mental regulation is shown (Onofre, Marques, Moreira, Holzweg, Repond, & Scheuer, 2012). A system programme "Health saving education" was developed by Nagovitsyn, Chigovskaya-Nazarova, Miroshnichenko, & Senator (2018).

Presenting the under searched part of the problem.

However, consideration of the role of the modern university graduate’s human health in the formation of his professional culture, the study of his understanding of the importance of the desire for a healthy lifestyle is not enough presented in modern scientific literature. There are no comprehensive studies of mental and physical health in terms of the pace of physical development. This represents a serious problem that fundamentally affects the life activity of a person, the vision of his life goals and meanings, and consequently, the attitude to life, the construction of his relationships with other people, while those relationships determine the path of the development of mankind: evolution or degradation, as a whole.

Research methodology

Analyzing the health of a future university graduate, the authors relied on the definition of health reflected in the statutes of the World Health Organization. According to this document, "Health is a state of complete physical, psychic and social well-being, and not only the absence of disease, physical or mental disability; everyone has the full right to enjoy the highest level of health without distinction as to race, religion, political opinion, economic or social status; dissemination among all nations of knowledge on medicine, psychology and related sciences is a prerequisite for achieving the highest level of human health; awareness and active cooperation on the part of the public are extremely important for improving the health of the people; the government is responsible for the health of its people, and this responsibility requires the adoption of appropriate measures in the health and social spheres."

The theoretical basis for definition of health was analyzed by Ragimova (2009).

In 1863, Marx considered health as "the totality of the physical and spiritual abilities that the body as a living personality has." (Marx, 2017). After a hundred years, scientists would give a detailed description of health, highlighting the mental and social components. Here are two of them.

"Health is the ability of the human body to adapt to changes in the environment, interacting freely with it, on the basis of the biological, psychic and social essence of man" (Popov & Mikhailova, 1975). "Health is a dynamic process of preserving and developing its socio-natural (biological, physiological and psychic) functions, social labor, sociocultural and creative activities with a maximum life-cycle duration" (Kaznacheev, 2012).

At the same time, a person is a complex, interconnected organism. Therefore, we can note the connection of different facets of health. "People with low emotional intelligence react with lower self-confidence and high depression" (Kevereski, Dimovska, & Ristevski, 2016, p.17). Dependence of emotional reactions that make a major contribution to mental health, from physical and psychosocial stressors, are ascertained in their work by Isaichev, Chernorizov, Adamovich, & Isaichev (2018). Miovska-Spaseva (2013) devoted her work to the need to form the moral health of the student in the educational process, which is based on moral values. And this will determine its future openness to the World; will determine the progress or regress of society.

Therefore, in the structure of health, we identified the spiritual, psychic and physical components. They should be formed in the individual in the process of socialization and provide, together with the knowledge and skills, that the student should receive the vital activity of a highly qualified professional and his professional culture during training in higher education.

The considered definitions of health show that the labor, cognitive (creative) and social activities of the person are directly proportional to the future university graduate’s state of health and form the professional culture of the student.

Methods of empirical research

The study of self-assessment of physical, psychic and social health was carried out according to the method developed Stepanov (Popov & Novikova, 2017). The examinees were asked to conduct an express analysis of their physical health on their own: to determine the physical state according to a number of indicators. The examinee evaluated his age, weight, a habit of smoking, endurance, pulse at rest and restoring the pulse after a load. To assess the results, four levels were identified. The first level meant you needed to consult the doctor, the second level dealt with fighting the existing risk factors, the third level signified keeping on the intensity of training and developing endurance, the fourth level implied excellent health.

Later an independent assessment of mental equilibrium was carried out when each guinea-pig had to respond to 7 questions about his feelings and behavior. Three levels were distinguished for the diagnoses. The first level was presence of calmness and balance; for the second level you had to understand what oppressed you and prevented to reach the equilibrium; the third level was a critical condition which needed a special program of improving the body, physical and psychic state.

To study the social health, students under test had to diagnose their level of conflict which they defined according to their behavior in interpersonal relationships. There were three levels. The first level needed tact and peace, the second one meant upholding one's own opinion, without going beyond the correctness and respectful attitude towards others, the third level dealt with conflictness, criticism of others, incontinence and rudeness.

The study of the health level of (an integral indicator, characterizing the energy potential of the organism) was carried out according to Apanasenko’s method. It is proved that his health levels correlate well with the indicators characterizing the functional state of the organism (Krasnozhon, 2014). Using the parameters of the body mass and length, as well as the vital capacity of lungs, strength of the muscles of the hand, heart rate, blood pressure, and the Rufier’s index. Five indexes were calculated in points, and by their sum the level of somatic health was estimated. The low level was when the sum of scores was 2 points and below, the below average one - from 3 to 5 points, the average - from 6 to 10 points, the above the average - from 11 to 12 points and the high level - 3 points and more. The sum of scores which characterizes the level of an individual’s somatic health is informative in terms of evaluating the functional reserves of the organism (Apanasenko, 2000).

To determine the lability and strength of the nervous system, the tapping-test technique was used. The study was carried out with the help of the authors’ TapTest computer program specially developed in the laboratory. At the signal, the examinee struck with a contact handle on each of the 6 squares of the metal plate at the maximum rate. For the time allotted for each square (5 seconds), he performed as many movements as possible. The transition from one square to another was performed clockwise by the sound signal, without interrupting the work. Automatically performance curves were constructed, and their form diagnosed the strength of the nervous system.

To study the latent time of the motor reaction (LTMR) to a light stimulus (a green square, sized 200 200 mm2) was carried out by means of the LTMR computer program developed in the authors’ laboratory. This technique allows to assess the functional state of the central nervous system (excitability, lability and reactivity of the nervous system). The person under test had to react as soon as possible to the appearance of the green square by pressing the Enter key. The study was carried out in three experimental conditions:

• The first experimental conditions are a simple sensorimotor reaction;

• The second experimental conditions are connected with an increment of the interstimulus interval of 200 ms;

• The third are operation under noise interference experimental conditions, which were created using a portable reproducing device through headphones.

The first experimental conditions had the 2 s interstimulus intervals, the second ones they increased by 200 ms with each subsequent appearance of the light square, under the third conditions the interstimulus interval was constant and made 2 s. In all three experimental conditions, 30 measurements of the sensorimotor response to a light stimulus were carried out.

The research of self-assessment of physical, psychic and social health

102 first-year students and 100 fourth-year students of humanitarian specialties, as well as 98 first-year students and 104 fourth-year students of technical specialties took part in the study. It was found that the social health had the following level distribution. 10 % of the first-year students and 12 % of the fourth-year students of technical specialties and, respectively, 2 % and 7 % of humanitarian specialties diagnosed the first level. The second level was diagnosed by 22 % of the first-year students and 31 % of the fourth-year students of technical specialties and, respectively, 18 % and 21 % of humanitarian specialties. The third level was diagnosed by 68 % of the first-year students and 57 % of the fourth-year students of technical specialties and 80 % and 72 % of humanitarian specialties, respectively.

According to the levels, physical health had the following distribution. The first level was diagnosed by 13 % of the first-year students and 17 % of the fourth-year students of technical specialties and, respectively, 15 % and 21 % of humanitarian specialties. The second level was diagnosed by 64% of the first-year students and 60 % of the fourth-year technical students and, correspondingly, in 60% and 62% of humanitarian specialties. 21 % of the first-year students and 23 % of the fourth-year students of technical specialties and, respectively, 20 % and 24 % of the humanitarian students diagnosed the third level. The fourth level was diagnosed by 2 % of the first-year students and 1 % of the fourth-year students of technical specialties and, respectively, 5 % and 7 % of the humanitarian students.

The study of mental health was as follows. The first level was diagnosed by 16 % of the first-year and 23 % of the fourth-year technical students and, respectively, 18 % and 23 % of the humanitarian ones. The second level was diagnosed by 34 % of the first-year students and 42 % of the fourth-year students of technical specialties and, respectively, 30 % and 39 % of humanitarian specialties. The third level was diagnosed by 40 % of the first-year students and 35 % of the fourth-year students of technical specialties and, respectively, 42 % and 38 % of humanitarian specialties.

Despite the existence of the dynamics of the level indicators of the health components, the Fisher’s test criterion showed no difference. Such a result can be interpreted as the insignificance of the influence of the content of the educational process (the bachelor's level) on the health of a higher school student. Consequently, it is necessary to introduce some special disciplines in the program of higher educational institutions to develop students’ healthy lifestyle and physical training throughout the entire training cycle.

The somatic health research

215 students participated in the research. By means of some special standard tables all examinees, were divided into accelerants, normodants and retardants according to the growth and age. Students with the growth limits (М±σ) belonged to normodants, accelerants had the growth more than (M+σ), retardants had the growth less than (М–σ). The reliability of the result differences of the research was decided on the help of the method of indirect differences by Styudent, Fischer and Kramer-Welch's criteria.

It was established that the average health level of the examinees was 4,3 points that belonged to the below the average level. The maximum level of the somatic health was observed by the normodants and made 4,4 points, the retardants had an average one – 4,3 points, and the accelerants had the minimum level – 3,9 points. Thus, the health level with the accelerants is lower than with other groups.

As a result of the research of the nervous system properties by means of the tapping-test, it was established that execution of the test by the accelerants and retardants’ right hands, the type of the schedule of the working capacity was descending which testified to a weak type of the nervous system in both investigated groups, and the normodants showed an intermediate type of the working capacity schedule which testifies to an average and weak type of the nervous system (Figure 02 a). The execution of the test by the accelerants’ left hands, the normodants and retardants manifested a descending type of the working capacity schedule that spoke about a weak type of the nervous system of the investigated (Figure 02 ).

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According to the schedule of the right hand operability it is visible that the normodants and retardants’ average quantity of points at the five-second intervals is 2 units less than the accelerants’. According to the average schedule of the left hand operability it is visible that the accelerants’ average quantity of points at the five-second intervals is 1 unit more. The weak type of the nervous system is characterized by the slow course of processes of excitement and braking. For the average-weak type of the nervous system the speed of the processes of excitement and braking is more than with the weak type. The representatives of this type are capable to stand influences of the external environment, they are more counterbalanced. Thus, all three groups of the investigated are not capable to pass quickly from a state of excitement to braking and vice versa, but unlike the accelerants and retardants, the normodants are steadier against external irritants.

As a result of the LVDR research in the first experimental conditions with a light signal it is established that when performing a simple motive reaction by the right hand, the accelerants’ time of reaction was 231 ± 19 ms, the normodants’ time was 236 ± 22 ms and the retardants’ - 266 ± 29 ms. The retardants’ motor reaction in the majority of tests was authentically lower (р &lt;0,05) than in the other groups investigated. At the LVDR research with secondly experimental conditions it was established that the accelerants had the time of reaction equal to 239 ± 17 ms, the normodant had 235 ± 14 ms and the retardants - 248 ±20 ms. The three groups showed a tendency to decrease the time of reaction up to the 6th test, and then accelerants and normodants were noted to show an increase up to the 27th test. The retardants’ motor reaction was authentically worse in the first 10 tests (p < 0,05). As a result of the LVDR research, in the third right hand experimental conditions the accelerants’ time of reaction was 241 ± 18 ms, the normodants’ reaction was 234 ± 15 ms and the retardants’ one – 236 ±30 ms. The normodants demonstrated the indicator stabilization until the end of the experiment. The retardants showed a bigger dispersion of the reaction time. During the last five tests the accelerants had more signs of the developing exhaustion of the nervous centers than the normodants and retardants, i.e. the accelerants’ time of reaction is reliably higher (р < 0,05). Thus, in all three experimental conditions the accelerants show a slow operation and fast exhaustion. When comparing the LVDR in all three experimental conditions, it was established that the normodants worked more steadily during the last five tests and authentically quicker (р<0,05) reacted to an irritant than the accelerants.

The need of accounting the rates of physical development for the educational process of future experts

It is established that the level of students’ somatic health depends on their physical development; however, this dependence is not a straight line. The maximum level of health is observed by persons with average physical development (normodants), the average level – with the level of development the below the average (retardants), and the minimum one – with the above average level of development (accelerants). The level of somatic health reflects energy resources of an organism and its adaptation opportunities; it influences the quality of adaptive reactions of the central nervous system. Thus, the research of the tapping-test indicators revealed low lability of nervous processes in all investigated groups. However, the normodants have the average-weak type of the nervous system, and the accelerants and retardants – the weak type. Therefore, the high level of physical development does not assume a high degree of functional maturity of the brain adaptive systems. The optimum level of mobility of nervous processes and an ability to switch quickly from excitement to braking is observed by normodants. As a result of the LVDR research, it is established that students with the high level of physical development work slower and get tired quicker than students of two other studied groups.

Thus, as a result of the research of student’s somatic health and psychomotor reaction level with different levels of physical development, it is established that the optimum level of functioning physiological systems was shown by students with the average level of physical development: normodants have the maximum level of somatic health, the best indicators of force and mobility of nervous processes, a higher speed of performance and resistance to developing exhaustion. The obtained data define the need of development of individual educational trajectories taking into account future experts’ rates of physical development and level of somatic health.

The need of changing the content of educational process of the higher school

The conducted empirical research of a self-assessment of health components showed the need of changing the programs of training of university students, the need of introducing a special set of classes on formation of a healthy lifestyle throughout the entire period of training at a higher school.