The impact of dormitory atmosphere on academic performance in medical university: a cross-sectional study

Abstract

Introduction: Academic performance (AP) serves as a comprehensive measure of students’ academic proficiency and learning status, while dormitory atmosphere plays a significant role in shaping students’ daily lives. This study investigated the impact of dormitory atmosphere on the AP of college students. Methods: A questionnaire-based survey was conducted at Zhejiang Chinese Medical University, incorporating the grade point average (GPA) of each participant as part of the research data. The study included 601 participants. Results: The study found that dormitory hygiene and dormitory interpersonal atmosphere were significantly correlated with AP (OR = 0.54, 95% CI [0.36, 0.83], p = 0.004; OR = 1.60, 95% CI [1.10, 2.31], p = 0.014), whereas the dormitory academic atmosphere within the dormitory showed no significant association (OR = 0.91, 95% CI [0.62, 1.33], p = 0.624). Subgroup analysis revealed that dormitory hygiene (OR = 2.86, 95% CI [1.70, 4.82], p < 0.001) and dormitory interpersonal atmosphere (OR = 0.41, 95% CI [0.25, 0.66], p < 0.001) significantly influenced AP among female students, whereas no significant effects were observed in male students. Discussion: These findings provide valuable insights into factors influencing AP and offer guidance for creating a supportive dormitory environment for college students.