Prashamsa Bhandari, Kiran Paudel, Snehi Bajracharya, Biddhya Khanal, Kamal Gautam, Tara Ballav Adhikari, Durga Prasad Pahari, Roman Shrestha
BMJ Public Health, November 2025. Abstract
Introduction: Quality of life (QoL) encompasses an individual’s perception of their physical, psychological and social well-being, considering their goals, expectations, standards and concerns. This cross-sectional study aimed to assess the QoL of undergraduate students in Kathmandu, Nepal, and determine the associations between QoL domains and various sociodemographic characteristics. Methods: A web-based cross-sectional survey was conducted between February and March 2021 among 370 undergraduate health science and non-health sciences students at different colleges affiliated with four major universities in Kathmandu, Nepal. Health-related QoL was measured using the 24-item WHO Quality of Life Brief Version. Multivariable linear regression analysis assessed the factors associated with the different domains of QoL. Results: This study included 370 participants with a mean age (±SD) of 21.7 (±1.73) years. Among them, more than half were female (57.3%), residing in urban areas (52.4%) and from non-health science faculties (55.1%). The highest mean QoL score was observed in the psychological health domain (12.79±2.46), while the lowest was observed in physical health (12.49±3.31). Faculty of education (b=−0.71; 95% CI −1.39 to –0.03) and self-perceived illness status (b=−0.97; 95% CI −1.88 to –0.06) were significantly associated with the physical health domain of QoL; likewise, exercise habits (b=−0.53; 95% CI −1.04 to –0.02) were significantly associated with psychological health. Monthly family income (b=−0.77; 95% CI −1.51 to –0.03) and education faculty (b=−0.79; 95% CI −1.47 to –0.11) were significantly associated with the participants’ environmental domain of QoL. Conclusions: Nepali university students reported the highest QoL scores in the psychological health domain and the lowest in the physical health domain. Sociodemographic, academic, health-related and behavioural factors significantly predicted QoL. Practical measures to enhance physical health and initiatives to improve social interactions, particularly for health-science students, are recommended to improve overall QoL.