Impact of Academic Counseling on Chronic Diseases and Quality of Life: A Study Among University Students

Abstract

This study examines how academic counseling influences the quality of life for students dealing with chronic diseases. Today, many university students face chronic illnesses that have complex causes and require long-term treatment along with ongoing medical care. One essential support mechanism for these students is academic counseling, which plays a crucial role in enhancing their university experience. However, there appears to be a lack of effective academic guidance addressing students' academic, social, and psychological needs. These challenges continue to impact students' well-being and ability to adapt to university life, affecting their psychological, physical, and social development. This research utilized an applied study approach, collecting data through an electronic questionnaire administered to 1,100 students across different colleges at the University of Hail. The data was analyzed using SPSS26 and SmartPLS4 software.

The findings reveal significant differences in mean scores based on health status, with students without chronic illnesses scoring higher in both educational and social quality of life (QoL). Specifically, academic counseling was found to significantly enhance educational, psychological, and health-related QoL; conversely, it exerts no measurable influence on social QoL, exposing a critical structural gap in current support frameworks. A notable disparity was also observed in the perception of counseling effectiveness between students with chronic illnesses and their healthy peers. These results underscore the urgent need for universities to transition toward integrated socio-academic support models to ensure long-term social sustainability, thereby aligning institutional practices with global sustainable development goals in higher education.

Keywords: Academic Counselling, Chronic Diseases, Chronic Illnesses, Quality of Life, University Students