Objective:

To train an interdisciplinary group of undergraduate students as university health promoters and evaluate their results.

Methodology:

Participatory action research with 13 undergraduate students of the Pontificia Universidad Católica de Ecuador during the period 2012-2014. The process was developed in four phases: 1) training in health promotion of the group; 2) diagnosis of the general health situation of the students; 3) design, planning and implementation of a project executed by trained students; and 4) evaluation of the intervention. Qualitative and quantitative techniques were applied in each phase for the diagnosis and evaluation of results.

Results:

Phase 1: 100% of the students completed the training process; Phase 2: The main health problems in the university student population were identified as related to mental health (stress, anxiety, and depression), inadequate diet and violence; Phase 3: An intervention project was designed and executed based on the diagnosis made, which benefited 2916 peers; Phase 4: As a result of the intervention, 76.2% of the beneficiaries stated that they faced daily problems, 90.6% considered it important for their personal spiritual, emotional and corporal development, 94% improved relations with their peers, 68, 9% learned about their rights and 38% acknowledged that they modified their life habits.

Conclusions:

The methodology implemented gave students tools to design, execute and evaluate interdisciplinary health promotion projects. Action research enables transformations of realities in health in university settings and is feasible to be applied in other contexts.

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