Knowledge and Perceptions of University Students Regarding Colombian Regulations Related to Health Rights

Abstract

Recognition of health rights is a fundamental component of autonomy, dignity, and informed access to healthcare services. In Colombia, the regulatory development concerning voluntary termination of pregnancy (VTP), palliative care, advance directives, euthanasia, and the right to die with dignity has expanded the guarantees available to citizens; however, evidence regarding university students’ knowledge and perceptions of these rights remains limited. This study aimed to analyze knowledge of Colombian regulations related to health rights and to explore perceptions and factors associated with their recognition and navigation among university students. An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive, and analytical study was conducted with 610 undergraduate students from Universidad de la Amazonia. Descriptive and bivariate analyses were performed, with Benjamini-Hochberg adjustment for multiple comparisons, together with multivariable models to identify factors associated with recognition and navigation. Students showed greater recognition of voluntary termination of pregnancy and euthanasia, whereas palliative care and advance directives showed lower levels of familiarity. The recognition index was higher than the navigation index (2.60 vs. 2.16; p < 0.001), revealing a gap between knowing that health rights exist and knowing how to seek guidance for exercising them. Academic faculty was the main factor associated with both recognition and navigation after multivariable adjustment, whereas academic progression was primarily associated with recognition. Participants also showed broad agreement regarding the importance of autonomy, understandable information, and education on health rights. These findings indicate that recognizing health rights does not necessarily ensure knowledge of the pathways required to exercise them. Universities may therefore serve as strategic settings for strengthening health-rights literacy through coordinated actions with health insurers, healthcare providers, and health authorities that integrate regulatory information, institutional guidance, and practical knowledge of access pathways.