HEALTH SURVEY OF INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS AT KENT STATE UNIVERSITY (CULTURAL, TRANSCULTURAL, SELF-CARE, FOREIGN).
Contributors: Union for Experimenting Colleges and Universities (U.S.)
Published: 1985
Number of pages: 81
Subjects: Health Sciences, Nursing.; Health Sciences, Public Health.
Description: An International Student Health Survey (ISHS) was utilized to collect data to facilitate program planning and to identify health problems encountered by international students.

A descriptive study answered the question: What social factors, health problems, and health needs influence the health behaviors of international students at Kent State University.

Nine research questions were answered which pertained to the student initial health problems, support systems, food pattern changes, ongoing illnesses and sources of treatment, students' satisfaction with treatments, the health behaviors practiced by students, the expressed health needs of the students, and the ability of nursing service to meet these needs.

Few participants experienced discomfort as a result of environmental changes. Most were unable to obtain native foods, and root vegetables were the most unattainable. Ten percent were accompanied by family members, and more than half felt they had many friends. Nevertheless, almost one third had episodes of homesickness. More than 20 percent experienced no illnesses. Major health problems were colds, headaches, skin problems, allergies, and weight gain. Most of those who had been ill were treated at the Student Health Center. Almost 19 percent engaged in self-care. Twenty-three percent were very satisfied with the treatment received at the Center and in the community.

The findings indicated that foreign students should be facilitated in their use of self-care; that formal and informal support systems should be in place for their use; that their input should be utilized in food selection and preparation; and that nurses should be aware of students' individual health behaviors and expressed health needs to implement nursing care via education, direct care, and referral to appropriate sources.

Implications for further study in this pioneering area of research are many. Studies to identify specific self-care behaviors of students; studies to identify food patterns specific to each country; and studies to identify expressed needs for health care as perceived by students from various countries are needed to develop a body of knowledge to assist nurses who provide care for international students.
Notes: Source: Dissertation Abstracts International, Volume: 46-11, Section: B, page: 3780.

Thesis (PH.D.)--THE UNION FOR EXPERIMENTING COLLEGES AND UNIVERSITIES, 1985.

School code: 0557.