Health, use of health care services and health-related behaviours among international exchange students in Finland
Huuskonen, Elina (2018)
Diakonia-ammattikorkeakoulu
2018
All rights reserved
Julkaisun pysyvä osoite on
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201804124525
https://urn.fi/URN:NBN:fi:amk-201804124525
Tiivistelmä
Background: As international student exchange grows more popular among University students globally, so does the need for studies regarding their health. More than 10,000 international exchange students come to Finland every year. The health of Finnish students in Universities and Universities of Applied Sciences is being thoroughly studied every four years, while the health of the exchange students remains unknown.
Purpose: This study seeks to illustrate the health status, use of health care services, and health-related behaviours that affect the health of the exchange students in Finland.
Methods: A self-administered on-line questionnaire was sent to all Finnish Universities and UASs through a mailing list. The survey was open for six weeks during spring term 2017. Out of the total of 346 responses 318 were included in the analysis. Data analyses were carried out by using MS Excel. The data were described with frequency tables, cross-tabulation and descriptive statistics.
Results: Approximately two-thirds of the respondents were female. Most were between 20 and 24 years old and of European origin. The exchange students experienced mostly good health and few symptoms, though one-third of female students had problems with sleep. Women more often reported poorer health and more symptoms than men. Anxiety was common in respondents who experienced frequent feelings of loneliness or home-sickness. Approximately 20% of the respondents used health care services while in Finland, while another 20% failed to seek health care despite the need for it due to feeling it was too expensive or too complicated. AUDIT survey showed that most exchange students used alcohol moderately. Most respondents brushed their teeth twice a day, but using tooth paste containing fluorine, dental floss or products sweetened with xylitol was rarer.
Discussion: The results showed that, for the most part, the health status of exchange students was fairly similar to that of Finnish students. Further studies and possible interventions could be beneficial based on findings regarding problems with sleep among female students, dental care practices, rates of anxiety in certain groups, lacking condom use, rates of free-time physical exercise, and inability to seek health care services while in Finland.
Purpose: This study seeks to illustrate the health status, use of health care services, and health-related behaviours that affect the health of the exchange students in Finland.
Methods: A self-administered on-line questionnaire was sent to all Finnish Universities and UASs through a mailing list. The survey was open for six weeks during spring term 2017. Out of the total of 346 responses 318 were included in the analysis. Data analyses were carried out by using MS Excel. The data were described with frequency tables, cross-tabulation and descriptive statistics.
Results: Approximately two-thirds of the respondents were female. Most were between 20 and 24 years old and of European origin. The exchange students experienced mostly good health and few symptoms, though one-third of female students had problems with sleep. Women more often reported poorer health and more symptoms than men. Anxiety was common in respondents who experienced frequent feelings of loneliness or home-sickness. Approximately 20% of the respondents used health care services while in Finland, while another 20% failed to seek health care despite the need for it due to feeling it was too expensive or too complicated. AUDIT survey showed that most exchange students used alcohol moderately. Most respondents brushed their teeth twice a day, but using tooth paste containing fluorine, dental floss or products sweetened with xylitol was rarer.
Discussion: The results showed that, for the most part, the health status of exchange students was fairly similar to that of Finnish students. Further studies and possible interventions could be beneficial based on findings regarding problems with sleep among female students, dental care practices, rates of anxiety in certain groups, lacking condom use, rates of free-time physical exercise, and inability to seek health care services while in Finland.