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Implementing a Comprehensive Health Education Program for International Students a
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Jerry Emeka Ogbudimkpa PhD , Barbara Lambert RN, MS & Rodney E. Kingston MD
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International Health Program, McKinley Health Center , University of Illinois , Urbana, USA
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McKinley Health Center , University of Illinois , Urbana, USA
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Health Corporation of America , Forth Worth, Texas, USA Published online: 09 Jul 2010.
To cite this article: Jerry Emeka Ogbudimkpa PhD , Barbara Lambert RN, MS & Rodney E. Kingston MD (1991) Implementing a Comprehensive Health Education Program for International Students, Journal of American College Health, 40:3, 137-138, DOI: 10.1080/07448481.1991.9936271 To link to this article: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/07448481.1991.9936271
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CLINICAL PROGRAM ~OTE:Y .-
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Implementing a Comprehensive Health Education Program for International Students Jerry Emeka Ogbudimkpa, PhD; Barbara Lambert, RN, MS; and Rodney E. Kingston, MD
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o ensure optimal healthcare for foreign students, the University of Illinois has established health promotion and illness prevention programs for the international student community. We took this action in response to the current recommendation of a joint task force of the National Association for Foreign Student Affairs (NASFA) and the American College Health Association (ACHA), which emphasized the preventive approaches that are important for students experiencing the stress of intercultural education.’ The students’ language problems, financial difficulties, and lack of experience with the healthcare delivery system in the United States made implementing the program a challenge in a university community with many different ethnic groups. By involving campus and community organizations, we were able to minimize these problems.
lems they identified included communicable diseases, unhealthy lifestyles, and lack of maternal and child health services. The assessment was followed by a series of health education programs designed to minimize problems and to promote a healthier lifestyle. When a nonstudent member of the university’s international community was ill, the International Health Program Office referred the individual to local health agencies, as necessary, without prior medical evaluation. Students have primary ambulatory healthcare services available to them through the university health center and are required to have major medical insurance, but major medical insurance is optional for their dependents. Students are occasionally referred to community health agencies but only after medical evaluation and only for services beyond the scope of the university health center.
Learning From Experiences
Program Components
We approached the development of an international health program by identifying the major health problems of the students and their families. Several years ago, a university health needs assessment2indicated that 84% of the international students had experienced major health problems while on campus. Of those who sought care, 65% reported dissatisfaction with the healthcare services they had received. The major prob-
Courses for international health advocates have been designed to train students to work closely with the coordinator of the international health program. The course is composed of two units: Health and Safety Studies (HSS) 140 is primarily theoretical; HSS 141 is more practical. Students receive 2 credit hours for each unit; nonstudents who audit the class are awarded certificates when they complete it. To work as an international health advocate, a student must successfully complete both HSS 140 and 141. The emphasis in these courses is on illness prevention, health promotion, cross-cultural health concerns, and healthcare services in developed and developing countries. Advocates coordinate educational programs and report suspected outbreaks of such diseases as measles, chicken pox, and gastroenteritis to the international health program coor-
Jerry Emeka Ogbudimkpa k coordinator of the International Health Program, McKinley Health Center at the University of Illinok, Urbana, where Rodney E. Kingston is assistant director of clinical services. Barbara Lambert k director of quality management at the Health Corporation of America in Forth Worth, Texas; she was formerly assktant director of quality assurance at McKinley Health Center.
VOL 40, NOVEMBER 1991
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COLLEGE HEALTH
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dinator, who is responsible for sharing this information with the appropriate health providers or agencies. Although the health advocates have not been trained to make referrals, they do help nonstudent members of international families identify local facilities where their health needs can be met. Programming, based on the findings of the health needs assessment, includes prenatal education and Lamaze classes, which are offered every semester. Also included are programs on cardiopulmonary resuscitation, child safety, poison prevention, road safety, and the prevention and care of communicable diseases. Translated materials. We have translated health education materials on 14 topics into Chinese, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Spanish, German, French, and Arabic, languages spoken by large numbers of students on our campus. These materials can be found in wall racks in laundry facilities, the community center, and the family housing office. Networking. The emphasis is on teamwork and mutual respect among the staffs of the McKinley Health Center, the Office of International Student Affairs, the University Housing Division, and representatives of the university and Urbana-Champaign communities (local health agencies and organizations). Members of these groups serve on a 25-member advisory committee that meets regularly to review activities, make suggestions, and serve on one of the two task forces-dependent healthcare and maternal/child health. The first of these task forces provides advice for research activities and extended insurance coverage for dependents (HMOtype coverage). The maternal/child health task force deals with child wellness, family planning, counseling services, prevention of domestic violence, and social programs. Challenges and Solutions Care of nontraditional students. A continuing fundamental problem is that most campus healthcare delivery systems were designed for traditional students, that is, for those who are relatively young (18 to 25 years) and have no dependents. In the healthcare coverage of nontraditional students-those who are older, have chronic health problems, or have families-the gaps are significant. This is particularly evident in areas such as prenatal and well-baby care for dependents, who are not required to purchase health insurance.
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Programming for ethnic diversity. Although international students are particularly hard pressed, similar difficulties face nontraditional students who are nationals. In recognition of this, McKinley Health Center began a minority health program in August 1988. Sensitive topics. Occasionally, international students and their families do not respond favorably to some topics because of the students’ cultural backgrounds. AIDS, tuberculosis, and family planning are all sensitive subjects. We attempt to adapt lecture presentations and the wording of titles in order to make them more acceptable to international students and their families. For example, the title of a program previously called “Sexuality and Health” was changed to “Reproductive Health” because of the stigma associated with attending a program on sexuality. Conclusion
Successes recorded so far are the result of broad support received from the university community. The key is good teamwork. Information regarding the program has been shared with at least 80 institutions of higher learning across the country as well as with the NAFSA clearing house. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS The authors wish to acknowledge the following individuals for their roles in providing advice and encouragement in establishing the program: William Creswell, PhD, Professor, Department of Health and Safety; Nancy Mark, MS, Associate Director, Office of International Student Affairs; Ann Parker, MS, Assistant Director, Family Housing, all at the University of Illinois, Urbana-Champaign; and Paula L. Swinford, MS, now Director of Health Education, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, formerly Director of Health Education, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. NOTE If you would like to obtain translated health education materials for use at your institution, get in touch with the Coordinator of International Health Programs, University of Illinois, McKinley Health Center, 1109 South Lincoln Avenue, Urbana, IL 61801. The fee is $5 for a master copy of the material on each topic. Institutions may reproduce and distribute as many copies as they wish. REFERENCES 1. NAFSA-ACHA Task Force. Strategies for improving health care for foreign students and dependents. J A m Coil Health. May 1988;36:307-310. 2. Ogbudimkpa J, Creswell W, Kingston R, Lambert B. Health needs assessment of international students and their families at the University of Illinois. J A m Cofl Health. May 1988;36:313-316.
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