701. Differences in health determinants between international and domestic students at a German university.
- Author
-
Krämer A, Prüfer-Krämer L, Stock C, and Tshiananga JT
- Subjects
- Adult, Female, Germany, Health Surveys, Humans, Male, Risk Factors, Students psychology, Surveys and Questionnaires, Health Behavior, Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice, Health Status, Internationality, Students classification, Students statistics & numerical data, Universities
- Abstract
The authors used a standardized questionnaire to survey 201 international and 193 German students at the University of Bielefeld, Germany, to determine differences in health practices between the 2 groups and to identify targets for health-promoting interventions. Multivariate logistic regression models revealed that long-term female international students (those whose duration of residency in Germany was more than 2 years) had lower levels of physical activity and alcohol consumption than their German counterparts and higher rates of smoking independently associated with international citizenship. Short-term international female students were less likely than German students to receive social support. Among men, long-term international student status was associated with daily smoking and inconsistent seat belt use, whereas short-term student status was associated with a lower rate of seat belt use, a higher level of perceived stress, and a healthier diet, compared with domestic students. Findings from the study could give rise to health-promotion activities for international students at German universities; additional studies at other European universities are necessary before making further recommendations.
- Published
- 2004
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