Ma Jingru, Saita Kazuya, Kaneko Fumiko, Okamura Hitoshi
Graduate School of Biomedical and Health Sciences, Hiroshima University, Hiroshima, Japan.
Front Public Health. 2024 Dec 17;12:1470378. doi: 10.3389/fpubh.2024.1470378. eCollection 2024.
The COVID-19 pandemic's global impact has been profound, particularly for vulnerable populations, such as asylum seekers, refugees, and immigrants. Likewise, international students, who fall under the immigrant category umbrella, have faced considerable challenges throughout the pandemic. This study aimed to identify insights for enhancing Japanese international students' health and well-being by investigating how epidemic prevention policies implemented by schools and the government influenced changes in their lifestyles during the post-pandemic era.
Semi-structured interviews were conducted and inductive thematic analysis performed using NVivo software, to investigate the lifestyle changes of 20 (8 male and 12 female) international students (mean age: 31.5 years) at Hiroshima University, Japan, during the post-pandemic era.
The analysis revealed alterations in lifestyle habits and interpersonal relationships in the aftermath of the pandemic, with most international students continuing to practice some of the epidemic prevention and health behaviors they had adopted during the pandemic, including handwashing ( = 10), mask-wearing ( = 12), and physical distancing ( = 4), as a matter of habit. However, some of these epidemic prevention and health behaviors have not persisted as habits after the pandemic. However, there has been an increased emphasis on maintaining family relationships ( = 5).
Addressing language and information dissemination barriers that international students may encounter when accessing medical services, and providing them with employment guidance and support more suited to their current situation, are conducive to enhancing their health and well-being. Additionally, enhancing international students' public awareness is crucial for safeguarding their health and preparing them for potential future public health emergencies.
新冠疫情的全球影响深远，对弱势群体，如寻求庇护者、难民和移民而言尤为如此。同样，属于移民类别的国际学生在疫情期间也面临了诸多挑战。本研究旨在通过调查学校和政府实施的防疫政策如何影响日本国际学生在疫情后时代的生活方式变化，从而找出增进他们健康和福祉的见解。
进行了半结构化访谈，并使用NVivo软件进行归纳主题分析，以调查日本广岛大学20名（8名男性和12名女性）国际学生（平均年龄：31.5岁）在疫情后时代的生活方式变化。
分析揭示了疫情后生活习惯和人际关系的改变，大多数国际学生继续将他们在疫情期间采取的一些防疫和健康行为，如洗手（n = 10）、戴口罩（n = 12）和保持社交距离（n = 4），作为一种习惯。然而，其中一些防疫和健康行为在疫情后并未持续成为习惯。不过，人们对维持家庭关系的重视有所增加（n = 5）。
解决国际学生在获得医疗服务时可能遇到的语言和信息传播障碍，并为他们提供更适合其当前状况的就业指导和支持，有助于增进他们的健康和福祉。此外，提高国际学生的公众意识对于保障他们的健康以及让他们为未来可能的突发公共卫生事件做好准备至关重要。
