Health maintenance practices and healthcare experiences among international university students

Background and purpose While over a million international students attend U.S. universities, there is little information to guide providers on their care. Differences in language and health beliefs can lead to misunderstandings and poor outcomes. The purpose of this study was to describe the health practices and healthcare experiences of international students before and after they move to the United States to carve out specific quality improvement activities at a student health center. Methods International students volunteered to attend focus groups. Data were analyzed using text coding software (Dedoose) to identify salient themes that reflected participants’ experiences. Conclusions Participants (N = 19) identified four areas of health maintenance: exercise, nutrition, yearly checkups, and self‐care for minor ailments. While participants described health care in their home countries as accessible and affordable, they described health care in the United States as less accessible, more expensive, and laden with communication mishaps. Implications for practice A broader educational message to international students, that is, how to maintain healthy habits in the United States and how to access/navigate U.S. health care, coupled with staff training on effective health communication and the use of interpreter services would enhance the health and healthcare experience of this vital population.