Journal of Immigrant and Minority Health
Volume 17, Issue 6, 2014, Pages 1654-1659

Mental Health and Its Associated Variables Among International Students at a Japanese University: With Special Reference to Their Financial Status (Article)

Kono K. , Eskandarieh S. , Obayashi Y. , Arai A.* , Tamashiro H.
  • a Department of Global Health and Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan
  • b Division of Mental Health and Social Health, and Addiction Prevention and Treatment, Center for Disease Control, Ministry of Health and Medical Education, Tehran, Iran
  • c Department of Global Health and Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan
  • d Department of Global Health and Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan
  • e Department of Global Health and Epidemiology, Hokkaido University Graduate School of Medicine, Kita 15, Nishi 7, Kita-ku, Sapporo, Hokkaido 060-8638, Japan

Abstract

We attempted to identify the risk factors that may affect mental health status of the international students and we conducted the survey using a self-administered questionnaire. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. The students were divided into two groups; (1) those who received scholarships and (2) those who didn’t since we thought the division represented practical patterns of their financial status. The associations of socio-demographic characteristics with depressive symptoms were examined. Of the 726 students, 480 (66.1 %) responded and 207 (43.1 %) had depressive symptoms. The logistic regression analysis indicated that quality of sleep, amount of exercise, and housing conditions—but not financial status—were statistically associated with the risk of developing depressive symptoms. Although the inversion of the cause and effect is yet to be ascertained, the students who are unsatisfied with their housing conditions, quality of sleep and less exercise need more attention. © 2014, Springer Science+Business Media New York.

Author Keywords

Mental health Japanese university International students Depression

Index Keywords

depression Fellowships and Scholarships Alcohol Drinking drinking behavior sleep economics exercise mental health human epidemiology sex difference statistics and numerical data Stress, Psychological mental stress Logistic Models ethnology Cross-Sectional Studies income student cross-sectional study migrant psychology Humans male Japan Emigrants and Immigrants female Socioeconomic Factors Universities university risk factor Risk Factors socioeconomics medical education adult Sex Factors Students statistical model
Link
https://www.scopus.com/inward/record.uri?eid=2-s2.0-84946485924&doi=10.1007%2fs10903-014-0100-1&partnerID=40&md5=279ca8830f4f327860d42f4b322e272e
DOI: 10.1007/s10903-014-0100-1
ISSN: 15571912
Cited by: 6
Original Language: English