The sense of security of Ukrainians and Belarusians studying in Poland.

INTRODUCTION AND OBJECTIVE: Due to educational migration to Poland, students from Ukraine and Belarus may experience security to varying degrees. The aim of the study was to check the extent to which people from Ukraine and Belarus studying in Lublin feel safe, taking into account their own life and health. An attempt was also made to establish the relationship between the sense of security and selected features of the surveyed students. MATERIAL AND METHODS: The research was conducted using a survey method among 403 students from Ukraine, Belarus and Poland. Eight independent variables were introduced into the analysis of relationships: gender, age, self-assessment of the financial situation, country of origin, place of origin, place of residence during studies, and year of study. The dependency analysis used Wilcoxon and Kruskal-Wallisau tests and CATREG optimal scaling analysis. RESULTS: The study showed that both Polish and foreign students assessed the level of safety in Poland and during their studies in Lublin as high. They feel safer during the day than after dark. Polish students are more afraid of theft, rape and being hit by a car than students from Belarus and Ukraine, and students from Ukraine are more afraid of verbal abuse. The predictors influencing students' sense of insecurity are, among others, their financial situation and gender. CONCLUSIONS: The conducted research and analysis of the obtained results suggest that the situation of students from Ukraine and Belarus studying in Lublin, Poland, in terms of safety, is similar to that of Polish students, and even better in some aspects. This result suggests that Lublin is a friendly academic centre for students from across the eastern border of Poland.

'If you are feeling alone and you are not feeling safe, it impacts everything': a mixed-methods exploration of international students' accommodation, subjective wellbeing and mental health help-seeking.

BACKGROUND: The international education sector is important not only to Australian society, but also to the national economy. There are growing concerns about the potential wellbeing challenges facing international students in their host country, owing to acculturative stress; including loneliness, isolation and experiences of racism. Risks include poor mental health and decreased likelihood to access support due to stigma, language and cultural barriers, not knowing where to seek help, and poor mental health knowledge. METHODS: This study explored students' perceptions of their accommodation, subjective wellbeing (through the Personal Wellbeing Index, ['PWI']), mental health help-seeking and individual engagement with evidence-based everyday health promotion actions (informed by the '5 Ways to Wellbeing' model) through an online survey (N = 375) and three online focus groups (N = 19). A mixed-methods approach using descriptive statistics, ANOVA, regression analysis and thematic analysis, were used. RESULTS: The PWI of international students in the survey was observed to be substantially lower (M = 60.7) than that reported for the Australian population (M = 77.5). Accommodation impacted on wellbeing (loneliness, belonging, connectedness) in a number of different ways including through location, safety, and shared accommodation. In terms of help-seeking, international students noted a number of barriers to accessing support for mental health: cost of accessing support, language and cultural barriers, lack of information on where to find support and stigma. CONCLUSIONS: In the discussion, implications of the findings are considered, including that more could be done to shape policy and practice in service and facility provision around wellbeing, connectedness, and help-seeking for mental health support of international students.

Health-Related Behaviours of Foreign Students Studying in Poland and Their Determinants: A Mixed-Methods Study.

Educational migration benefits students and receiving countries, but universities are challenged to meet a variety of needs, such as cultural adaptation and changes in health behaviours such as dietary habits. This study aimed to assess the health-related behaviours, encompassing dietary/eating habits, among international students in Poland, while also elucidating the factors influencing these behaviours. The study consisted of two phases: (phase 1) cross-sectional research among 231 foreign students using the Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire (FLQ); and (phase 2) focus group interviews with 15 international students. The study was conducted in accordance with STROBE (STrengthening the Reporting of OBservational studies in Epidemiology) and COREQ (COnsolidated criteria for REporting Qualitative research) Checklists. It was shown that the respondents highly value health. Students' health-related behaviours are related to their financial situation, health condition, self-assessment of their lifestyle, the importance attached to being healthy, and their country of origin. The qualitative analysis allowed us to identify (1) the barriers related to the exhibiting of health-related behaviours, (2) expectations of foreign students regarding the exhibiting of health-related behaviours, (3) changes in the health-related behaviours, and (4) factors facilitating the exhibiting of health-related behaviours. There is a need for inter-university cooperation on a strategy to promote health-promoting behaviours of foreign students studying in Poland.

The quality of group interactions in medical problem-based learning in China: the roles of intercultural sensitivity and group ethnic composition.

BACKGROUND: Chinese universities are increasingly recruiting foreign students, and problem-based learning (PBL) is an effective approach to integrating those students. This study focuses on the role of intercultural sensitivity and group ethnic composition on the quality of group interaction in medical problem-based learning in China. METHODS: This paper reports an investigation of the differences in three types of group interaction (exploratory questions, cumulative reasoning, and handling conflict) among 139 s-year medical undergraduates from two backgrounds (Chinese and foreign) in a PBL setting. The roles of intercultural sensitivity, group ethnic composition, and students' personal characteristics including age, gender and ethnicity on students' perceptions of the three types of interaction were quantitatively analyzed. A 35-item questionnaire and demographic survey were administered to second year medical undergraduates. RESULTS: The results indicated that group ethnic composition was a significant negative predictor while intercultural sensitivity was a strong positive predictor of group interactions involving exploratory questions and cumulative reasoning. In addition, group heterogeneity in terms of age and ethnicity were significant predictors of group interaction. CONCLUSIONS: The findings of this study provide insights for strategically designing effective multiethnic group learning environments that encourage interaction and collaboration.

IMPACT OF DISTANCE EDUCATION ON STUDENTS' HEALTH.

OBJECTIVE: The aim: Studying the impact of distance learning on students' health. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Materials and methods: Special research methods and medical-statistical method. Domestic and foreign students were subject of the study during the online form of education, in connection with Covid-19, poll was made using Google Forms. RESULTS: Results: 333 students participated in the study (22.3% - domestic and 77.7% - foreign students). It was established that 88.3% of foreign and 40.5% of domestic students did not suffer from COVID-19 in the past. The overwhelming majority of respondents (86.5% domestic and 85.1% foreign) noted anxiety and concern for their health. 59.4% of domestic and 63.4% of foreign students noted the deterioration of their mental health and increased anxiety during distance learning. Depressive conditions were experienced by 49.3% of foreigners and 52.0% of domestic respondents. The respondents noticed the negative impact of distance learning on their daily routines, namely sleep, nutrition and active recreation, etc. The most frequent complaints were back pain, headaches, and visual impairment. Students noticed that during online classes their academic performance decreases. CONCLUSION: Conclusions: The transition to online education had a negative impact on the physical and mental health of students, which was manifested in the presence and growth of anxiety and depression, a lack of live communication, sleep and eating disorders, reduced physical activity, the appearance of headaches and back pain, vision problems, attention disorders, and a decline in academic performance.

Suicide Prevention for International Students: A Scoping Review.

International students are at risk of suicide and suicide prevention activities addressing their unique needs are required. However, no comprehensive review has been undertaken to identify effective suicide prevention approaches for international students. The current scoping review aimed to chart the extent, range, and nature of available evidence on the prevention strategies for international students. We systematically searched Medline, PsycInfo, ERIC, CINAHL, Proquest, and several gray literature databases to identify relevant peer-reviewed articles and gray literature. Eligible publications were those providing data or recommendations related to suicide prevention among international students; 15 peer-reviewed articles and 19 gray literature documents were included in the review. No studies of prevention programs or policies directly targeting suicidal ideation, suicide attempts, or suicide in international students were identified. A narrative synthesis of the suicide prevention recommendations for international students identified four categories: (1) cultural competency training on suicide and provision of culturally sensitive services; (2) improved and increased risk screening for suicide; (3) proactive intervention and engagement strategies; and (4) collaborative approaches to streamline service access and improve available support. These recommendations provide guidance on potential directions for international student suicide prevention. Research assessing the effectiveness of such recommendations will enable the development of novel evidence-based policies and interventions that reduce rates of suicide in international students.

Differences in Overweight or Obesity, Changes in Dietary Habits after Studying Abroad and Sleep Quality by Acculturative Degree among Asian Foreign Students: A Cross Sectional Pilot Study.

The number of foreign students is increasing worldwide, and they suffer from acculturation to different environments or cultures. This pilot study examined the difference in overweight or obesity, changes in dietary habits after studying abroad and sleep quality according to acculturative degree among 225 Asian foreign students in South Korea. Most subjects (61.8%) experienced a low acculturative degree. The change in dietary habits after studying abroad showed a significant difference according to the acculturative degree (p < 0.001); however, there were no differences observed in sleep quality (p = 0.090) and prevalence of overweight or obesity according to acculturative degree (p = 0.101). Interestingly, a difference in the risk for being overweight or obese by sleep quality after being stratified into groups according to acculturative degree was observed. Among the groups with a low acculturative degree, subjects reporting poor sleep quality had a 2.875-fold (95% CI = 1.167−7.080) higher risk of being overweight or obese than those reporting good sleep quality. However, the risk of being overweight or obese was not different among the high acculturative group regardless of their sleep quality. The results showed that the degree of acculturation could influence the risk of being overweight or obese according to sleep quality among Asian foreign students.

Fear of disasters within the risk communication network of foreign students in Japan amid the COVID-19 pandemic crisis: A cohort design.

The main objective of this study is to examine the role of risk communication during the COVID-19 crisis, which is often neglected in studies investigating the outbreak of the pandemic. The study is based on survey data from a group of international (non-Japanese) students in Japan and the theoretical foundation of fear appeal theory. The results, which are based on the panel data structure, show that individually, (1) the act of seeking out others to discuss risks in depth in the current pandemic context or (2) the observed adoption of advocated precautionary health behaviours is not necessarily a good indicator of mental management, but (3) the combined effect of (1) and (2) unexpectedly suggests a conciliatory effect on the fear of disasters. Moreover, this evidence-based finding (3) suggests that a reciprocal relationship exists between threat and efficacy in terms of mediating fear under the framework and theory of fear appeals, indirectly challenging the fear control response proposition of the extended parallel process model. Our empirical findings emphasize the role of risk discourse and information sharing combined with preventive health behaviours adopted within a community in the context of global health crises.

The Psychological and Academic Effects of Studying From the Home and Host Country During the COVID-19 Pandemic.

Objective: This study explored the psychological and academic effects of studying online from the home vis-à-vis host country during the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic in the experience of international students at the University of Warsaw, Poland. Methods: A total of 357 international students from 62 countries (236 in the host country and 121 in the home country) completed an online questionnaire survey 2 months after transition to online learning. We studied students' levels of loneliness, life and academic satisfaction, acculturative stress, academic adjustment, performance, loyalty, and perceptions of the online learning experience. Results: The country-of-residence variable had no statistically significant effects on most psychological and academic variables. Significant effects were observed only for two academic variables. Specifically, students who returned to the home country found online communication with other students more contributing to their online learning experience and exhibited higher academic adjustment than students who remained in the host country. This suggests the positive influence of (peer and familial) support on online learning experience from the home country. Furthermore, a significant difference in experiencing acculturative stress occurred for students in quarantine/self-isolation in the host country, which expands prior literature on the disruptive effects of social distancing on students' mental health. Finally, this study confirmed the expected increased levels of loneliness among self-isolating students in both countries, hence extending prior results to the home- and host-country contexts. No relationship between self-isolation and students' life or academic satisfaction was found, which is explained by the specific nature of the learning-from-home experience.

Food access, dietary acculturation, and food insecurity among international tertiary education students: A scoping review.

The number of international students within tertiary education facilities continues to increase globally, but the challenges for this population in achieving a healthy diet in an unfamiliar environment receives insufficient attention. This scoping review aimed to synthesize current literature that investigated dietary changes and food security status of this student population. We followed a five-stage methodological framework developed by Arksey and O'Malley. Six electronic databases were searched. All types of research methods, including qualitative, quantitative, and mixed methods, were considered for inclusion. This review included 30 articles reporting dietary changes and 12 articles reporting food insecurity in international students. The students were able to explore novel foods in their host country without totally abandoning their original diet, thus developing a hybrid diet. Dietary habits oscillated between the new and traditional dietary cultures with many students consuming foods from their new food environment but less so in the long term. Changes in diet may contribute to weight change and some negative health impacts, but none of the included studies investigated the effects on academic performance. Additionally, international students appeared to be more vulnerable to food insecurity, but the contributing factors and impacts of this issue were insufficiently researched. International students often experienced dietary acculturation and faced more challenges in food security than their domestic peers. More specific support should be provided by tertiary institutions and governments to international students including regular culturally appropriate nutrition education programs.

Evaluation of nutritional status of foreign students at King Saud University, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

OBJECTIVE: The current study was conducted to assess the nutritional status and associated risk factors among foreign students residing at King Saud University for different periods and to explore its correlations. DESIGN: A cross-sectional study was conducted during the spring semester of 2018. A total of 400 male students aged 18-35 years had participated in the current study after signing a written consent form according to Helsinki Declaration. SETTING: A structural questionnaire was used to collect data on daily food intake and habits and socio-economic characteristics. Nutrients of food intake were assessed using the Esha programme and compared with that of dietary requirement intake (DRI). A body composition analyser was used to measure body fat (BF), visceral fat (VF) and BMI. Spearman correlation coefficients and simple regression analysis were performed to determine associations between variables. PARTICIPANTS: Foreign students residing for different periods (<6 months: 200 students and >6 months: 200 students) were used as subjects. RESULTS: The students who stayed <6 months consumed lower level of some nutrients than that of the DRI compared with those stayed >6 months. Overweight and obesity were more common among students who stayed >6 months with high values of BF and VF. Several risk factors were positively or negatively correlated with the students' nutrition proxies. CONCLUSION: Most of the students who stayed >6 months are suffered from overweight. Some independent variables were found to be significantly correlated with the students' nutrition proxies either positively or negatively.

Impact of Social Support on the Physical Activity Behaviors of International College Students in the United States.

Research has suggested that international students' transition to the United States is often correlated with less physical activity after arriving in the U.S). One reason might be related to reduced social support when living in a foreign environment. The purpose of this cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of social support on international college students' physical activity behaviors. Participants (N = 318) from five public universities in one Midwest state completed an electronic survey assessing self-reported physical activity behaviors and perceived social support for exercise (SSE). Data analyses included multiple linear regression, multinomial logistic regression, and multiple logistic regression to test the study's hypotheses. Region of origin, academic level, and friends' SSE were all significant predictors of unhealthy physical activity behaviors. Specifically, friends' SSE was positively associated with higher total physical activity behaviors (F (12, 305) = 4.2, p < .001, R 2 = .142) and was a significant predictor of participants' physical activity levels. Although research suggests international students' transition to the United States can impart negative impacts on their physical activity behaviors, we found that greater levels of friends' SSE was associated with increased physical activity behaviors. As university administrators and wellness programs explore interventions promoting positive physical activity behaviors among international students, they should consider including elements that focus specifically on friendship social support to motivate physical activity behaviors.

Problemáticas lingüísticas en estudiantes extranjeros de intercambio universitario / Linguistic issues in foreign university exchange students / Problemas linguísticos para estudantes estrangeiros de intercâmbio universitário

Resumen Introducción. En las universidades chilenas, ha aumentado notablemente la cantidad de estudiantes extranjeros que realizan intercambios universitarios. Un gran número de ellos proviene de países no hispanohablantes. Objetivos. Conocer las dificultades que perciben los académicos (de tres ámbitos disciplinares: Humanidades, Ciencias Sociales e Ingeniería) en los alumnos extranjeros y delimitar los géneros académicos representativos que deben producir los estudiantes durante el intercambio universitario. Materiales y métodos. Se llevó a cabo un estudio cuantitativo de diseño transeccional descriptivo mediante la aplicación de un cuestionario, en línea, a 44 académicos de una universidad chilena. Resultados. La principal dificultad observada por los académicos corresponde a un nivel deficiente de español y en cuanto a los géneros representativos que deben producir los alumnos destacan los géneros escritos: ensayo (Ciencias Humanas) e informe de laboratorio (Ciencias de la Ingeniería) y los géneros orales: exposición oral, participación en debates (Ciencias Humanas) y presentación oral (Ciencias de la Ingeniería). Conclusiones. Se necesita que las universidades delimiten y exijan un nivel de español que permita a los estudiantes extranjeros (no nativos de español) desempeñarse en el ámbito académico. Además, se debe enseñar a los alumnos extranjeros a producir textos escritos y orales en español.

Abstract Introduction. The number of international students who make university exchanges in Chilean universities has increased considerably. A large number of them come from countries whose native language is not Spanish. Objectives. To know the difficulties of international students (from three disciplinary fields: Humanities, Social Sciences, and Engineering) as perceived by academics, and define the representative academic genres that students should produce during the university exchange. Materials and methods. A quantitative study using a descriptive transectional design was carried out by applying an online questionnaire to 44 academics from a Chilean university. Results. The main difficulty observed by the academics corresponds to a deficient Spanish level, and regarding the representative genres that they must produce, in the written genres stand out: essay (Human Sciences) and laboratory report (Sciences of Engineering) and in oral genres: debates (Human Sciences) and oral presentation (Sciences of Engineering and Human Sciences). Conclusion. Universities need to define and require a Spanish level that allows international students (non-native Spanish) to perform sufficiently in the academic field. In addition, international students must be taught to produce written and oral texts in Spanish.

Resumo Introdução. Nas universidades chilenas, o número de estudantes estrangeiros que fazem intercâmbios universitários aumentou notavelmente. Um grande número deles vem de países que não falam espanhol. Objetivos. Conhecer as dificuldades percebidas pelos acadêmicos (de três áreas disciplinares: Ciências Humanas, Ciências Sociais e Engenharia) em estudantes estrangeiros e definir os gêneros acadêmicos representativos que estes alunos devem produzir durante o intercâmbio universitário. Materiais e métodos. Um estudo quantitativo a partir de desenho transectional descritivo foi realizado por meio da aplicação de um questionário, on-line, a 44 acadêmicos de uma universidade chilena. Resultados. A principal dificuldade observada pelos acadêmicos corresponde a um nível deficitário de espanhol e aos gêneros representativos que devem produzir, a saber, os gêneros escritos: ensaio (Ciências Humanas) e relatório de laboratório (Ciências da Engenharia) e gêneros orais: exposição oral, participação em debates (Ciências Humanas) e apresentação oral (Ciências da Engenharia). Conclusões. As universidades precisam definir e exigir um nível de espanhol que permita que estudantes estrangeiros (não falantes de espanhol como língua nativa) atuem no campo acadêmico. Além disso, os estudantes estrangeiros devem aprender a produzir textos escritos e orais em espanhol.

Experiencias escolares de jóvenes retornados de EUA a secundarias fronterizas de México / Experiences of young people who return from the USA in secondary schools near the Mexican border / Experiências escolares de jovens retornados dos EUA para escolas secundárias no México

Resumen (analítico) En este artículo se explora una serie de experiencias escolares que viven las y los jóvenes de secundaria que, después de haber estado por un tiempo significativo en escuelas estadounidenses, han retornado y ahora cursan estudios en instituciones mexicanas. La metodología utilizada fue cualitativa; se empleó un cuestionario sociodemográfico y se tomó como punto de partida la etnografía escolar. La población estuvo conformada por veinte estudiantes retornados de cinco secundarias públicas de Mexicali, Baja California, a quienes se les aplicó el cuestionario. Asimismo, se realizaron nueve entrevistas en profundidad. Los principales resultados obtenidos señalan la clasificación de las experiencias escolares identificadas por los propios estudiantes retornados, divididas en infraestructura de la escuela, discontinuidad del sistema educativo y cultura escolar.

Abstract (analytical) This paper describes the secondary school experiences of Mexican young people after having spent a significant period of time attending American schools. The methodology used in the study was qualitative, supported by a sociodemographic survey inspired based on an ethnography of the schools. The population for the study consisted of 20 returned students studying in five public schools in Mexicali, Baja California, who responded to the questionnaire; besides. Nine indepth interviews of these students were conducted. The responses of the returned students highlighted differences in school infrastructure, discontinuity in the educational system and school culture.

Resumo (analítico) Neste artigo exploram-se as experiências escolares de jovens mexicanos de ensino médio retornantes ao sistema de ensino mexicano após longos períodos de imigração nos Estados Unidos. A metodologia utilizada é qualitativa, apoiada num questionário sociodemográfico e inspirada na etnografia escolar, enquanto a população do estudo consistiu de 20 estudantes retornantes localizados em cinco escolas públicas de ensino médio em Mexicali, Baja California, com quem o questionário foi trabalhado. Além disso foram aplicadas nove entrevistas em profundidade. O principal resultado obtido é a classificação das experiências escolares identificadas pelos proprios estudantes retornantes, dividindo-se na infraestrutura da escola, a discontinuidade do sistema educacional e na cultura escolar.

Lifestyle Practices, Satisfaction with Life and the Level of Perceived Stress of Polish and Foreign Medical Students Studying in Poland.

The adaptation of foreign students to a new country can be complicated due to different cultural values, language barriers and the way university courses are structured. The aim of the study was to analyze the lifestyle practices, satisfaction with life and the level of perceived stress of Polish and foreign students studying various medical disciplines in Poland with regard to chosen sociodemographic characteristics. The study included 231 foreign and 213 Polish students (n = 444) taking different medical disciplines at the medical university in eastern Poland. Three research tools were used: Fantastic Lifestyle Questionnaire (FLQ), Satisfaction with Life Scale (SWLS), Perceived Stress Scale (PSS-10). Additionally, students' sociodemographic data was collected. Two-factor analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed and correlations between variables were also examined. Our research indicated that Polish students obtained higher results in FLQ than foreign students. It also demonstrated a significantly higher level of stress among Polish students in comparison to foreign students. The self-assessment of their health condition, lifestyle, and rank associated to being healthy correlated with FLQ, SWLS and PSS-10. The present research can aid the development of support programs for foreign students so that the cultural adaptation processes would more positively influence their lifestyle and an education environment.

Arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead levels in hair and urine in first-year RUDN University students of different geographic origins.

The objective of the present study was to assess the markers of arsenic, cadmium, mercury, and lead exposure in first-year RUDN University students of different geographic origins. A total of 274 first-year students of the RUDN University originating from Russia (n = 65), Asia (n = 57), Middle East (n = 84), Africa (n = 40), and Latin America (n = 28) were enrolled in the present study. Evaluation of As, Cd, Hg, and Pb levels in urine and hair was performed using inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. The obtained data demonstrate that hair As levels in foreign students exceed that in Russian examinees. The highest Cd and Pb levels were detected in subjects from Africa and Latin America, whereas hair Hg content was significantly higher in Latin America students. Urinary Cd levels in foreign students exceeded those in Russian counterparts. In turn, the highest Hg concentration in urine was revealed in students originating from Middle East and especially Latin America. Urinary Pb levels were found to be the highest in students from Africa. Multiple regression analysis demonstrated that Asian, African, and Latin American origins were considered as a significant predictor of hair Hg content. Higher urinary Hg levels were associated with Asia, Middle East, and Latin American origins. Prior habitation in Africa and Asia was considered as predictor of higher hair Pb and urinary Cd levels. The observed difference may be indicative of geographic difference in toxic metal exposure patterns.

'Standardized patients' in teaching the communication skill of history-taking to four-year foreign medical undergraduates in the department of obstetrics and gynaecology.

BACKGROUND: Many foreign students have difficulty taking histories from Chinese patients, especially in clinical context of the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology. The efficacy of using standardized patients to prepare foreign students for communicating with Chinese patients and taking their histories was evaluated in this study. METHODS: Ninety-four four-year foreign students were assigned to one of three clinical sub-departments (gynaecology, obstetrics, and reproductive endocrinology) to practice history-taking; after practicing in one sub-department, the students were then crossed over to a different department. The histories were taken from real patients in the sub-departments of obstetrics and reproductive endocrinology and from standardized patients in the sub-department of gynaecology. Prior to contact with real patients in the sub-department of reproductive endocrinology, the students practised with standardized patients. The quality levels of the case reports generated in the three departments were compared by repeated measures ANOVA. The attitudes, satisfaction and suggestions of the students were also investigated through a questionnaire. RESULTS: The local Chinese language spoken by the patients was thought to be the most common difficulty students (76.7%) encountered while taking patient histories. Two-thirds and one-third of the students were interested in taking histories from standardized and real patients, respectively. Most students (94.2%) thought that working with standardized patients was useful for practising communication skills with Chinese patients. The total scores of the case reports were significantly different among the three groups (P < 0.001), and compared with case reports collected from real patients, case reports collected from standardized patients were of better quality. However, the quality of the case reports taken from real patients was better when the case reports were generated by students who had previous practice with standardized patients than when they were generated by students lacking such experience (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Standardized patient training for practising history-taking can be included as part of the clinical training curriculum for foreign medical undergraduates in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynaecology in China.

Peculiarities of the process of psychological adaptation of foreign students of ukrainian higher education institutions of medical profile, role of emotional intelligence in the socialization process

Introduction: The dynamics of increasing rates of interstate educational migration of student youth exacerbates the problems of psychological adaptation and socialization of foreign students in the context of the recipient country's society. The aim is to study the peculiarities of emotional intelligence changes in the process of social adaptation of foreign students of Ukrainian higher educational institutions of medical profile in the conditions of educational migration. Material and methods: There were formed the observational groups of foreign students, natives from different countries, varying in linguistic affiliation and religion. In the research the Hall Emotional Intelligence Test (EQ test) was used, which gave an opportunity to evaluate the dynamics of emotional intelligence development in the process of learning and social adaptation in relation to the first and last courses at a medical higher education institution. Results: As a result of the conducted researches it is possible to notice a marked increase of the level of emotional intelligence in the process of education and socialization of different ethnic groups of foreign students in Ukraine. At initial values in the first year of study (within 30,0-38 points), which is treated as "low" level, after the end of the sixth course of study this indicator increased to values of 59-72 points, which falls within the limits of values of "average", and even "high" in English speaking educational groups (Ghana, Nigeria, Sudan). The obtained data have a statistical probability (p <0.05). It is especially important to emphasize the growth of more than 2 times the components of emotional intelligence on the scales "empathy" and "management of other people, emotions" which are crucial for the successful fulfillment of their professional duties as a doctor. At these scales, the indicators reached the "high" level at statistical probability (p <0.05). First-year students from Arab countries had the lowest baseline on the scale of "managing of one's emotions" (5.9 +0.4), which led to a sufficiently large number of manifestations of deviant behavior, but by the end of the sixth course, this indicator increased to values 10.0+ 0.9 (p <0.05). Accordingly, the deviance of behavioral responses has decreased significantly. Conclusions: In our view, it is expedient to deepen the theoretical analysis of the social-psychological portrait of migrant students with the aim of their effective psychological and pedagogical support in the process of adaptation and assistance while building a professional perspective on the basis of effective development of emotional intelligence.

Participatory Teaching Class for MBBS Students / 昆明医科大学学报

Objective To determine the effect of participatory teaching method in the Clinic teaching of internal medicine for MBBS students. Methods The 60 MBBS students were divided into group A and B, 30 students in each group. Participatory teaching was done in group A, and traditional teaching was carried out in group B,and the effects of the two types of teaching methods were compared. Results In the clinic teaching of internal medicine, the effects in improving students' clinical thinking and practical ability, creativeness, initiative and efficiency were better in the participatory teaching method than in traditional teaching method (P＜0.05) . Conclusion The effects of participatory teaching in the clinic teaching of internal medicine for MBBS students was better than the traditional teaching.

Prevalence of latent tuberculosis infection among foreign students in Lübeck, Germany tested with QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube and QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus.

BACKGROUND: The tuberculosis (TB) incidence rate in foreign-born individuals has been increasing in Germany in recent years. Foreign students may be an important source of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) in low-incidence countries. In Germany, there are no guidelines for LTBI screening of foreign students. The aim of the study was to estimate LTBI prevalence and evaluate associated risk factors among foreign students in Germany. The second purpose of our study was to compare the results of the new generation of QuantiFERON-TB Gold Plus (QFT-Plus) to those of its predecessor QuantiFERON-TB Gold In-Tube (QFT-GIT). METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted between February 2016 and March 2016. Foreign students and young professionals attending the university and higher education institutes in Lübeck, Germany were tested with QFT-Plus and QFT-GIT. Participants filled out a questionnaire for the purpose of LTBI risk assessment and analysis. Variables associated with a positive test result were analyzed using logistic regression. RESULTS: One hundred thirty four students participated in the study. The overall prevalence as regards positive results from both tests, QFT-Plus and QFT-GIT, was 9.7%, and the prevalence of positive QFT-Plus results was 8.2%. The main independent variables associated with a positive QFT-Plus result were a) being born in a high-incidence country (OR = 6.7, 95% CI: 1.3-34.3) and b) previous contact with a person with active TB (OR = 4.5, 95% CI: 1.1-18.3). Higher age (OR = 2.8, 95% CI: 0.7-11.3) and male gender (OR = 1.6, 95% CI: 0.4-6.7) showed a tendency toward positive QFT-Plus results but this was not statistically significant. Agreement between QFT-Plus and QFT-GIT results was κ = 0.85, p < 0.001. CONCLUSIONS: The LTBI prevalence among foreign students was about 10%. We recommend implementing a policy whereby all foreign students are screened by means of a questionnaire about LTBI risk factors, so that only students with present risk factors are tested for LTBI. The agreement between the new QFT-Plus and the QFT-GIT (κ = 0.85) was good. QFT-Plus might be used in the same format as its predecessor.