Factors and strategies for reducing health risks for foreign students attending Russian universities

At present, investigating influence exerted by factors of the intra-university environment on foreign students’ health is a relevant research trend. The aim of this study was to summarize and analyze literary data devoted to investigating health risk factors for foreign students associated with studying at Russian universities, analyzing adaptation strategies aimed at improving physical and mental well-being of foreign citizens and increasing effectiveness of their education.

The study was designed as a descriptive review, which implied qualitative description of scientific literature selected per established keywords. Overall, we analyzed 325 articles; of them, 65 were covered by the present review.

The article outlines certain challenges that foreign students may face during their studies at a higher educational institution. Modern higher education is characterized by academic mobility. The number of foreign students in higher education institutions ranges between 10 and 40 %. Foreign students who come from countries with different geoclimatic and cultural traditions have to go through a long adaptation period.
The intra-university environment was revealed to include a complex of multifaceted factors, namely, educational space, social sphere, physical, technological, financial and psychological aspects. Each factor contributed not only to academic success of foreign students, but also to their personal development and integration into the society.

Success of the educational process for foreign citizens was established to depend on education conditions, time and quality of their adaptation period as well as professional competence of teaching staff.

In addition, health of international students was proven to be an important aspect that included physical, psychological and social well-being. Being influenced by the intra-university environment, students may be susceptible to diseases of the nervous and musculoskeletal systems, respiratory organs, eyes and their adnexa, gastrointestinal tract, as well as parasitic diseases.

Based on the analyzed Russian and foreign works, we can conclude that the intra-university environment a health risk factor for foreign students.