International students face a variety of health challenges in their daily lives due to language barriers, different cultural values, and unfamiliar healthcare systems. Something as basic as a dentist appointment can be incredibly daunting when it’s in a foreign language and the price feels like a complete mystery.
A recent study from Tohoku University found that Japanese international students are less likely to report good health than their Japanese counterparts. This study investigated the relationship between nationality, health status, and health literacy among Japanese university students, based on an online survey of 1,366 students from six regions.
The finding of overall poorer health among international students seemed alarming at first. However, further analysis revealed that this difference was not due to nationality per se, but rather to lower health literacy (the ability to access, understand, and use health-related information). Differences in health status disappeared when health literacy was taken into account. Additionally, among students with higher levels of health literacy, international students reported better overall health than Japanese students. This suggests that international students’ health depends not only on their access to healthcare, but also on their ability to understand health-related information and navigate the healthcare system. In other words, for both domestic and international students in Japan, self-reported health status appears to depend on how well they are able to utilize and interpret health information.
Based on these findings, researchers emphasize the importance of helping international students develop the skills they need to access and use health information with confidence.
We believe that reducing this gap starts with improving health literacy by making health information clearer, tailoring communications to different student backgrounds, and helping students better utilize health services. ”
Ryoichi Nagatomi Specially Appointed Professor, Tohoku University
These efforts can help reduce health disparities and support the well-being of all students. After all, improving the health literacy of students both here and abroad will lead to a healthier and happier future.
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Reference magazines:
Adeoya, A.A. others. (2026). The role of health literacy in the association between nationality and health status among university students: A cross-sectional study. annual medical report. DOI: 10.1080/07853890.2026.2643976. https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/07853890.2026.2643976
