International students' views on sexual health: a qualitative study at an Australian university

Abstract

Background The number of international students at Australian universities is rapidly increasing, and they contribute significantly to Australia’s economy. However, concerns have been raised for the health and wellbeing of international students, and there is limited information concerning international students with regard to their sexual health. Methods: Overall, 13 individual semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted with 13 international students at an Australian university, aiming to understand the views and experiences of international students with regard to their sexual health and wellbeing. The interviews were analysed thematically, generating four themes. Results: Participants had a varied understanding of sexual consent, which often included concerns about the practicalities of saying ‘no’ to unwanted sexual interactions and misinformation about the effect of reporting sexual misconduct on their privacy and visa status. Cultural and familial taboos were often inherited, but many participants described an evolution of personal views and attitudes regarding topics such as sex before marriage and same-sex relationships, which had occurred since moving to Australia. Participants expressed that they received large amounts of information about sexual health, but often lacked the skills to navigate that information and access relevant support. Conclusions: These data, along with participants’ suggestions for future support and education, are important for understanding the complex experiences of international students at Australian universities, and should be considered when implementing future sexual health education and support programs.

“I always prefer to withdraw than use a condom”: contextualising condomless sex among East Asian and sub-Saharan African international students in Sydney

“…Thus, there is a need to provide sexual health programmes that are tailored to the specific needs of this population. Such programmes will be impactful if they are evidence-based and evidence around sexual health of international students in Australia is still evolving [19][20][21][22][23]. The present study adds to this emerging body of evidence.…”

HIV knowledge, sexual practices, condom use and its associated factors among international students in one province of China: a cross-sectional study

“…44 Language and unfamiliarity with the Chinese healthcare system may create barriers to seeking healthcare for international students. 45 In addition, fearing stigma or lack of confidentiality are great barriers for international students to seek HIV and sexual health services. 46 Fear of being seen by peers and perceived shame in sexual healthcare centres might hinder students from accessing them.…”

“How PrEPared are you?”: Knowledge of and attitudes toward PrEP among overseas-born and newly arrived gay, bisexual, and other men who have sex with men in Australia

“…These include self-perception of not being at risk of acquiring HIV, concerns over the side-effects of PrEP and the general lack of awareness of PrEP as an HIV prevention strategy (1,6,11,14). Among Australia's ethnic and migrant communities, additional intersecting factors that contribute to PrEP hesitancy include cultural taboos around sex and sexuality that play a part in the hesitancy to engage in HIV awareness and prevention, lack of awareness about PrEP due to lack of resources available in languages other than English, as well as unfamiliarity with the Australian healthcare system and stigmatizing attitudes toward PrEP users as sexually promiscuous therefore going against the cultural norm of monogamy (15)(16)(17)(18).…”

“…Among ethnic and migrant GBMSM, including international students, studies have found that GBMSM participants were willing but did not use PrEP, in part because of the high cost of unsubsidized PrEP (1,13,18,19). For international students specifically, limited hours permitted for paid employment up to 40 h per fortnight (20), and with the Australian minimum wage of around AU$20 per hour (or US$15 per hour) before tax (21), the hesitancy to take PrEP could intersect with income level and work restrictions.…”