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MEDICAL CARE AND THE ASIAN STUDENT IN AUSTRALIA: AN INQUIRY
Author(s) -
Karthigasu K. T.,
Kidd C. B.
Publication year - 1971
Publication title -
medical journal of australia
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.904
H-Index - 131
eISSN - 1326-5377
pISSN - 0025-729X
DOI - 10.5694/j.1326-5377.1971.tb92476.x
Subject(s) - quarter (canadian coin) , bachelor , medical education , psychology , health care , bachelor degree , family medicine , nursing , medicine , geography , political science , archaeology , law
South‐East Asian students who had been pursuing bachelor degree courses for at least one year at the University of Western Australia participated in a questionnaire survey of their usage of medical care facilities and their experiences in and attitudes towards this. Two‐thirds had consulted a doctor at least once during the preceding year, one‐quarter had attended specialists, and one‐tenth had been hospitalized since coming to Australia. Only one‐ third of the students felt that a general practitioner knew them and would expect to be called if they were ill. Half of these were critical of their doctors, especially in respect of their understanding of the psychological needs of overseas students. Many students felt that it was not always easy to consult a doctor locally. Nearly half did not subscribe to hospital and medical benefits schemes. These findings are discussed with particular attention to the special health needs of overseas students and problems in communication between Australian doctor and overseas student.