Objective
The purpose of this article is to investigate the extent of depressive symptoms among international students and the characteristics of those at risk.
Methods
Evidence is derived from self-administered questionnaire interviews of 480 international students enrolled in a university in northern Japan. Depressive symptoms are measured using the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale. The associations of socio-demographic characteristics with depressive symptoms are examined using multiple logistic regression analysis.
Results
Of the 480 respondents, 197 (41%) have depressive symptoms. The results indicate that gender, course category, and residential arrangement are significantly associated with the risk of having depressive symptoms.
Discussion
Depressive symptoms are relatively prevalent, but these are not a generalized condition since these tend to occur among specific sub-groups of international students. There is a need to further investigate the mental illness so that those with elevated risks are identified and given support.

Introduction
Whereas the numbers of new HIV infections and deaths due to AIDS have been reduced or stabilized, they remain high in sub-Saharan Africa. To further control the generalized epidemics and their consequences, countries have continued strengthening their programs to prevent new infections and deaths: however, program outcomes and impact at the national level are not well understood. The purpose of the review was to describe the country-level outcomes and impact of HIV/AIDS programs in eight sub-Saharan African countries in order to highlight future action agenda to meet universal access and policies related to Millennium Development Goals (MDGs).
Methods
The review used 16 of the 25 program outcome and impact indicators prescribed by the United Nations General Assembly Special Session (UNGASS). The review reported on the percentages accomplished by each country in their programs, categorized these figures into high (80% and higher), moderate (50-79%) and low (below 50%), and highlighted the domains in which outcomes and impact were high.
Results
Across countries, with the exception of Tanzania, programs had achieved nearly universal or universal outcomes and impact, but their coverage was limited to 2-5 program domains. Moreover, in domains with multiple target groups, such as in the provision of antiretroviral therapy and in the promotion and distribution of condom use, the programs were unable to produce high-end results for the affected populations. To further reduce their infections and deaths and to advance towards universal access and MDGs, countries must make their program outcomes and impact comprehensive and equitable.
Conclusion
Almost all national programs have high level accomplishments, but they must broaden their domain and audience coverage to further control the generalized epidemics and deaths in the eight countries. National responses must collect and analyze all the UNGASS data systematically and regularly in order to determine current HIV/AIDS knowledge and behaviors, ascertain program effects, and inform future actions.