Images of the concepts of “International Health” and “International Nursing” may differ among countries. In this study, we examined the images of these concepts among 49 Fijian students, 85 Taiwanese students, and 377 Japanese students by self-administered questionnaire between 2007 and 2008. Full usable responses were received from 45 (91.8%) Fijian students, 69 (80.0%) Taiwanese students, and 352 (93.4%) Japanese students.
The results were as follows.
Ninety six percent of Japanese nursing students, 89% of Japanese medical students, 77% of Japanese student from four other faculties, 58% of Fijian students, and 26% of Taiwanese students reported their image of “International Health” to entail “Hygiene in developing countries”.
Ninety-two percent of Japanese nursing students, 92% of Japanese medical students, 40% of Fijian students, and 35% of Taiwanese students reported their image of “International Nursing” to entail “Nursing cooperation in developing countries”.
The images of “International Health” and “International Nursing” among the Fijian and Taiwanese students were of“Public health and nursing for foreigners living in Fiji or Taiwan”, and “Public health and nursing skills, and advanced medical systems in Westerns countries”. Most students in the three countries had a strong interest in-International Health and Nursing”.
Increasing chance of taking international information and knowledge of Japanese college students may influence the result of this study. Education and rearing students who will work in the field of international health was considered very important.