Christina Martinez Kim
Abstract: A Qualitative Analysis of Faculty and Student Responses to a Global Health Survey
The wide media coverage of current and potential health problems from the ever-present HIV/AIDS crisis to Avian Flu outbreaks demonstrates peaked interest in global health evident in our news, our daily discussions, and our schools. Though the topic is not new, various professional disciplines, including nursing, now are examining the ramifications of global health.
This research study was designed to examine the values, perceptions, and experiences in global health held by faculty and students at the School of Nursing (SON) at The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. A convenience sample, n=137, was obtained via email recruitment, which linked participants to a specially created online survey hosted by SurveyMonkey.
Survey responses indicated a strong interest in global health and an overwhelming agreement that knowledge of these matters is pertinent to nurse practice. The brunt of this report, however, stemmed from content analysis of responses to the following: “ Please tell us why global health education is or is not important to you?” Replies came from 72% of participants and were categorized into four themes including globalization, culture, responsibility, and utilization.
A low response rate (18%) of all faculty and students suggests that findings are not generalizable to the SON as a whole; however, the study provides useful new information. Respondents agreed that faculty and students benefit from experiences abroad. Furthermore, they value global health education as it applies to their practice. For these reasons and more, the SON should seek ways to incorporate global health education in its nursing curricula.
