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August 26, 2009

A proactive stance against illnesses

By Sarah Hite shite@timesleader.com
Staff Writer
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Area college health officials are used to seeing students for everything from colds to sexually transmitted diseases.

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PHOTO BY Charlotte Bartizek

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But this year, H1N1 influenza, better known as the swine flu, is especially a concern since the World Health Organization declared the disease a pandemic in June.

Charlotte Slocum, director of student health services at Misericordia University, says a committee has been meeting to plan for what would happen in the event of a swine flu outbreak at the university. If the disease becomes widespread on campus, Slocum says the Pennsylvania Department of Health will be called to the university.

According to Diane O’Brien, director of health and wellness at Wilkes University, the university has initiated a policy, pending approval by the cabinet and board of trustees, to send home any student who tests positive for influenza A.

O’Brien says the swine flu is a form of influenza A. It takes only about half an hour to test for influenza A, but up to two or three days to confirm the H1N1 flu. That’s why sending students home who are infected with influenza A may help prevent the spread of swine flu.

Wilkes also has a pandemic preparedness committee in place to address concerns about a potential epidemic of swine flu.

“We’re all geared up for both seasonal and the H1N1 flu,” O’Brien said. “We’re going to be very proactive this year.”

O’Brien says Wilkes offers flu shots to all students, faculty and staff for $10. She feels that the university will have access to vaccinations for the H1N1 virus sometime later this year.

“We don’t know when the H1N1 vaccine will be first dispensed,” O’Brien said. “But mostly staff and faculty get the flu shots. Very few kids get them at Wilkes. I hope with all this flu talk more kids get them.”

Both Slocum and O’Brien recommend that college students frequently wash their hands and use hand sanitizer, keep their dorm rooms clean and avoid sharing beverages to prevent the spread of the swine flu. These measurers also help avert upper respiratory illness, or the common cold, which is one of the biggest reasons students visit the health centers at both Misericordia and Wilkes.

Other frequent illnesses that bring Wilkes students to the health center are strep throat, mononucleosis and pharyngitis. The students are usually treated with antibiotics and over-the-counter medications.

According to Slocum, another reason students often come to the health center at Misericordia is for urinary tract infections (UTIs). Slocum says good personal hygiene and the consumption of cranberry juice, yogurt and large amounts of water can help protect against a UTI. She also says tampon use may increase infection risk.

At Misericordia University, students may also access a self-care room which has over-the-counter pain and allergy medications and health pamphlets.

“Also, we’re dealing with STDs (sexually transmitted diseases),” Slocum said. “That certainly is common on all campuses. We’re also concerned with alcohol consumption.”

Slocum says Misericordia teaches abstinence to students to prevent STDs and does not advocate the use of birth control.

At Wilkes, free condoms are available to students in the waiting room of the health center. Oral contraceptives and the Depo Provera contraceptive shot may also be given to students who have a prescription for them.

“It’s not overwhelming (the number of STDs), but I think most kids will go to Planned Parenthood or go to the free clinic,” O’Brien said. “I refer a lot of them out to those places. I think a great number of them just do that on their own. I think there’s a lot of promiscuity with this age group.”

All incoming students to Misericordia and Wilkes must provide immunization records for two doses of the MMR (measles, mumps and rubella) vaccination and three doses of the hepatitis C vaccine. The students must receive a PPD skin test to test for tuberculosis upon entering either university.

Misericordia requires a polio vaccination for all students and the meningococcal vaccine for meningitis for resident students. Wilkes also requires students to be up-to-date on their tetanus shots and encourages the meningococcal vaccine.

“I strongly advise all people coming in here to have the meningococcal vaccine,” Slocum said, noting that commuter students interact highly with students who dorm.

In addition, health insurance is required for all health sciences majors, resident students and intercollegiate athletes at Misericordia. Students must also provide proof of insurance to receive treatment at the campus health center.

Every student at Wilkes must have health insurance. Beginning this year, each student will be charged $600 to his or her tuition bill until he or she can provide proof of health insurance.