Heading off to college can be stressful for any student. For some, it is leaving home for the first time. For others, it is traveling across the country for the first time, maybe even entering a new country for the first time. Between leaving home and meeting new people, the last thing that a new college student should worry about is their healthcare. Knowing exactly what is needed before school and how to get healthcare while you are away is important. The following is basic health care information for college students regarding college immunizations.
Recommended Immunizations
The first important thing to know is what immunizations you will need before entering college and where you can get them. The college immunizations an entering freshman will need depends on their medical history. Every situation can be different. It depends what immunizations the student has already had. One vaccination that most college students will not typically have when entering college is the meningitis vaccine. Students who may have had it in high school are ones who may have been exposed to someone with the disease. If not, chances are that you have not had the immunization. Students living in a dorm, in close quarters, will be required to have this vaccine.
Hepatitis B is a serious infection, which can be transferred through sexual activity. This disease can cause long term liver issues including liver failure. Many colleges require students be vaccinated against this disease. The third vaccine that most colleges and universities require is the DPT vaccine. It stands for diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis. This is a vaccine that most students would not have been given in their childhood or early teens.
Studying Abroad
For students who will be studying abroad, the vaccination list may differ. The CDC (Center for Disease Control) encourages students to be up to date on all of their vaccines before leaving the country. These vaccines include the MMR vaccine, also known as measles-mumps-rubella. The student should also have had the DPT, the varicella, also known as the chickenpox, and the yearly flu vaccine. Other not so common vaccines which are needed to study abroad include Hepatitis A, Polio, and Typhoid. Depending where you are going to be studying, malaria, rabies, and yellow fever may be required. To know exactly what you need for certain countries abroad you can go on the CDC travel website for a list of vaccinations necessary.
For many students, getting student health benefits is a huge issue. After a certain age, some students age out of their parent’s health plans. Others parents did not have health coverage and their parents paid out of pocket. When students are away at school they most likely will not have a full time job which offers coverage. Student healthcare is their best option and it is an option. All colleges and universities offer student healthcare at reasonably low costs. Most colleges and universities have contracts with health plans to offer low cost coverages. Blue Cross, Cigna, Humana, Aetna, United Healthcare, and Kaiser Pemanente are a few. It is a good idea to speak to your school and find out which health plans are offered to you. They have very low premiums for college students and no copay if you are seen by a physician within the school or who sponsors the school.
Many students want to know which insurance they can get though their chosen university. If this is an issue, either contact your high school guidance councilor for the information or contact the university or college that you will be attending. All colleges and universities offer health coverage at a low cost. Dong research is a good idea.
Knowing what to do when it comes to your health before college will reduce your stress level. Specific research is very important because healthcare is slightly different university to university and country to country.
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Sarah Daren is a writer who creates informative articles relating to the field of health. In this article, she offers healthcare advice to students and aims to encourage further study with an NU Online Masters in Nursing