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

It’s hard to know whether the number of people suffering from chronic pain has increased in the last several years or whether the condition is simply more widely diagnosed than it once was, but it certainly seems that a lot more people are now living with chronic pain, and that number includes some college students. Unfortunately, students leaving home for the first time to live on campus may be ill-equipped to deal with ongoing hardships associated with chronic pain, especially without their lifelong caregivers (mom and dad) on hand to help. But there are ways to manage chronic pain in college.

So if your student has chronic pain, here are a five management tips that should help.

1. Breathing techniques. Although medication is the go-to solution for many people trying to carry on normal lives while living with chronic pain, this might not be the quick fix that students are looking for since some of these pharmaceuticals come with side effects like drowsiness or difficulty concentrating that can make attending class and studying nearly impossible. However, some find that deep breathing and relaxation can help to reduce stress, a major trigger when it comes to sensitivity to chronic pain, as well as decreasing the pain itself. Various meditation techniques can help students to deal with pain and go about their day.
2. Exercise. It might be harder for students with chronic pain to get up and go for a jog, hit the gym, or play sports with friends, but the benefits are well worth the effort. Increasing strength and flexibility can lead to reduced pain in some cases, in addition to improving health. But the real benefit for chronic pain sufferers comes from the feel-good endorphins produced by moderate to intense activity. Of course, students should speak to a doctor before beginning an exercise regimen; some types of chronic pain could preclude certain activities.
3. Diet. You’ve no doubt heard the old adage “you are what you eat”, and in some ways it’s true. The average college student subsists on a diet of fats, sugars, and carbs (hence the freshman 15) rather than the lean meats, low-fat dairy, whole grains, and fresh fruits and veggies they should be eating. While they can get some nutrients from daily supplements, the truth is that anyone is going to feel better when consuming a healthy and balanced diet. So impress upon your student the importance of eating right while on campus.
4. Adequate rest. When we’re tired our minds and bodies are unable to deal with stress and pain as well as when we’re rested. Although most students are prone to burning the midnight oil, either for cram sessions or to hang out with friends, the student that suffers from chronic pain needs to be careful to get eight hours a night, or face the consequences.
5. Support group. The worst thing for many students dealing with chronic pain is the fact that they feel different and separate from their peers. So you might want to seek out a pain management center near campus where they can not only receive care when they need it, but where there are also support groups for them to join. Likely they will find other students like themselves with whom to commiserate, share problems and advice, and ultimately befriend.

Sending the kids away to college can be both exciting and disconcerting. You want the best for them, but you may be worried about their safety in an environment where drugs and alcohol can seem to run rampant. While college may not live up to your worst fears, it can’t be denied that drugs and alcohol will be making their way around campus. Talking to your kids about this reality, and how to handle it responsibly, is essential for preparing them to make responsible decisions. Remember these guidelines for talking to your kids about drugs and alcohol before they leave for college.

Speak frankly.

The worst thing you can do is dance around the issue without addressing your concerns directly. You should conduct this conversation in a way that is both honest and realistic. Talk to your kids about what they can expect to encounter on campus, as well as what you expect from them. Understand that some kids will be more attracted to drugs and alcohol than others, but also that these things represent a risk for everyone. Irresponsible decisions can lead to serious consequences, and your children need to hear about this directly from you.

Try to relate to your children.

Generational gaps can be difficult to bridge, but remember that you were once the same age as your kids, and you went through similar life changes. Talk about your own experiences from youth, and relate the consequences that you faced. Tell them about the things you saw and experienced during your youth. You need to make your children aware that you understand what they’re going through. Remind them that you’re not out of touch, and that you speak from real life experience.

Some kids are hesitant to talk to their parents about drugs and alcohol because they fear being punished, so be sure to let your kids know that they can talk to you about these things. They need to know that you’re around to help them through this period of change; this is a time that can be very difficult for kids, after all. Keep the lines of communication open. Try to teach your kids to make responsible decisions, but remind them that they can talk to you about anything.

Stress the college policies on drugs and alcohol.

Remember that schools have their own policies on drugs and alcohol, and bring this up with your children. Look over school policies on alcohol use and abuse, as well as the consequence that may face students who break the rules. When an infraction could result in academic probation, revocation of scholarships or other consequences, the reality of this situation may become clearer. Remind your kids that there is always plenty of good clean fun to be had in college, and they don’t need to break college rules to have a good time.

Drugs and alcohol are everywhere today. Centers for rehab in Los Angeles and cities all over the country are constantly in the news, and college substance abuse problems are more prevalent than ever. No college campus is exempt from the risk of drugs and alcohol, and parents need to communicate about this issue with their children in order to ensure a bright future for them.

College is an exciting time in a young person’s life, and most of the excitement comes from being away from home and meeting new and interesting people. However, being close to new people and moving to new places can also have a negative aspect on your health through exposure to all sorts of bugs and germs. If you have a decent health plan, then you don’t need to worry much because you are protected, but if you don’t, it’s time you learned about your options.

The Parent’s Health Plan

Recent litigation has left many students eligible for coverage through their parent’s health plan, which continues until they are 26. Each school will have their own specific requirements about your parent’s health plan, and this will determine the doctors you can access through an in-network program and so on.

Students whose parents don’t have health insurance are not eligible and have to work with the following options:

College Health Insurance

The majority of colleges in the country have their own health plans, and they’re usually low cost.  However, low costs shouldn’t be the driving force behind your search for a health plan. Some of the low cost plans come with questionable coverage caps and wouldn’t be ideal if you get an illness. Coverage usually focuses on smaller threats, such as immunization and medicine because schools tend to focus on keeping the population healthy.

Individual plans

This is a valid option if you have concerns about your school’s health plan and would like more features on the policy. Individual plans won’t cost much and they also come with more options than the typical college plan. In addition, they can be applied for online. The premiums would be slightly higher, but if you have a chronic condition to worry about, this route offers you more security.

You will have to contact an insurance broker or agent who will give you more information about the kind of coverage you need and the related costs. Your health will have to be evaluated before you can get any type of plan, and should you have any major pre-existing medical conditions, several stipulations will be added to the plan, or in some cases, your application could be rejected.

More and more colleges are dropping the student health plan because the federal government requires it to be more comprehensive than it is currently. The 2010 healthcare overhaul helped put in place guidelines, which necessitate substantial coverage for students. About two-thirds of full time college students operate on their parent’s health plan and aren’t affected by less than satisfactory plans offered by college insurance.

A minimum of 600,000 students in college, about 7% of the total number, purchase their own insurance from the school. An increase in premium by the president requires most colleges to up the cost to much higher figures than the students are currently paying, which is why many colleges just opted to drop insurance this year.

In order to stay safe and informed, take time to check your school’s health policies, and see which type of coverage they offer. A school may offer several types of policies, and depending on the school, they can range from widely comprehensive policies which cover major critical illnesses and minor accidents among other conditions. It is advisable to take up the more comprehensive cover because it will take care of your visits to health services, any medical procedures and diagnostics you may need and any visits to a specialist.

Much information is required when assessing medical insurance and medical plans, so take your time, and ensure you only pick the health plan that will keep you safe over a range of situations and isn’t costly.

Author Bio

Andrew Deen is a writer who creates informative articles in relation to law. In this article, he explains student’s health insurance plans and aims to encourage further study with an online masters in health law.