Students and health care: the most important thing to consider!
If you are moving away from home to go to university, you must take care of your health while you are there. Find out where the nearest doctor is, the nearest emergency room, and more of the following:
Health professionals who understand students' needs can support you. Dr. Chris Allen, a physician at Imperial College London Health Centre, says: 'Being away from home for the first time, as well as academic and financial stress for a student, can lead to
mental health problems, including anxiety and depression. Or exposure to any health and physical ailments and emergency accidents that need a health service!Here are five health tips Dr. Allen has for new students:
1. Contact a local doctor
If you - like most students - spend more weeks of the year in your college than in your family home, you should find out about the nearest doctor near you, and whether your university provides any medical and insurance services. This way you can get emergency care if you need it and access health services quickly and easily while you're in college.
"This is especially important if you have an ongoing health condition such as asthma, diabetes, or epilepsy," says Dr. Allen. “Ideally, I would love to see these patients within a few days of starting their university studies to check their health and medication.” A health center attached to your college or university is likely to be the most appropriate, and the doctors working there will be experienced in the health needs of students.
Many college health centers have good connections with specialists such as psychiatrists, sports physicians, psychotherapists, counselors, and physical therapists.
Sickness during vacation
If you become unwell or need other medical treatment when you are at home or not near your university doctor, you can contact your nearest clinic for treatment.
Try to have the following information available with you when you first attend your appointment:
- Details of your ongoing medical problems
- Details of medical problems you've had in the past
- The name of any medications you are currently taking
- Details of any sensitivity
- Clinic and emergency contact details.
2. Find the nearest dentist
Dental problems can be one of the urgent and common problems, and doctors cannot deal with dental problems, so be sure to contact a nearby dentist.
3. Check to get your vaccinations on time
Getting vaccinated is easy. Just call your doctor's clinic and make an appointment - for example, in the cold and winter season, you may need a flu vaccine, for example, or a vaccine against any infectious disease that may be prevalent at the time.
Universities and colleges advise students to vaccinate themselves against mumps before they start studying.
“This infection is rare, but it is more common among students," says Dr. Allen. The two diseases have broken out several times in several universities. Meningococcal disease can cause death, and mumps can destroy fertility.”
If you're not already immune to meningococcal disease or mumps, make an appointment to be vaccinated by your doctor.
Get a flu shot if you have asthma and take inhaled steroids. You should also get a flu shot if you have a serious, long-term condition such as kidney disease.
4. Relax and eat healthy food
As the saying goes, prevention is better than cure, so you should greatly increase your chances of avoiding your doctor's waiting room by taking care of yourself in the first place.
Student life may not be famous for sleeping early and eating healthy, but getting enough sleep and eating well means you have a better chance of staying healthy. You will feel more energetic and better equipped to deal with study and exams.
Remember that:
- Eat five portions of fruits and vegetables daily
- You buy wholegrain bread and pasta instead of white
- Keep eating fast food to a minimum
Eating well doesn't have to cost much and is often cheaper than fast food. And spending time cooking simple meals instead of eating out or buying ready-made meals is healthier. Buying a student cookbook will give you affordable healthy recipe ideas.