College Health Clinic Research Articles

Herpes Simplex Type 1 as the Predominant Cause of Genital Herpes in College Students.

Genital herpes etiology has been shifting to include a greater proportion of herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infection in the last few decades. A prior study published in 2003 found that 48.9% of infections in a college health population were HSV-1. We evaluated the number of positive HSV polymerase chain reaction test results obtained from anogenital sites from undergraduate and graduate students from 2013 to 2022 in a college health clinic setting and analyzed the number caused by HSV-1 and HSV type 2 and compared by sex. This was then compared with the prior study from 1993 to 2001. We received 691 (of 2685 samples) positive polymerase chain reaction results for HSV of both types in the period analyzed. Overall, 600 (86.8%) of these were HSV-1, and 520 (75.2%) were in female patients. The prior study in 1993 to 2001 found that 48.9% (244 of 675) of all positive test results were HSV-1; we observed an increase in the percentage of positive HSV-1 over all positive test results of 1.8 ( χ2 = 16.548; P < 0.001). Our study shows that 86.8% of the positive genital HSV test results from 2013 to 2022 were HSV-1. This shows that most positive HSV test results in this setting are now HSV-1, a substantial increase from the previous study in our clinic.

Nutritional Awareness of Undergraduate Healthcare Students

&#x0D; Overweight and obesity rates are an epidemic in the United States (U.S.) with these rates increasing dramatically in recent decades (Sogari et al., 2018). According to McEligot et al. (2020) college students classified as overweight and/or obese in the U.S. increased from 29% to 32.5% from 2000 to 2009. College is a critical time for young adults in terms of dietary choices and the relationship between students and weight gain. The purpose of this DNP project was to assess if undergraduate healthcare students in the Midwest showed poor nutritional dietary habits and showed a willingness to change their poor habits for a healthier lifestyle. The data would be used to assist the college healthcare clinic in providing proper nutritional awareness and guidance for the students. Undergraduate nursing students at a Midwest university completed an assessment tool, in the form of a 16-question Rapid Eating and Activity Assessment for Patients, Abbreviated Version (REAPS) survey that assessed their knowledge regarding nutrition and their food choices. Each question had a numeric scale (1-3) scoring system with defined results. The descriptive statistics tool in SPSS was used for analysis of the survey results. This study showed that 62.43% of the responses from undergraduate nursing students that were surveyed had poor dietary habits. 96.29% of the students that were surveyed did have a willingness to change in order to have a healthier lifestyle. Undergraduate healthcare students would benefit from increased nutritional awareness while on and off campus. The college health clinic can help promote a healthy lifestyle and decrease obesity related illnesses for students. There are numerous opportunities for colleges to promote nutritional awareness among their student body.

College students’ perceived knowledge of and perceived helpfulness of treatments for opioid use disorder at two American universities

ABSTRACT Background The U.S. is experiencing an opioid overdose health crisis, largely driven by opioid use disorder (OUD). College students have relatively high rates of substance use disorders. Objectives To identify perceived knowledge of and perceived helpfulness of various OUD treatments, including medications for OUD (MOUD), among college students. Methods A convenience sample of students enrolled at two public universities during Fall 2018/Spring 2019 were recruited for an online cross-sectional survey. Questions examined reported knowledge of and perceived helpfulness of MOUD (i.e. methadone, buprenorphine, naltrexone) and non-MOUD treatments for OUD (e.g. peer support groups, individual counseling, group counseling, outpatient treatment). Logistic regression examined associations between knowledge, perceived helpfulness, and demographic variables. Results We received 1,439 responses and kept 1,280 (39% male; 61% female). Respondents were significantly more likely to report knowledge about non-MOUD treatments than MOUD treatments (48.7% of respondents reported being very knowledgeable about individual counseling, 4.4% about methadone, 3.8% about naltrexone, and 3.4% about buprenorphine). Among those reporting at least some MOUD knowledge, few perceived MOUD as helpful/very helpful (methadone 14%, naltrexone 14%, and buprenorphine 11%). Among those reporting at least some counseling knowledge, 71% felt counseling was helpful/very helpful. Perceived treatment knowledge was significantly and positively associated with perceived treatment helpfulness. Conclusions Students had more positive attitudes toward non-MOUD treatments than toward MOUD despite greater efficacy of the latter for OUD. Colleges could provide information about MOUD during orientation, in course work, through student extracurricular organizations, or through college health clinics.

Effect of jaw functional status on neck muscle endurance

ObjectiveTo investigate the effect of resting jaw and maximum voluntary clenching on neck flexor and extensor muscle endurance. DesignNeck flexor and extensor endurance was measured in a college health clinic in 85 male college students in two test positions: resting jaw (control) and maximum voluntary clenching. ResultsMean neck flexor muscle endurance values during resting jaw and maximum voluntary clenching were 70.06 SD 28.24, and 60.03 SD 16.5, seconds respectively. Mean neck extensor muscle endurance values during resting jaw and maximum voluntary clenching were 105.54 SD 29.9, and 98.32 SD 24.54, respectively. Both values were significantly lower while maximum voluntary clenching as compared to resting jaw position (p < 0.05). ConclusionModification of jaw position can affect neck muscle endurance. Results of this study further supports sensory-motor relation between jaw and neck region.

Initiation of Standardized Depression Screening in College Health: A Quality Improvement Project.

Depression is a leading health concern in college health. An on-campus health clinic was identified as conducting complaint-based screening. U.S. Preventative Services Task Force recommends standardized screening in all primary care settings. To implement a quality improvement project for standardized screening and referral of depressive symptoms and identify factors related to mentoring program interest in a college health clinic. Demographic survey and Patient Health Questionnaire-2 (PHQ-2) were distributed to students who met inclusion criteria. Positive screens received further intervention with Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9) and immediate evaluation, encouragement of follow-up, or educational handout. Of students receiving primary care services at a college health center, 221 completed demographic surveys, 165 completed the PHQ-2, and eight students received interventions for positive screens. Furthermore, 74.6% of students expressed interest in a mentoring program. The project demonstrates ease of standardized screening in the college health setting without excessive burden to staff or budget. This is a critical preventative care measure for improving early detection and management of depression at college health centers. Initiation of standardized screening on college campuses is a worthwhile investment and should be implemented by registered nurses (RNs) and advanced practice nurses. Support program initiation should be considered to help students with unmanaged symptoms.

Trends in Students’ Outlook for Annual Health Checkup at an Indian University

The annual health checkup programme is important for primary care and important concern for the healthcare professional to promote health. Health promotion professionals in higher education practice a process of prevention. To engage students in health promotion is the challenge for healthcare professionals in India. Formal evaluation of patient satisfaction should be a part of college health services as it is unclear whether the issue is being addressed in college health clinics. Hence, we conducted the study to understand students’ perception from last three academic (2014–2017) years towards annual health check-up program and its aspects of conduct.

Sexual health behaviors in a random sample of students at a Mid-Atlantic university: 2010–2011

College students represent a unique population of interest to researchers, college health clinic and wellness program directors, as well as policy makers who are interested in promoting sexual health and well-being in young adults. In order to better understand the needs of this population, a large public, Land-grant University in the Mid-Atlantic region participated in the National College Health Assessment survey during 2010 and 2011. A stratified random sample of full-time undergraduate and graduate students was invited to participate in an online survey. The final sample included 2,304 students. Descriptive statistics using Chi-square highlight the relationships between student sexual practices, sexual health screening and prevention practices, and receipt of sexual health education at the university. Regression analysis was conducted to examine the factors associated with receipt of sexual health education. Implications for college health and wellness stakeholders are discussed.

Cigarette smoking and associated health risks among students at five universities

While most college students and other young adults who smoke fall into the light and intermittent smoking (LITS) category, they remain at risk for tobacco dependence and other adverse health effects from their smoking. This study examines smoking patterns, tobacco dependence, and other health variables among students at five universities to better understand how to identify and address tobacco use and related risks in a college health clinic setting. A health screening survey was completed by 2,091 college and graduate student volunteers seeking routine care at their university health centers or participating in a health class. Independent health variables were analyzed descriptively and in regression analyses with three levels of smoking (none, non-daily, and daily) and tobacco dependence to determine predictors and associated risks. Nearly a quarter of students reported any current smoking, 41% of whom reported smoking less than 1 cigarette/day (cpd). Of the daily smokers, 80% smoked less than 10 cpd but 45% met criteria for tobacco dependence. Any smoking was associated with high-risk alcohol use, risky driving, relational abuse, depression, less exercise, and utilization of emergency and mental health services. In regression analyses, students who experienced depression had more than double the odds of being dependent smokers (odds ratio [OR] = 2.32), as did those who reported abuse (OR = 2.07) or sought mental health counseling (OR = 2.09). Student health providers should be alerted to the multiple risks and comorbidities that occur among all smokers, including LITS, and intervene concurrently to help prevent or mitigate adverse outcomes that result from these conditions and behaviors.

Rapid Assessment for Psychopathology in a College Health Clinic: Utility of College Student Specific Questions

Objective: The purpose of this study was to determine the utility and unique benefits of employing the College Health Questionnaire (CHQ) in a college health care setting. The CHQ is a newly designed measure to assess psychosocial issues commonly problematic among college students. Participants: One hundred nine patients participated in the study during their medical appointments. Methods: Participants completed the study questionnaires (CHQ and Patient Health Questionnaire) in the waiting room. Their provider had the opportunity to use the responses in treatment decision making. Results: A majority (66.1%) endorsed at least one CHQ item. Patients who indicated traditional mental health problems were more likely to be prescribed psychotropic medications, whereas patients who endorsed psychosocial issues commonly problematic among college students were more likely to be referred for behavioral treatment. Conclusions: Screening for behavioral problems in college primary care settings without the use of college-related questions would result in missing numerous important psychosocial problems.

Extreme College Drinking and Alcohol‐Related Injury Risk

Despite the enormous burden of alcohol-related injuries, the direct connection between college drinking and physical injury has not been well understood. The goal of this study was to assess the connection between alcohol consumption levels and college alcohol-related injury risk. A total of 12,900 college students seeking routine care in 5 college health clinics completed a general Health Screening Survey. Of these, 2,090 students exceeded at-risk alcohol use levels and participated in a face-to-face interview to determine eligibility for a brief alcohol intervention trial. The eligibility interview assessed past 28-day alcohol use and alcohol-related injuries in the past 6 months. Risk of alcohol-related injury was compared across daily drinking quantities and frequencies. Logistic regression analysis and the Bayesian Information Criterion were applied to compute the odds of alcohol-related injury based on daily drinking totals after adjusting for age, race, site, body weight, and sensation seeking. Male college students in the study were 19% more likely (95% CI: 1.12-1.26) to suffer an alcohol-related injury with each additional day of consuming 8 or more drinks. Injury risks among males increased marginally with each day of consuming 5 to 7 drinks (odds ratio = 1.03, 95% CI: 0.94-1.13). Female participants were 10% more likely (95% CI: 1.04-1.16) to suffer an alcohol-related injury with each additional day of drinking 5 or more drinks. Males (OR = 1.69, 95% CI: 1.14-2.50) and females (OR = 1.81, 95% CI: 1.27-2.57) with higher sensation-seeking scores were more likely to suffer alcohol-related injuries. College health clinics may want to focus limited alcohol injury prevention resources on students who frequently engage in extreme drinking, defined in this study as 8+M/5+F drinks per day, and score high on sensation-seeking disposition.

Residents’ Perceptions of a College Health Clinic to Train Internal Medicine Residents in Adolescent and Primary Care Internal Medicine

Purpose To assess internal medicine residency graduates’ perception of the value of a college health clinic in providing adolescent medicine and general primary care training to internal medicine residents. Methods An 11-item questionnaire was sent in mid-2004 to all physicians who had received training at a college health clinic during their internal medicine residency program. Variables examined included time in the clinic and current practice characteristics. In addition, the physicians were asked to compare their residency college clinic with their continuity clinic in the following educational areas: care of the adolescent patient, diagnosis and management of primary care conditions, coding, practice modeling, and overall learning experience. Results There was a response rate of 71% (30/42). Respondents reported that 31% of their current patients had conditions seen at the college health clinic. The college clinic was felt to be better than the continuity clinic in preparation for the office practice of general internal medicine; the care of the adolescent patient; the diagnosis and management of illnesses such as upper respiratory infections, urinary tract infections, and eating disorders; modeling an effective and efficient office practice; and as an overall learning experience. Ninety percent of respondents recommended continuing the use of a college clinic as part of the educational experience for internal medicine residents. Conclusion Internal medicine residency training programs should consider using college health clinics to provide adolescent medicine training and training for the practice of primary care medicine.

Allergic rhinitis and asthma in a patient with unilateral pulmonary agenesis

History of Present Illness A 23-year-old woman presented to the allergy/immunology clinic with a previous diagnosis of allergic rhinitis and asthma. The patient reported that she had started immunotherapy (IT) 34 weeks ago, prescribed by her prior allergist, and had been receiving IT at her college health clinic. Following graduation 2 months earlier, she had been giving herself IT injections at home. She denied any reactions and had injectable epinephrine available at home. She was new to our area and was interested in restarting her IT. Her nasal symptoms included congestion, rhinorrhea, sneezing, itching, and postnasal drip. She also complained of ocular watering, itching, injection, and discharge when around cats or dogs. Chest symptoms included a daily cough and occasional wheezing that she did not notice but others had pointed out to her. She denied any nocturnal symptoms. She had an albuterol metered-dose inhaler available but had not used it in the previous 3 months.

INJECTABLE CONTRACEPTION: New and Existing Options

DMPA and MPA/E2C contraception offer women safe, effective, convenient, and reversible birth control choices. The use of DMPA, a 3-month injectable, is characteristically associated with amenorrhea. Lactating women and women in whom contraceptive doses of estrogen are contraindicated can use this progestin-only birth control method. Return of fertility can be delayed in women discontinuing DMPA to become pregnant. In some cases, the use of DMPA also confers important noncontraceptive and therapeutic benefits. A monthly estrogen/progestin injectable contraceptive, MPA/E2C should appeal to women who are concerned about daily pill taking, who prefer regular cycles to amenorrhea, and who find monthly injections acceptable and accessible. As is true for oral contraceptives, MPA/E2C represents an appropriate choice for women who prefer a rapidly reversible contraceptive. Currently, the proposed contraindications for MPA/E2C parallel those for combined oral contraceptives. As MPA/E2C contraception becomes available for American women, clinicians will learn how to best include this new method among the array of contraceptive choices. By individualizing contraceptive selection, counseling, and management approaches based on the relevant behavioral and medical considerations reviewed herein, clinicians can maximize their patients' success with injectable contraceptives. The more innovative that clinicians, family planning agencies, and insurers are in facilitating access to care (including reinjections), the more women will be able to avail themselves of safe, effective, and reversible methods of contraception. In addition to the physician's office or health clinic, other sites at which women might receive contraceptive injections include employee health clinics, college health clinics, or perhaps the pharmacy where the prescription is filled. Self-administration may become an appropriate option for some users of injectable contraception.

Can Healthcare Providers at a University Health Clinic Predict Patient Satisfaction?

Patient satisfaction in university health settings has received little research attention, and it is unclear whether the issue is being addressed in college health clinics. Because providers may make their own evaluations of patient satisfaction in the absence of other information, the authors conducted a study to determine whether healthcare providers at a university health clinic could accurately assess patient satisfaction. Ten providers completed a 10-item questionnaire immediately following the medical encounter to rate their perceptions of selected patients' levels of satisfaction. After seeing a healthcare provider, 201 patients completed a comparable questionnaire indicating how satisfied they were with the experience. Responses of providers and patients were compared, using a paired-sample t test. The results showed that providers' ratings were significantly lower than patients' ratings, indicating that providers were unable to judge patient satisfaction accurately. The results suggest that formal evaluations of patient satisfaction should be included in college health services.