Seeking Awareness for Student Health Services

It was a hot, sunny Tuesday on the Chaffey Quad. "Hey, did you finish your lab?"

It was Gaby from Espanol, but I answered, "No, I'm headed for the Quad to cover Student Health Services..."

"Oh, they're great! I got antibiotics from them and you can get blood tests too. They're really nice."

It seems everyone has a positive word about SHS. The Chaffey Breeze annually writes at least one story about Student Health Services, a dry recitation of the services and low cost and the promise of confidentiality. But I think our stories lack the human touch. So I headed to the Quad to investigate. It happened to be "Cold and Flu Awareness Day."

Not much was going on, just the usual cheerful social shenanigans.

But at a table near the cafeteria, large groups of students crowded around a table, while nearby Phoenix University drew only one or no students at all.




It was the Student Health Services table and it seemed to be drawing a large number of inquiries.


The table was covered with fliers and pamphlets about fighting colds and flu, H1N1, literature, referrals and free items. I approached Tanya Wall , asking if they were seeing an abnormally large number of cold and flu cases. She chuckled and said, ""No, 'Cold and Flu Awareness' is just a topic of discussion to get students to the table to talk about what's really on their minds."
And what would that be? "All kinds of things, psycho-social issues." The purpose of the day was to let them know what's offered at Student Health Services.



According to Director Kay Peek, the Student Health Services treats some 40 to 60 people each week. And Peek adds that 90% of them are uninsured or under-insured. As long as you are a registered student, you can get treatment for short term ills and counseling in a secure and confidential environment. If they can't treat you, SHS will refer students to free or low cost services nearby.

So on that cheerful afternoon,RN Jacqueline Bowman and MA Lashara Blaylock handed out fliers, tampons, hand sanitizer, bookmarks and condoms along with advice and an invitation to Student Health Services.

There will be 5 more "Awareness Days" on the Quad: April 7, 13,10,21 and 27, all scheduled from 11am to 1pm.

Go check them out.