Every year, preventable diseases strike thousands of people in the U.S., including international students. National Immunization Awareness Month is a campaign held each August to highlight the importance of vaccinations and how they can prevent certain, often highly contagious diseases.
For international students, receiving certain immunizations should be an utmost priority. Viruses and bacteria exist in almost all environments, and some of them are extremely contagious and travel quickly. Having the proper vaccination before a college term begins can prevent or significantly reduce the effects of serious illness.
College students who live and socialize in dorms, cafeterias, and large classrooms are at high risk of certain contagious viruses and bacterial agents. Each state and college will have different entry requirements that serve as minimum immunization standards. As a student, you’ll need to have your immunization records checked to see if you’ll need additional vaccines before school begins. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) recommend the following three vaccines for traditional-aged college students.
Meningitis vaccine
Outbreaks of meningitis, a severe, life-threatening bacterial infection, have occurred on campuses throughout the country. Meningitis causes acute inflammation and swelling around the brain and spinal cord triggering symptoms such as headaches, fever, seizures, sensitivity to light, and stiff necks. The disease releases toxins in the blood that reduces the flow of oxygen to major organs and limbs.
According to the CDC, between January 2013 to May 2018, 10 university outbreaks occurred in seven states resulting in 39 cases with two deaths. All of these cases were a result of unvaccinated students, except for one who, tragically, received the vaccination only a few days before being infected.
A Meningitis vaccine covers different strains of the disease. Because of the increased infection risk on campus, many colleges require proof of vaccination, and many states have mandated the immunization. The Immunization Action Coalition provides state-specific information.
Tdap and Td vaccine booster
Tdap protects against pertussis (commonly known as whooping cough), tetanus and diphtheria. Many children routinely receive one dose of the Tdap vaccine around age 11 or 12; however, if not administered previously, college-bound international students should receive the vaccine. A Td vaccine booster is recommended every 10 years to offer continued protection against tetanus and diphtheria.
Influenza
Influenza, or the flu, can cause a normally healthy international college student to be stricken with high fever, headaches, muscle aches, and coughing. You can contract the flu any time but, in the United States, the highest occurrences happen during “flu season,” which begins in the fall and ends at the start of spring. Catching the flu may affect students academically forcing them to miss extended class time.
The seasonal flu vaccine, which usually becomes available each year in September, can protect students from catching the flu, or may result in a milder case. College students should be able to get the vaccine in the campus health center or at a local pharmacy.
As an international student, immunization awareness is the first step of protecting yourself from a very unwelcomed ailment. National Immunization Awareness Month is the perfect time to ask which vaccinations you need to receive.
The most important thing for all students, including internationals, is to be protected as much as possible against illnesses that have vaccinations. Academic success is much easier if you are in good health! Every state and every school are different. Check with your student health center or international office to see what your school’s requirements are. LewerMark covers a number of immunizations for our schools that offer a wellness benefit.
Jocelyn Elders, a pediatrician, and former United States Surgeon General once said, “You can’t educate a child who isn’t healthy, and you can’t keep a child healthy who isn’t educated.”
Although you probably don’t consider yourself a “child” anymore, the quote relates to you as an international student studying here in America. It is easy to eat instant mac and cheese and hamburgers every day—especially if the foods you are used to in your home country are unavailable—but this can affect your physical and mental well-being while in school. Luckily, there are ways to stay healthy and resources available to you so that you can focus on what you came here for—your education.
You probably know what you should and should not eat to avoid becoming overweight, but food can affect more than just body weight. Let’s take a quick look at how your physical, mental, and emotional health are connected and how to balance and maintain all aspects of your health while you are in school.
How Unhealthy Food Affects Your Mood
We know that fast, processed foods seem like an easy solution while you are busy keeping up with class work, making friends and experiencing the culture in the U.S. However, eating an unhealthy diet for a long period of time can affect your ability to function socially and academically.
There is plenty of research linking an unhealthy diet to symptoms of depression over a long period of time. Studies show food can contribute to the development, prevention, and management of mental health issues, from mood swings to depression and anxiety disorders. A study about dietary patterns and depression risk states, “A dietary pattern characterized by high consumption of red and/or processed meat, refined grains, sweets, high-fat dairy products… and low intakes of fruits and vegetables is associated with an increased risk of depression.”
Eating Healthy While Studying in the U.S.
If you eat unhealthy food on occasion you will not spiral into a deep depression, especially if you normally eat a healthy diet and exercise—so don’t worry if you ate a cheeseburger or pizza with your friends recently.
However, it is important to be aware of what you are eating on a regular basis and try to maintain a balanced diet. Here are some positive ways to maintain your diet as an international student:
- Eat at set intervals throughout the day
- Avoid refined sugars and processed foods
- Eat more whole grains
- Include protein at each meal
- Eat a variety of foods
- Eat plenty of vegetables (we know they can be expensive,
but you can buy frozen if you are on a tight budget) - Include Omega-3 rich foods, like oily fish, in your diet
- Reach and maintain a healthy weight
- Drink plenty of fluids, especially water
- Avoid alcohol entirely or limit your consumption if over the age of 21
- Get regular exercise
Maintaining Mental Balance
Maybe you already eat a healthy diet and exercise as often as you can, but you are still having trouble with the stress of school and feelings of loneliness or being homesick. Please know, you are not alone. There are things you can do to improve your state of mind and resources for you to use.
Maintain a Solid Sleep Schedule
Sleep is extremely important. It removes toxins and organizes your brain. A good night’s sleep of at least seven hours will make you more alert in class and less irritable the next day. You will find that you have a clearer head and can have better focus. You also will not become as easily frustrated when a challenging assignment or situation arises.
We know that it can be hard to avoid studying for a test until the late hours of the night, but try your best to go to bed and wake up at the same time every day as much as possible.
Avoid Isolating Yourself
Humans need interaction to survive. As an international student, you don’t have to take part in every activity the college has going on, but finding other students with similar interests through events and clubs is a great way to combat feelings of loneliness in a new country and start making friends.
Take Time to Breathe
Sometimes taking time to meditate for five to ten minutes or even taking a few deep breaths when you feel overwhelmed can make a world of difference when you are feeling stressed and overwhelmed. You can find guided meditation videos on Youtube if you want to incorporate into your routine.
Organize Your Thoughts
You have A LOT going on. Keeping track of everything you need to get done in a week or even a day can be very overwhelming. Take some time to make a schedule and a “to do list” that can help alleviate some of that stress because everything you have to do in the near future is right in front of you. You don’t have to write down every little thing; you may not even accomplish everything on your list and that is completely okay! The important thing is that you have everything down on paper.
Ask for Help When You Need It
Remember that you do not have to handle everything on your own, especially when it comes to your health. Your international student advisor is there to help you navigate this transition and wants you to thrive and succeed as a student while in school.
If you are feeling stressed out, lonely, or find that depression and anxiety are starting to affect your well-being, ask your advisor what resources are available to you. They can:
- Tell you what the next steps are to get you healthy
- Put you in contact with professional counseling services (if available)
- Help you understand your options when it comes to getting healthcare here in the U.S.
If your school does not provide health insurance plans to international students, feel free to share our ebook “Why Schools Should Provide International Students With Group Health Insurance” with your advisor.
At LewerMark, because we handle insurance for international students, the beginning of the school year is the time we start to see an increase in insurance claims. Some of these first claims will often involve students suffering from gastrointestinal complaints.
One of the biggest adjustments international students have to make when studying in the U.S. is dietary changes. Many students will have gastrointestinal issues after switching from their country’s food to an American culture diet, which is typically higher in fat and sugar. While colleges cannot determine what an individual student can or cannot eat, there are ways to expand the choices for international students so the change doesn’t have to be so abrupt.
Dietary Changes Can Lead to Serious Health Issues
For LewerMark, one of the worst cases we have seen occurred when a student from Southeast Asia was diagnosed with acute gastritis after her first week of school. She was initially treated for constipation, but after time, she developed liver problems, sepsis, and pancreatitis. The student was enrolled for one year and four months before returning to her home country. While this is an extreme example, almost all international students will experience some degree of dietary changes.
Because the western culture diet is higher in fat and sugar, these changes can be responsible for health consequences such as weight gain (most common), increased blood glucose levels, increased cholesterol levels, high blood pressure, and even mental health problems.
The Typical College Meal Plan
I looked at a few sample menus at different universities, some of the menu choices are:
Fajita bar Deli Bar Fish and chips Grilled cheese
Philly Cheesesteak Cheeseburger Cheese quesadilla Mac and cheese
Pasta Desserts like brownies, cookies, & cake Soda
Typical Asian diets revolve around rice, chicken or fish, a wide variety of vegetables, broth-based soups and nuts. These choices don’t usually match what is on the dorm menus of most US colleges.
Almost Every Student’s Eating Habits Change at College
A study in the Journal of International Students – The Factors That Influence Dietary Habits Among International Students in the United States – showed that there are several changes to dietary habits such as: skipping breakfast, eating fewer fruits and vegetables, and convenience food consumption. It is important to note these are universal among college-age students and are not specific to international or domestic students. However…
International Students’ Diets Change Even More
International students face several unique dietary challenges such as: the limitation in the food availability and access; and consequences of dietary habit changes specifically related to international students’ dietary habits as a result of adapting to the U.S. culture. There are several factors that may contribute to these changes, including campus environment, individual preferences, and food environment (the place where food is obtained, food prices, community characteristics, restaurant proximity, and store availability). Knowledge of food practices and preferences of international students from various ethnic groups is necessary to provide effective nutrition education to an increasingly diverse population.
7 Solutions for Universities to Offer Familiar Foods
This same study offered these suggestions for universities to facilitate a healthy food environment that is culturally appropriate for international students:
- Teach international students about healthy food choices available in the United States.
- Work with the food service companies to offer a wider variety of dietary options for international students.
- Bring together local farmers’ markets with food service companies on campus. Ethnic food stores could be invited to participate as well; it may be beneficial for all parties to implement a system in which each store corresponds with a day of the week. This fixed schedule would help students remember when they could obtain certain traditional foods, and it would also encourage the merchants to devote one day per week to the success of this endeavor.
- Create more access to kitchens. International students would benefit from having a kitchen available in their dormitories.
- Increase awareness of international and ethnic food stores in addition to American grocery stores. It is important to let students of all backgrounds, especially internationals, know the array of available food options and be introduced to their new food environment.
- Provide shuttle services that incorporate routes to diverse places, including international stores and restaurants.
- Partner with area businesses to provide students with more flexible meal plan spending options in which students could use the university food allotment at local grocers and restaurants.
Implementing new dietary programs and practices would be beneficial for both the university and the student body. The university will attract more international students and thus increase its diversity. Plus, both the American students and the international students could benefit from these changes. In the meantime, we can encourage students to seek out new restaurants, grocery stores, and try to make the healthiest decisions they can when it comes to what they eat. In the meantime, we can encourage students to seek out new restaurants, grocery stores, and try to make the healthiest decisions they can when it comes to what they eat.
Most people know from news reports that meningitis is serious and contagious, but not much more than that. Here are a few things to know as schools open their doors for a new school year.
Meningitis is an infection resulting from the inflammation of the meninges which are the delicate membranes that surround the brain and spinal cord. While meningitis can be caused by bacteria, viruses, or fungi, bacterial meningitis is the most common, is often the most severe, and can quickly become life-threatening, spreading easily through human contact (like through coughing, sneezing, or even kissing).
While people of any age can contract meningitis, college students and teens tend to be particularly susceptible because of their tendency to live or congregate in close quarters where there is a much higher risk of infection. This is especially true for first-year college students who opt to live in dormitories, as well as those students in boarding schools. And without a watchful parent around, students can become seriously ill with roommates and friends being unaware—and vulnerable.
The symptoms of meningitis are not easy to spot since the disease may come right on the heels of a flu-like illness. Bacterial meningitis symptoms may develop within hours, while viral meningitis may take a few days to develop.
The hallmark symptoms of meningitis are fever, a severe headache, and stiffness in the neck. Additional symptoms include:
- Lethargy and sluggishness
- Loss of appetite
- Nausea or vomiting
- Confusion and disorientation (acting “goofy”)
- Sensitivity to bright light
- Seizure and coma are the most severe symptoms
Meningitis can be spread through close contact such as:
- Sharing food or drinks
- Living closely with other people
- Living in a smoky environment
- Coughing and sneezing
- Kissing
Ten to 15 percent of cases lead to death, while another 19 percent live with permanent disabilities. Because meningitis can be so serious, immediate medical care is essential and should be diagnosed and treated immediately. Meningitis is an emergency that is best evaluated by an emergency department.
But don’t fret just yet; meningitis vaccines have proven to be particularly effective in preventing most forms of meningitis and has become required by many states and for students entering the country. Additionally, the American College Health Association recommends that schools provide access to this vaccine or that students seek to get it themselves.
The vaccine can be given to teens and young adults between the ages of 16 and 23 years. If your school or your child’s school does not require the vaccine, it is still highly recommended. The National Meningitis Association, a nonprofit organization working to protect families from the potentially devastating effects of the meningococcal disease, has several stories that underscore the danger of meningitis, many of which could have been prevented with a vaccine. During the past 10 years, meningitis outbreaks have become more frequent, making the vaccine even more important.
The vaccine typically costs between $65 to $85 and is often covered by insurance or provided by the school. LewerMark covers the vaccine under the wellness portion of our student insurance.
For more information, please visit:
https://www.cdc.gov/meningococcal/downloads/17-275138A-MeningococcalDis-FS.pdf