The University of Guam provides resources and facilities to meet the demands of its diverse student population. However, many resources such as health services, are being underutilized by students due to lack of awareness and absence of services.
All interested students looking to apply to UOG must submit a medical history form to the Student Health Services. Students are required to have an updated PPD skin test and MMR 1 and 2 vaccinations. For many, this is the only time they use the campus’ health services.
Visitor turnout is predictable according to Kyle Catilo, a pre-nursing major and work study employee at the Student Health Services.
“During the end and before the beginning of the semester is when there’s floods of students coming in,” Catilo said. “A lot of students are submitting their [health forms].”
Registered students are still charged every semester to support the campus’ health service facilities. Student fees for Fañomnåkan 2018 increased by $113, totaling $382.00 per student. Comparatively, the fees for the previous Fañomnåkan 2017 semester were $269.00
Despite this steady increase, the health services fee has remained the same for several semesters at $12 per student. With 3,904 enrolled this semester, health services received $46,848 for its operations.
Sara Dizon, a senior psychology and sociology double major did not know what to make of the fees as she does not know what the health center is providing for students.
“I don’t know what the student health services does anymore,” Dizon said. “I’m not sure how good of a resource it is.”
Chelsea Guiang, a senior nursing major also shared her feelings about the total amount of fees, commenting that it was a large amount of money for services that do not equate to the amount they receive.
Both students were unsure of the type of assistance Student Health Services is currently providing, but they did specify services they would like to see being made available for the campus such as shots and immunizations.
“I don’t see why they don’t provide PPD shots to students.” Guiang said. “We have to get it ourselves. It doesn’t even have to be an RN to do PPD shots, they could just hire an LPN if they want to at least provide that here at school.”
While many colleges, such as Guam Community College, provide the required PPD shot to their students, still others provide comprehensive clinical care to students for a fee or free as included in their student fees.
At the University of Hawaii-Manoa, $118.00 per student goes toward funding campus healthcare. With this, their health services provide general medical clinic, immunizations, basic laboratory work, and pharmacy services.
In addition to providing healthcare, UH-Manoa’s Health Promotion Program provides health education and brief intervention services for the student population.
Increased and comprehensive healthcare services like these would be welcomed on campus as new health concerns often arise in individuals attending college such as the need for birth control or mental health management.
However, the current fee may not be enough to provide such services to the campus. Raising the health services fee or having students pay out of pocket for specific services, could remedy this.
These increased services would require hiring more staff, such as nurses or physicians. The UOG campus has been without a nurse for several semesters.
Catilo explained that despite not having a nurse, Student Health Services continues to provide what it can to UOG students.
“We do not have a nurse on board so we do not administer any shots or medication,” Catilo said.
“So, what we do here is first aid and helping students if they have some kind of pain. We do patching of wounds, cleaning of wounds. And if [students] have sprains, we have a back room where they can rest or borrow wheelchair or crutches.”
Student Health Services does carry health care products such as sanitary napkins for a small charge for 25 cents and free condoms. Although these are made available for students, many on campus are looking for more services.
“Some people mistake us with public health outreaches,” Catilo said. “One student thought we were affiliated with the STD outreach going on this month, but it was not necessarily us but the Department of Public Health.”
Changes may need to be made to provide a wider range of services to the campus. Increased student fees and staffing will be required so that this facility may provide health care to all UOG students.
