When University senior Noelle Ronco thought she had strep throat last year, she didn’t immediately call the doctor or buy over-the-counter drugs. Instead, the psychology major clicked her computer’s mouse, pounded a few keys and read about the infection on WebMD, a health information Web site.
“It basically gives you the common symptoms and you’re able to judge whether or not you can take care of it at home,” said Ronco, a member of the Student Health Advisory Committee (SHAC). “You’re able to weigh your options.”
Students now have another way to access reliable health information 24 hours a day, seven days a week, with the University Health Center’s online student self-care guide, which was originally published by a private company and aimed at college students. Health center officials hope to use the Internet more in the future and are asking students for feedback on how they use the Internet for health-related concerns.
The health center, which is no longer open on Sundays, recently purchased a license to publish the American Institute for Preventative Medicine’s “HealthyLife Students’ Self-Care Guide.”
“We did this to provide students with an easily accessible tool to help them make health decisions, particularly at times when the health center is closed,” said Health Center Director Tom Ryan.
The guide is separated into three sections: common health problems, preventative health and safety issues, and information on healthy lifestyle choices. Clicking on “Coughs” under the common health problem menu, for example, provides a list of questions to determine if a patient should seek immediate care, call or see a provider, or use self-care treatment such as drinking liquids, using a mist vaporizer and taking a shower.
Ryan said the purpose of the self-care guide is not to diagnose medical problems but to help students decide on the appropriate level of care.
“The guide is absolutely not a substitute for medical evaluation and care,” he emphasized.
Ryan said the self-care guide differs from the health center nurse help line (346-2770) because the phone line deals with immediate needs, and the self-care guide serves those seeking more information.
The health center is constantly exploring new ways of reaching students and technology will play an increasing role in doing so, claimed Ryan.
“We will be looking to students to help determine how to best use technologies such as the Web to better meet our mission of service to students,” he said.
Ryan said the health center will work with student groups, including the SHAC, to research student Internet use.
Ronco said she hopes students can make health center appointments online one day.
“That may be way, way in the future, though,” she admitted.
Harold Turnquist, Information Technology Consultant for the health center, said information on the health center’s Web site changes daily.
“During flu season we post alerts as to how many flu shots are left,” he said. “Sometimes that will change four or five times a day.”
Health center educator and instructor Annie Dochnahl said that some dubious health-related information can be found on the Internet.
“Anytime there’s a sale of a product that motivates the Web site, one has to take their information with a grain of salt,” she said. “That’s a simple screening tool.”
Dochnahl said blogs that detail personal experiences can be unreliable.
“It may be an interesting story, but heath care treatments are more accurate when based on a large control group,” she said. “That’s not what blogs and dot-coms base their information on.”
Ryan said patients should always “trust their gut.”
“If an individual thinks that they or a friend need to be seen now, they should trust this feeling and not hesitate in getting immediate care no matter what a guide may suggest,” Ryan asserted.
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Student self-care health guide
What: The University Health Center purchased a license to publish a student
self-care guide.
Why: Health center officials said they hope the guide will help students determine what type of care they need. The health center is no longer open on Sundays.
Beware: The self-care guide isn’t a substitute for medical care. A health educator warned that other information on the Internet may be misleading, especially if advertising interferes with content. Personal blogs may also be misleading, she said.
More information: Find the self-care guide online at http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu. Patients can also call the nurse advice line at (541) 346-2270.
Student feedback: The Student Health Advisory Committee will be seeking feedback on how students use the Internet for health-related topics. Although the health center has no formal way of collecting the feedback right now, SHAC will post more information on its Web site at http://healthcenter.uoregon.edu/shac/index.html in the future.
in person
The University Health Center is open Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday from 8 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., Tuesday from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. and Saturday from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. It is closed on Sunday.
The phone number is (541) 346-2770.