Student Health Advocacy
There has been a rise in advocacy to ensure that students are able to stay healthy.Through understanding the significance of student health, and the threat that the Covid-19 pandemic brought to college campuses, student health advocacy grew exponentially during the last couple of years. Students were more actively promoting health protocols on campus and gathering information from reliable sources.
During the shutdown stage of the pandemic, many Student Health Centers were under excruciating pressure, this was a time period that students leaned on them the most and their resources were exhausted and were not enough to meet everyone’s needs. Student Health Centers are still having difficulty hiring.Covid-19 left a very competitive healthcare labor market, and staff members are overworked and fatigued. There is plenty of stress to go around.
The problem was exacerbated by schools reopening at a time where there was still a level of uncertainty about how smooth the transition would be. Many students were concerned greatly about their physical health, while dealing with residual mental health issues as well. Imagine how frustrating this must have been for students who were finally at the stage where they relinquished their parent’s responsibility for their health and were trying to take control themselves. This made many schools and individuals realize that more must be done to be able to accommodate the needs of all students.
Apart from this, through understanding that the students of today are the leaders of the future, many have stressed the importance of ensuring that students are healthy and have the resources to remain this way. This concern can be dated all the way back to 2010 when the Affordable Care Act was instituted, and a part of this required colleges to ensure that students had health insurance whether it be plans provided by the college or outside of that. Today, there are more initiatives that help students remain healthy by providing them with care and resources. Kiira is a seamless option to have access to your school’s health benefits. Find out if Kiira is at your school or become a member with a small fee monthly. Student Health Centers and their resources allow students to take real autonomy over their health!
How can you be a Student Health Advocate?
- Be proactive and take charge of your health.
- Encourage others to do the same.
- Utilize the resources that are available today, don't try to self-diagnose or wait for a concern to get more serious.
- Use the Kiira app to answer the questions and find therapists or primary care providers that can guide you to the tools you need to remain healthy and happy!
This makes you a part of the rise of student health advocacy!