Kansas State University
1105 Sunset Avenue
Manhattan, KS 66502-3761
785-532-6544
lafene@k-state.edu
International Students
Dear New K-State International Student,
Welcome to Kansas State University!
Among the many fine services available to the K-State student is a fully accredited, professionally staffed outpatient medical clinic/health service. Lafene Health Center, located just west of campus on Sunset Avenue, is available to care for your health care needs with services of full time physicians, nurses, laboratory, x-ray, physical therapy, pharmacy, nutrition and diet counseling, and specialty clinics for allergy, sports related injuries and gynecology. Our Health Promotion/Nutrition Counseling department also provides individual and group counseling and presentations, inside and outside the Center, on a variety of health related topics.
The student health privilege fee you pay as a part of your tuition helps maintain the Health Center, keeping it accessible and available to all students. It provides for free medical office visits (to talk with a physician or nurse about a health issue) and health education and promotion services. The fee subsidizes, but does not totally cover laboratory tests, medications, x-rays, treatments or other procedures which may be necessary to assist in your care. You will be charged a fee, customarily much less than you would have to pay in the general community, for these services.
The student health privilege fee is not, however, insurance. For those charges at Lafene Health Center which are not prepaid or totally subsidized, and for health care services elsewhere, it is required that all international students at Kansas State University carry health insurance, either through the State of Kansas endorsed insurance program available at special rates, or through other coverage. Please read the the enclosed "Financial Information" sheet for further details.
Because health care costs in the United States can be substantial, it is strongly recommended you arrive with or purchase health insurance immediately upon your arrival. The Kansas Board of Regents, who supervises all state universities, has endorsed an insurance program that students may choose to purchase.
General medical clinic hours at the Health Center are 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Monday through Friday, and 10:00 a.m. to 1:30 p.m. Saturday. Please check with us regarding hours of availability of specialty clinics. After clinic hours, or when the Health Center is otherwise closed, you will need to contact a local hospital emergency room if the need arises.
The Health Center is heavily utilized by the students at Kansas State. In order to manage the utilization and attempt to minimize waiting time, we must operate on an appointment system. Both same day and subsequent day appointment times are usually available. If you have a healthcare need, you are encouraged to telephone 785.532.6544 or stop in to schedule an appointment. Staff are also available to provide urgent medical care should this need arise.
Important: Enclosed with this letter is a Medical
History Form which Kansas
State University requests all new students to complete and have
on file at the Health Center. The information you give us via the form
is kept strictly confidential and can be very valuable should you have
a medical emergency while a student on campus. Also, because the form
must be completed and on file before we can help you with a non-emergency
medical need, completing and returning it NOW can save you a lot of time
and frustration later. Law prohibits the release of medical information
of students 18 years of age and over to others, including parents, without
the student's written authorization 
.
It is very important that your immunizations be CURRENT AND ON RECORD. There is a place on the Medical History Form for you to complete this information. Be sure the details are completed. In a university setting, you will be in contact with many new people. Such diseases as mumps, measles, chicken pox, and whooping cough still exist, all highly contagious, and can spread rapidly in a concentrated population such as school.
The Centers for Disease Control and American College Health Association recommend that you consider the following immunizations or screenings before entering college. These vaccinations/tests can be obtained from your local physician, health department or Lafene Health Center (call 785.532.6544 for an appointment).
- Measles, Mumps, and Rubella: All entering students born after 1957 should have had two vaccinations with combination vaccine for measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR). The first combination vaccine should have been given at 12 months of age or greater and the second should have been given at least one month later. If given as separate vaccines, two measles (the first after age 12 months and the second more than one month later), one mumps, and one rubella are required in place of the two MMR's.
- Tetanus-Diphtheria Immunization: After the initial series, a booster is needed every 10 years.
- Polio Immunization: This vaccine is routinely given to all infants. A booster may be needed for foreign travel after age 18.
- Varicella (chickenpox) Immunization: Chickenpox can be a severe (even fatal) disease in adults. If you have not had the disease this vaccination is recommended (two injections one month apart). Some persons are immune even though they are not aware they had the disease. If you prefer to see if you are immune, a blood test is available. Persons with a negative result should be vaccinated.
- Meningitis: Niesseria meningitidis is a bacteria which is now the most common cause of meningitis. This is an infection of the outside layers of the brain. It is very serious and can be fatal, with a case fatality rate of 10-14%. Those that survive have an 11-19% chance of having severe complications, such as hearing loss, brain damage, renal failure, or limb amputation. It affects 1400-2800 people in the United States annually. While it is no more common in college students than in the general population, it is five times more common in freshman who live in residence halls, affecting one in every 20,000 such students. While the risk of acquiring this infection is low, the consequences can be disastrous. Kansas Board of Regents policy, effective starting the fall semester of 2006, require all incoming students residing in university housing at a Regent's institution be vaccinated for this disease or sign a waiver declining the vaccination. A vaccine called Menommune has been available since 1978 and provides immunity for up to 3-5 years and protects against four of the known subtypes of this bacteria including serogroup C, which causes 48% of the cases in college students. Another vaccine called Menactra was introduced in 2005. It is expected to provide similar protection but may last at least eight years and also covers the same serogroups. It is the preferred vaccine for people ages 11-55 years of age but Menommune is still acceptable for this age range if Menactra is not available. The vaccines are available at Lafene but also may be obtained at other primary care physician offices and health departments.
- Pneumococcal Disease: This is a serious disease that kills more people in the United States than all other vaccine-preventable diseases combined. It can cause pneumonia, a blood infection (bacteremia), and meningitis. Also several strains of this bacteria have developed significant resistance to many antibiotics. Anyone can get pneumococcal disease but certain people are at higher risk. Among young adults this includes anyone with a long term health problem such as heart disease, chronic lung disease, sickle cell disease, diabetes, alcoholism, liver disease (cirrhosis), or leaks of cerebrospinal fluid. Also at higher risk are adults with a disease or condition that lowers the body's resistance to infection, such as Hodgkin's disease, lymphoma, leukemia, kidney failure, multiple myeloma, nephritic syndrome, HIV infection or AIDS, damaged or absent spleen, or an organ transplant. A pneumococcal polysaccharide vaccine (23 valent) is available.
- Influenza: College students at high risk of complications from the flu such as diabetics, asthmatics, or students with certain immunodeficiencies should strongly consider having a yearly vaccination. Flu vaccines are available at Lafene usually in late October and November. Also any student who wants to minimize disruption of routine activities during flu epidemics may choose to receive a vaccine. Two forms are available. The injectable form is available to those at high risk preferentially earlier than those not at high risk. A live intranasal form is available for those not at high risk or for those who do not wish to have an injection.
- Hepatitis B: This disease can be acutely fatal, or may cause liver cancer many years later. This vaccine (series of three injections) is recommended for all college students who have not had the disease or prior vaccination. It is spread by blood, blood products, injectable drug use or sexual contact.
- Tuberculosis screening: For all students who have lived in a "high risk" foreign country for over 4 months, a tuberculosis skin test (PPD) is required before enrollment at K-State. To ensure your timely enrollment, please contact Lafene Health Center at 785.532.2796 as soon as possible to arrange testing. The testing process requires a minimum of 48 hours. Testing of any non-student adults accompanying you is also suggested. There is a charge for the skin test. If the test indicates a positive reaction, a chest x-ray is required. There will be a charge for the x-ray. It is highly advisable and in your best interest to purchase health insurance before getting tested to cover any costs incurred if disease is found.
Physical Examination—A physical examination is not required for admission; however if you have had one within the past year, a copy would be helpful to the Center staff. This may save you some unnecessary expense.
We recommend that you have any necessary dental and eye examinations before coming to K-State since the Health Center does not provide these services.
Allergy Injections—The Health Center gives allergy injections at regularly scheduled times. Your physician must supply written, detailed instructions. Contact the Allergy Clinic, telephone 785.532.2796 at the Center, for specific directions.
If you are not certain about the answers to any of the questions on the Medical History Form, including the immunization record, ask your parents or family physician.
Return the Medical History Form to us in the envelope provided and, again, welcome to K-State. If we can be of help to you while you are here, please call upon us. Even if you are not in need, stop by anyway, and see what is available to you.
Robert J. Tackett, MD, Medical Director
Lannie W. Zweimiller, Director
10/31/2007
