Section A · Page 6
The University Daily Kansan
Monday, November 30, 1998
Health center included in two studies
Research will track diseases diagnosed in college students
By Sue Franke
Kansan staff writer
Watkins Memorial Health Center is participating in two research studies to track college students whose meningococcal disease, chickenpox or shingles have been diagnosed.
Results from the chickenpox and shingles study will be used to encourage more widespread use of the vaccine to prevent chickenpox. Results from the meningococcal study will help the American College Health Association establish a national policy to determine who should receive a preventative vaccine.
"We have seen an increase in meningococcal cases and outbreaks on college campuses," said Jennifer Capparella, meningitis/varicella project coordinator for the ACHA. "Since Sept. 1, 1998, there have been 18 cases of students diagnosed with meningococcal disease, a type of bacterial meningitis. Two of the 18 cases resulted in deaths. The 18 cases reported came from all colleges in the United States, not just those participating in the study."
Capparella defined an outbreak as three or more isolated cases occurring in three months or less. Meningococcal disease is the leading cause of bac
terial meningitis in young adults in the United States, causing about 430 cases annually among people ages 18 to 24. The disease is responsible for about 300 deaths in the United States each year. Last fall, Robert Brogi, who was a Deerfield, Ill., somborem, died of a meningococcal infection.
Randall Rock, chief of staff for Watkins, said that no group routinely received the preventative vaccine for the disease except U.S. military recruits who live in close quarters. He said that college students in residence halls were at an increased risk for contracting meningococcal meningitis. Rock said that although it was not required, he encouraged students to consider receiving the vaccine, which costs $60 at Watkins and is effective for three years.
Capparella said the study would help identify subgroups of college students who might be at increased risk for infection.
Symptoms of meningococcal meningitis include high fever, severe headache, stiff neck, nausea, vomiting and sleepiness. The disease is spread through the exchange of respiratory and throat secretions but not by casual contact.
The second study is one that will be used to provide information about chickenpox and shingles infections among college students. The varicella virus causes both chickenpox and shingles.
Rock said he has been surprised to have seen several students a month this year who have had shingles. Shingles occur when the inactive vari-
If you have contracted meningococcal disease, the chickenpox or shingles since September 1998, contact Watkins Memorial Health Center at 864-9500.
REPORT TO WATKINS
cella virus travels back from the nerve roots to the skin. Shingles causes itching or pain followed by clusters of blister-like lesions. About one in every 1,000 college-age students contracts shingles each year, according to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention.
Although most people contract chickenpox when they are young, about two to six of every 1,000 college-age students have chickenpox each year, according to the CDC. It is highly contagious. Symptoms include itchy rash, fatigue and fever.
Rock said he encouraged students who think they have had chickenpox or shingles since September 1998, and have not seen a physician, to call Watkins so their cases can be reported as part of the study.
Capparella said that although the two studies are not related to one another, they are being conducted at the same time with the same 250 colleges and universities in 49 states, which represent 2.2 million students. Kansas State University is the only other university in Kansas participating in the studies. The studies, sponsored by the ACHA with consultation from the CDC, began in September 1998 and will be conducted during the next year.
New law will require emergency hospital care
Lack of insurance will not prevent treatment
The Associated Press
WASHINGTON — Hospitals can't delay or deny emergency-room care just because a patient's health insurance plan requires permission before treatment, government regulators are ready to announce this week.
A 1986 law bars hospital emergency rooms from refusing to examine and stabilize patients who can't pay. Now, federal officials will use the "patient dumping" prohibition to ensure immediate care whether or not insurance pays.
"Despite the terms of any managed care agreements ... federal law requires that stabilizing medical treatment be provided in an emergency," said Health and Human Services Department Inspector General June Gibbs Brown.
The 1986 law was intended mainly to protect people without health insurance. However, delays while emergency room staff consult with health plans to see if insurance will pay are on the rise, regulators say. In some cases, federal officials say, patients with potentially serious health conditions have left emergency rooms after being questioned about their insurance.
To deter such incidents, the U.S. government will begin applying the patient dumping law, which carries fines up to $50,000 per incident.
American Hospital Association spokesman Rick Wade said clarification in the law is welcome. But, he said, "It's not going to solve the problem of some plans deciding that they'll use pre-authorization
rules as a way not to pay hospitals."
It has become more common for HMOs and other health plans to control costs by refusing to pay unless patients first get permission from designated doctors.
Plans that cover elderly, disabled and low-income Americans in government health insurance programs such as Medicare or Medicaid must waive such requirements for emergency care in situations a "prudent layperson" would judge to be a medical crisis — such as having symptoms of a heart attack.
Karen Ignagni, president of the American Association of Health Plans, said the group's members which include insurers covering 150 million Americans already voluntarily use the "prudent layperson" standard.
However, gray areas abound,
when health plans won't pay for
emergency care and hospitals get stuck with the bill for patients who can't pay themselves. Many plans would not pay if a parent took a feverish baby to the hospital without first calling their pediatrician to make sure an emergency room visit is necessary.
"We want to make sure patients are seeking care in the most appropriate setting," Ignagni said. That means not going to the hospital "just because it's the most convenient place to seek treatment on a weekend or after hours."
Hospitals can't make such distinctions, however, according to the new government guidelines.
Emergency room personnel can't send a patient to a clinic or doctor's office without first doing a medical exam to be sure immediate care isn't required to avoid seriously jeopardizing the person's health.
Alcohol task force studying different recommendations
By Seth Jones Kansan staff writer
The citywide alcohol task force, which has convened to identify strategies to curb underage drinking, met last week to narrow its list of recommendations.
Officials from the city of Lawrence, the University of Kansas, Haskell Indian Nations University, business owners and students make up the task force.
University of Kansas representatives on the task force have their own idea of what the group should recommend.
David Ambler, vice chancellor and task force member, said that so far the task force had focused just on the underage drinkers.
"I'm concerned because there has been more emphasis on those people violating the law, rather than those people who are aiding and abetting these people," Amber said.
Ambler said he wanted to see laws for people who make false identifications become more severe.
"Someone who makes a living helping people violate the law needs to be harshly punished," he said. "It's already a felony, but I personally would like to see extremely heavy consequences for violation of that law."
Ambler said he also wanted to see heavier consequences for bar owners and retail liquor stores that knowingly sell to minors.
Some members of the task force want to see significant increases in fines for underage drinkers.
David Corliss, the city's director of legal services said a fine of $200 or more was better then the current fine of less than $75 for possession of alcohol by minors.
Kevin Yoder, student body president and task force member, said he wanted the main concern to be student safety.
"The risk that goes along with drinking is what I'm concerned about," Yoder said. "My basic philosophy is that most students and most people in society feel it's OK for students to enjoy their college years and enjoy a couple beers."
Ambler said he also wanted to see more time spent on drinking education.
A greater emphasis on education with the family was necessary. Ambler said.
"This probably reflects the frustration with the current alcohol-education program," Ambler said. "Across the country it seems to be very ineffective, mainly because often they're preaching to the chair."
Mayor Marty Kennedy said that curbing underage drinking was a two-edged sword.
"Nothing is going to stop students from getting a fake ID," Kennedy said. "We all have to work together to try and lower the abuse of alcohol by underage drinkers."
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