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Thursday, January 25, 1990 / University Daily Kansan
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Health officers assist groups through health issue teaching
By Buck Taylor
Kansan staff writer
The student health officer program at Watkins Memorial Health Center provides students with the training to help educate peers in their living groups about health-related issues.
Janine Demo, coordinator of health education at Watkins, said that because students most often sought medical advice from their friends, the health officer program was created to give students someone to rely on for current and accurate health information.
"Student health officers assist their peers with emotional, physical, social and environmental health needs," Demo said. "And everything with officer talks about to their peers is held in complete confidentiality."
Demo said the ideal objective of the program would be to have one health officer in every living group on campus. In Fall 1989, 29 of about 60 living groups were represented by at least one health officer each.
The health officer program is a two-s semester course offered for one credit each semester by the biology department. Students meet once a month and discuss with different Watkins health staff members. Demo said.
Demo said health officers attended the weekly class and then were expected to return to their living
groups and present the information to their peers. Health officers could use oral presentations, literature or fliers to convey the information, she said.
Brian Holmes, Abilene junior and past health officer for the Tau Kappa Epsilon fraternity, said the program was a valuable resource for his living group.
"It's a great opportunity for people involved to find out what's on in the field of health," he said. "What happens when we take it off? Was my job to relate it to the house."
Health officers are first trained in leadership and presentation techniques, as well as first aid and cardiopulmonary resuscitation, Demo said. Then during the weekly class sessions, the students learn about a variety of health topics, such as nutrition, eating disorders, sexually transmitted diseases and stress.
"The health officer is a resource person and is not there to take the place of the doctor, but to act as a helping, knowledgeable friend to their living group," Demo said. "If someone has a question that the health officer does not know, they have the resources here at Watkins to
Démо said health officers also acted as liaisons between students and Walkins by providing their peers with the night services available at Walkins.
find out."
Although Demo said there had been no problems with the program, she said it was difficult to measure the effectiveness of the health officers' presentations.
"The hardest part is making sure the students do their jobs," she said. "I cannot police them."
Demo said the program had averaged between 26 and 40 participants each semester since its inception in 1985. However, until her goal of one officer for each living group is met, Demo said, she would not be satisfied.
"When it comes to health, college students think they're immortal," she said. "I think this is a necessary and important program for every organized living group."
Ellen Starmann, Darien, III., junior and Alma Omicron Pi sorority health officer, said her peers generally were receptive to her programs.
"I have fun with it and try to be creative," she said. "For instance, last semester I started a program where a Watkins doctor would present information on AIDS and sexually transmitted diseases, and we all learned quite a bit."
Students interested in more information about the health officer program should contact Janine Demo in the health education department at Watkins, 864-9570.
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