STUDENT HEALTH-SERVICES AT 4 RURAL COLLEGES - IMPLICATIONS FOR HEALTH-CARE REFORM

This study investigated services available at health centers at four r ural colleges. It also investigated the healthcare accessible to stude nts at those institutions if college health services were unavailable. The authors used a survey and interview procedure to establish the ex istence of healthcare resources in two adjacent communities and to ide ntify barriers to student use. Findings from the study indicate that, for many students attending rural colleges, the student health center may be the only source of primary healthcare available. The data suppo rt the need to include student health centers at rural colleges in the national healthcare reform agenda because closing any one of these sc hools' health centers could result in a healthcare disaster for some s tudents.