Preventive medicine services focus primarily on preventive health care including required and recommended vaccines, flu shots, allergy shots, TB screening, prescription injection medications, and traveler's health.
- Flu Shots
- Allergy Shots
- TB Screening
- Prescription Medication
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, each year the influenza virus leads to 36,000 deaths and causes 200,000 hospitalizations nationally. The flu is a respiratory virus spread through coughing, sneezing or any discharge or exchange of fluid from the eyes, nose or mouth. The flu could lead to pneumonia as well as other illnesses, though it is not very likely for those under the age of 65. Even though the typical flu season starts in November and December, the best thing one can do in preparation is to get a flu shot early. Flu Shots are available at the Student Health Center starting in October of each year.
The goal of the Allergy Injection Program is to maintain a desensitization program for students who have been started on allergy injections by their private allergist. We do require that at least the initial injection be administered at the allergist’s office. Injections are by appointment only. Students requesting to continue on an established injection program must have their private allergist provide the following:
- Allergist orders
- Allergy injection schedule
- Prior reactions to injections
- Steps to follow in event of reactions or missed doses
- Allergy serum labeled with: patient’s name, expiration date, dilution or concentration, and contents (i.e., tree mix, environmentals, etc.)
This information may be sent to:
Student Health Services
Attention: Preventive Medicine
Southern Illinois University Carbondale
374 E. Grand Avenue
Carbondale, IL 62901
Tuberculosis, also called TB, is an infection caused by a bacteria that commonly affects the lungs but can spread to other parts of the body. It is particularly common in some international countries. At SIU Carbondale, all incoming international students are required to have a TB screening. There are different types of TB screenings for infection which include TB risk assessments, PPD skin test, and Quanti-Feron Gold blood test. Your provider will decide which screening is most appropriate for you.
We also provide this service to students who are required to have testing for certain school or employment reasons such as hospital or medical personnel, students in medically based programs, teachers/student teachers, etc.
Tuberculosis testing is performed in our Preventive Medicine Office and is by appointment only. PPD Skin testing is not performed on Thursdays as the test must be read in 48-72 hours which falls on the weekend when we are closed. If the test is not read in 48-72 hours it will need to be repeated.
The Preventive Medicine Program will administer injections when requested by a Student Health Services provider or an outside provider. The following criteria must be met in order to proceed with the injection.
- An appointment with a nurse to review the documentation and, if complete, to obtain approval from a Student Health Services provider
- A statement from the provider that the student is currently under his/her care
- A patient history including a brief outline or summary of the patient’s condition (diagnosis) and treatment
- A written order from the medical provider with the name, dose, frequency and route of administration of the medication to be given
- The date of the last injection/dose and when the next injection is due
