The number of students using the University Health Service increased 3.1 percent by the end of November as compared to the same time last year, Health Service Director Dr. Rosemary Lane said.

Lane estimates 29,641 students came to the health center for care from the beginning of the semester to the end of November. About 28,741 students were treated during the same period of the previous year, she said.

Nearly 7,000 students were treated in the walk-in clinic for illnesses such as respiratory infections, sexually transmitted diseases, warts and back aches. About 6,000 students were treated by the Health Center gynecologists. Approximately 5,000 students treated in the immunization clinic received allergy and immunization shots, AIDS tests and pre-marital blood tests.

Approximately 3,000 students were treated by appointment and 3,000 were treated for injuries. Approximately 2,000 students were treated as after-hours patients and 1,000 students were treated for physical therapy.

“The number of patients usually goes up during the first few weeks after semester break,” Lane said. The rise in the number of patients is usually the result of the students’ increases in exposures to different environments and then returning to school, she said.

“There is also an increase in patients in early spring when the air is dry and people are cooped up,” Lane said.

Since the semester began, the health center triage nurse estimates about 60 to 75 students have been treated each day for various reasons.

Lane said, “The health center has its own protocols and ways of treating patients. In some ways we’re very up to date where regular physicians aren’t especially (up to date) when treating common student conditions.”