Health & Safety

Health & Safety

Neither DePauw University nor your off-campus study program can ever fully prepare you for all of the challenges you will face off-campus, though we will provide you with thorough orientation programs designed to give you the tools to be safe and successful while away. Particularly since September 11, 2001 safety is at the forefront of the minds of parents and students alike. The most important way to stay safe while you are off-campus is to use your common sense and to keep abreast of the international, national, and local situation.

Insurance, Medical Assistance and Immunizations

Travelers requiring medical assistance abroad confront varying types and quality of assistance, which differs from country to country and from city to city. In some places, it may be difficult to find an English-speaking doctor or appropriate medical facility. To ensure students have adequate support in the case of needing medical assistance, DePauw University provides all students studying in a country other than the United States with major medical insurance, emergency evacuation and repatriation of remains insurance, and membership with AIG International , a leading medical and security assistance provider. (Semester students are billed for the Health Services fee.) Although a student’s own family medical insurance may cover some medical expenses abroad, most insurance carriers do not provide medical evacuation and repatriation benefits. In addition, medical services abroad often must be paid for upon receipt of those services, with which domestic carriers cannot help and this additional insurance can. All students studying off campus are strongly encouraged to review any insurance provided by the off-campus program. If the program does not offer insurance, students currently without insurance are strongly encouraged to acquire major medical insurance.

While the risk of encountering serious health problems is usually not greater abroad than in the United States, it is important to bear in mind that the mere change in diet, water and climate may cause sickness in travelers. In areas where access to high-quality sanitation and medical resources is limited, there is the potential for more serious health risks. Diseases such as tetanus, diphtheria, polio, typhoid, hepatitis, yellow fever, malaria and travelers' diarrhea pose threats to the unprotected traveler. It is impossible to eliminate these risks, of course, but certain precautions can be taken to alleviate them, including having appropriate insurance coverage and certain immunizations. The Health Services staff of DePauw University reviews the destinations of all off-campus bound students. Based on the health concerns in each destination, the Health Services staff determines which vaccinations are required. Be aware that some countries require certain immunizations to gain entry.

In addition to all childhood vaccinations, all travelers are recommended to have vaccinations for hepatitis A, hepatitis B and meningitis. Students traveling to any destinations determined by the Health Services staff to warrant additional vaccinations will be notified by the Center for International & Experiential Education of any recommendations or requirements. Although your own family healthcare provider may be able to administer routine immunizations such as tetanus and perhaps hepatitis A, most offices do not stock specialized vaccines such as typhoid or yellow fever. DePauw University Student Health Services provides travel consultation and some immunizations.

For any questions regarding their health or regarding immunizations, students should consult with: (1) DePauw University’s Student Health Services Office, (2) a local County Health Department Travel and Immunization Service or (3) a reputable travel clinic regarding appropriate travel-related health needs. Because several weeks may be required to complete a needed vaccine series, the initial appointment should ideally be at least six weeks prior to departure. A list of those vaccinations that the Health Services Office provides can be found .

There are a variety of online resources that you may wish to explore in advance of your travels:

- Center for Disease Control Travel Information
- National Institutes of Health
- World Health Organization
- Travel Health Online
- Multilingual Glossary of technical and popular medical terms in nine European languages.
- Study Abroad Safety Handbook - Center for Global Education, University of Southern California
- SAFETI - Issues on Safety in Study Abroad

Safety & Responsibility

The world (abroad and in the US) is not as safe as it once was, so nobody can guarantee complete safety. However, there are steps one can take to minimize risks. Prior to students leaving campus, we mandate attendance at orientation sessions where we talk about health & safety issues, strategies for staying safe, and the difference between anti-Americanism and anti-American foreign policy. A few things to be aware of are:

• Ultimately, students are responsible for their own safety. They must become informed of where they are going and develop ways to manage minor and major emergencies.
• We work closely with our program partners so we know their staff takes our student’s safety seriously. Each university or program has its own emergency protocols, which students will be informed of, or should inquire about, at their on-site orientations.
• We communicate several times throughout the semester with students about issues as mundane as what's going on on campus, to issues of registering for classes, and to issues of potential risk in that location.
• We monitor news of events taking place around the world and contact students as appropriate.

Each of the off-campus study programs that DePauw works with has an advisor to international students or a program director to help students in any situation. They also have staff who can advise students on the relative safety of different neighborhoods. As students plan to go off campus, they can obtain some up-to-date assessments from various governments advising their citizens about safety and health issues.

- State Department Special Public Announcements - Worldwide Cautions, Travel Warnings and Consular Information Sheets
- The U.S. State Department - Travel Advice
- Great Britain's Travel Advice
- Canada's Travel Advice
- Australia's Travel  Advice
- Association for Safe International Road Travel (ASIRT)