How many college students get the flu each year?

Every year, about 1 in 4 college students gets the flu — and one health expert says many arrive on campus not realizing how bad a bout of flu can be.

What percentage of college students get the flu?

Research indicates that flu attack rates among subgroups of college students could get as high as 73%.

How many college students get sick every year?

Seventeen percent of students reported suffering with a chronic illness, and 27% reported an episode of an acute ill- ness over the 14-day period. For the total student population, the average number of sick days was 0.83, and for students reporting an acute illness, the average number of days was 3.04.

What is the most common illness among college students?

College campuses are crawling with germs and viruses. This is because students often live in close quarters, attend more social events and may have many others in their classes. Some of the most common seasonal illnesses to watch out for include the common cold, flu and COVID.

What percentage of people get the flu each year?

Between 5 percent and 20 percent of people in the United States get the flu each year. It can cause mild to severe illness, and in some cases, may lead to hospitalization or death. Symptoms of the flu are similar to those of the common cold, but they last longer and tend to be worse.

Why you should get a flu shot every year

Who gets the flu most often?

People at Higher Risk from Flu

This includes people 65 years and older, people of any age with certain chronic medical conditions (such as asthma, diabetes, or heart disease), people with a body mass index (BMI) of 40 kg/m² or higher, pregnant people, and children younger than 5 years.

What age is at risk for the flu?

The CDC estimates that about 90 percent of flu-related deaths occur in adults 65 years and older. Residents of nursing homes and other long-term care facilities are also at higher risk. Children younger than 5, but especially children younger than 2 years old, are at higher risk of complications from flu illness.

Why do college students get sick so often?

One reason is that students live so close to each other and they all touch the same door handles, sinks and stair rails. Students also tend to share drinks and snacks especially during study sessions.

How healthy are college students?

The most common health issues reported by college students in the U.S. include relatively minor things like colds, orthopedic injuries such as a sprain or broken bone, urinary tract infections, and stomach bugs. However, some of the biggest health risks to college students are not physical, but mental.

How many college students are unhealthy?

Prevalence of Overweight/Obesity among University Students

The prevalence of overweight/obesity among the students was 28.8% (87 out of 303) (95% CI: 24.0%, 34.0%) (Table 2).

Is the flu common in college?

Every year, the flu spreads across college campuses nationwide. Close living quarters, shared restrooms, and a lot of social activities make a college student more likely to catch the flu.

What to do if you have the flu in college?

Should I go to class if I have the flu?

Those who get flu-like symptoms at school should go home and stay home until at least 24 hours after they no longer have a fever or signs of a fever without the use of fever-reducing medicine. Those who have emergency warning signs should get immediate medical care. Flu: What To Do If You Get Sick.

Who is most at risk of flu NHS?

you're 65 or over. you're pregnant. you have a long-term medical condition – for example, diabetes or a condition that affects your heart, lungs, kidneys, brain or nerves. you have a weakened immune system – for example, because of chemotherapy or HIV.

How does the flu affect college students?

A college student with the flu will most often have a fever of 100°F (37.8°C) or higher, and a sore throat or a cough. Other symptoms may include: Chills. Diarrhea.

How many people get sick with flu every year?

While the effects of flu varies, it places a substantial burden on the health of people in the United States each year. CDC estimates that flu has resulted in 9.4 million – 41 million illnesses, 100,000 – 710,000 hospitalizations and 4,900 – 52,000 deaths annually between 2010 and 2022.

Is it OK to eat unhealthy in college?

A typical student diet of high-sugar or high-calorie foods can become a long-term issue as these habits can lead to obesity. Dr. Bottorff says there is evidence to show that stress and anxiety can cause overeating, but overeating can also lead to stress and depression.

Is it common to get sick in college?

It's not uncommon for college students to become sick much more frequently than the rest of the population, as we live in a cesspool of germs hosted by parties, hookup culture, and the passing around of vapes in every color.

Does college affect your life?

Simply put, college graduates earn about twice as much as their non-college-educated counterparts. College graduates are also less likely to be unemployed and have better health insurance and retirement benefits.

Do parents get sick more often?

The reason parents get sick more often is that they are regularly caring for sick children. A study in the journal Clinical Infectious Diseases revealed that parents are 28% more likely to get sick than those without any children.

How sick is too sick to go to class?

Having a sore throat, cough, or mild congestion doesn't always mean kids can't handle class and other activities. Kids should stay home when they have symptoms like a fever over 100.4°F, diarrhea, vomiting, or trouble breathing. When in doubt, check with the school.

What are the 5 stages of flu?

Is flu A or B worse?

In the past, doctors thought that Type A infections were more severe than Type B. But studies have shown that both Types A and B result in similar numbers of hospitalizations and deaths in adults. In children, however, influenza B may cause more severe disease and is associated with higher rates of mortality.

Is flu worse for kids or adults?

Some people are more likely to have problems when they get the flu, including: kids up to age 5, especially babies.