Establishing a Primary Healthcare Center for Students in Gothenburg: An investigation of the needs, possibilities and designs of a primary healthcare center for university students

Abstract

Attending university is for most students a challenging period in life, often in combination with being a young adult and experiencing new mental and physical situations. Having access to support within healthcare and student health service is important to maintain a healthy life as a student. This report aims to investigate the healthcare needs and current healthcare services for university students in Gothenburg. Furthermore, this report aims to investigate the possibilities and propose solutions and design ideas for opening a primary healthcare center owned by Gothenburg’s Students Company Group and targeted at university students of Gothenburg. The suggestions are also based on investigating the healthcare needs and current services of university students in Gothenburg. This study is a literature review as well as an interview study with key persons and companies. The results show that there seems to be an increased prevalence of mental illness among young adults, where university students may be particularly susceptible to mental health issues, which indicates a need for more preventative care and adjusted healthcare. The suggested solutions for a primary healthcare center for students include adjustments in the organizational design and a location close to the students. The conclusion is that there is a need for more preventive care and adjusted healthcare for students, and by utilising all possibilities when opening a primary healthcare center for students, it has the potential to not only help students in need of healthcare but also make the students of Gothenburg healthier.