The role of school health centers in health care access and client outcomes.

Am J Public Health

University of California, San Francisco, Philip R. Lee Institute for Health Policy Studies, 3333 California St, Suite 265, San Francisco, CA 94143, USA.

Published: September 2010

Objectives: We describe the impact of school health centers in Alameda County, California, on adolescents' access to care and their mental and physical health outcomes.

Methods: We used a multimethod evaluation of 12 school health centers to track data on clients (n=7410), services, and provider-reported outcomes; client pre-post surveys (n=286); and student focus groups (n=105 participants).

Results: School health centers were the most commonly reported source of medical (30%), family planning (63%), and counseling (31%) services for clients. Mental health providers reported significant improvements (P<.05) from baseline to follow-up in clients' presenting concerns and resiliency factors. Medical providers and clients also reported general improvements in reproductive health, particularly in the use of birth control other than condoms. Student focus group participants noted that school health centers helped improve access to services students might not seek out otherwise, particularly counseling and family planning services. Furthermore, students noted that they liked school health centers because of their confidentiality, free services, convenience, and youth-friendly staff.

Conclusions: School health centers increase access to care and improve mental health, resiliency, and contraceptive use.

Download full-text PDF

Source
http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2920968PMC
http://dx.doi.org/10.2105/AJPH.2009.186833DOI Listing

Publication Analysis

Top Keywords

school health
16
health centers
16
health
7
role school
4
centers
4
centers health
4
health care
4
care access
4
access client
4
client outcomes
4

Similar Publications

Influence of lung function on macro- and micro-structural brain changes in mid- and late-life.

Int J Surg

January 2025

Aging Research Center, Department of Neurobiology, Care Sciences and Society, Karolinska Institutet, Stockholm, Sweden.

Introduction: Lung function has been associated with cognitive decline and dementia, but the extent to which lung function impacts brain structural changes remains unclear. We aimed to investigate the association of lung function with structural macro- and micro-brain changes across mid- and late-life.

Methods: The study included a total of 37 164 neurologic disorder-free participants aged 40-70 years from the UK Biobank, who underwent brain MRI scans 9 years after baseline.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: The impact of aortic arch (AA) morphology on the management of the procedural details and the clinical outcomes of the transfemoral artery (TF)-transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) has not been evaluated. The goal of this study was to evaluate the AA morphology of patients who had TF-TAVR using an artificial intelligence algorithm and then to evaluate its predictive value for clinical outcomes.

Materials And Methods: A total of 1480 consecutive patients undergoing TF-TAVR using a new-generation transcatheter heart valve at 12 institutes were included in this retrospective study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Background: Risk factors and mechanisms of cognitive impairment (CI) after aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) are unclear. This study used a neuropsychological battery, MRI, ERP and CSF and plasma biomarkers to predict long-term cognitive impairment after aSAH.

Materials And Methods: 214 patients hospitalized with aSAH (n = 125) or unruptured intracranial aneurysms (UIA) (n = 89) were included in this prospective cohort study.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is a malignant tumor that originates from the epithelial cells of the colon and rectum. Global epidemiological data shows that in 2020, the incidence and mortality rate of CRC ranked third and second, respectively, posing a serious threat to people's health and lives. The factors influencing CRC are numerous and can be broadly categorized as modifiable and non-modifiable based on whether they can be managed or intervened upon.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Severity and Long-Term Mortality of COVID-19, Influenza, and Respiratory Syncytial Virus.

JAMA Intern Med

January 2025

Research and Development, Veterans Affairs Puget Sound Health Care System, Seattle, Washington.

Importance: SARS-CoV-2, influenza, and respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) contribute to many hospitalizations and deaths each year. Understanding relative disease severity can help to inform vaccination guidance.

Objective: To compare disease severity of COVID-19, influenza, and RSV among US veterans.

View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?

Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!