School-based health centers (SBHCs) may be an effective venue for providing reproductive health to adolescents. We examined survey data on services and policies from 806 SBHCs operating in 1998-99 (response rate was 69%). Over 90% of SBHCs provided on site primary care services such as comprehensive assessments (95%), screenings (94%), treatment for acute illness (94%), and immunizations (91%). Many health centers also conducted classroom interventions for HIV (48%) and pregnancy (41%) prevention. SBHC provided reproductive health services on-site or off-site by referral to other agencies including HIV counseling (87%), STD diagnosis and treatment (87%), pregnancy testing (87%), HIV testing (86%), birth control counseling (82%), contraceptive follow up (82%), pills (79%), condoms (78%), Depo-provera (78%), and post-coital contraception (68%). STD and HIV services were commonly provided on site; contraception and condoms were more likely to be provided off site by referral. On-site contraceptive availability included condoms (23%), pills (19%), Depo-provera (16%), and post coital contraception (12%). Older SBHCs, SBHCs in high schools and urban areas, and those operated by health agencies were more likely to provide services on site. Over three quarters of SBHCs reported prohibitions about providing contraceptive services on site; the sources of the prohibition included school district policy (73%), school policy (29%), state law (12%), and health center policy (4%). Although SBHCs face a variety of barriers to providing effective reproductive health care, they represent an important conduit of information, referrals, and services.
Learning Objectives: At the end of this session, the learner in this session will be able to: 1. Describe the reproductive health services commonly provided in school health centers. 2. List factors that are associated with providing reproductive health services on-site in school health centers. 3. List the common barriers to providing contraceptive services on-site in school health centers
Keywords: Adolescent Health, School-Based Health Care
Presenting author's disclosure statement:
Organization/institution whose products or services will be discussed: None
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.