Findings of a comprehensive assessment of student health status and needs: Implications for school-based health centers

Background: Six coordinated school-based health centers (SBHCs) were launched in underserved areas of a Midwestern city to enhance health access and academic success among students. The six SBHCs serve primarily low-income, culturally diverse student populations. Purpose: To report findings from a needs assessment in SBHC catchment communities designed to inform the development of SBHCs. Significance: This presentation examines several aspects of student health (behavioral, mental, physical and social) and utilizes community member, principal, parent, and child perspectives to give a holistic view of student health and access to health services. Methodology: The project was conducted May-November 2010. Principals (N=6) were interviewed and community leaders (N=5) participated in a focus group to assess perceptions of student health needs. Parents (N=463) completed surveys about healthcare access and fifth- and sixth-grade students (N=110) completed surveys about their health. Findings/Results: Results suggest that the majority of children in the communities served are in good physical health, although approximately 40% do not have consistent access to healthcare. Approximately 10% of students reported feeling sad and/or worried most of the time in the past month; only 50% of students received necessary mental health services. Unmet behavioral and mental healthcare needs were mentioned repeatedly by community leaders and principals. Conclusions/Recommendations: There is a strong need for access to primary healthcare as well as services addressing behavioral and mental health issues among students in these communities. SBHCs provide the opportunity to fill this gap for these students, their siblings, and children from other schools in the same communities.