A computerized school-based health assessment with rapid feedback to improve adolescent health.
Adolescent health problems are often undetected in physicians' offices. The Dartmouth Primary Care Cooperative Information Project has developed a validated and reliable approach to identify adolescent health problems and initiate education in a school setting. A self-administered, anonymous, 26-item questionnaire was given to 204 students in a rural high school. Responses were scanned into PC-based software. Within one working day students were given individualized letters identifying their problem health issues as detected by the questionnaire and recommendations for education. Ninety-nine percent of students participated. Six weeks later 49% of a sample of 41 students reported reading the information and 50% planned to change behavior. This standardized, validated strategy of adolescent health assessment, feedback, and education was feasible for use in schools. The school responded to the data by employing a psychologist to address mental health needs.
Bracken
A C
AC
Department of Pediatrics, Dartmouth Medical School, Lebanon, NH, USA.
Hersh
A L
AL
Johnson
D J
DJ
D000293:Adolescent; D000294:Adolescent Behavior; D016497:Adolescent Health Services; D005246:Feedback; D005260:Female; D006306:Health Surveys; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011320:Primary Health Care; D000297:Psychology, Adolescent; D012572:School Health Services; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires