Partnering with students to explore the health needs of an ethnically diverse, low-resource school: an innovative large group assessment approach.
School-based health programs have a unique and powerful potential to meet the health needs of children because students spend more time in schools than in any other environment away from home. We conducted a participatory needs assessment called a Group Level Assessment (GLA) in collaboration with an economically disadvantaged and ethnically diverse school to facilitate the students' identification of and subsequent action toward important health needs. A total of 68 students in Kindergarten through eighth grade participated in the GLA. Four major themes emerged: the desire for more sports and after-school activities, better school lunches, enjoyment of friends and families, and overall happiness. Other health issues identified by the students included limited health/medical care, stress resulting from schoolwork and grades, positive self-image, and the desire for more art opportunities. The salient themes identified by students are consistent with many factors identified in the academic literature as important in child socioemotional functioning.
Department of Pediatrics, University of Cincinnati College of Medicine/Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center, OH 45229, USA. lisavaughn@cchmc.org
Lisa M
LM
Vaughn
Farrah
F
Jacquez
Juanjuan
J
Zhao
Maria
M
Lang
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D055812:Community-Based Participatory Research / Q000379:methods*; D054242:Emigrants and Immigrants / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005006:Ethnicity / Q000523:psychology / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D005195:Family Relations; D005522:Food Services; D006126:Group Processes; D015438:Health Behavior / Q000208:ethnology; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D007398:Interpersonal Relations; D007899:Leisure Activities; D008612:Menu Planning; D009043:Motor Activity; D020380:Needs Assessment; D009936:Organizational Innovation; D012572:School Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D012932:Social Facilitation; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology* / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D014481:United States