The COMPASS study: a longitudinal hierarchical research platform for evaluating natural experiments related to changes in school-level programs, policies and built environment resources.
BACKGROUND
Few researchers have the data required to adequately understand how the school environment impacts youth health behaviour development over time.


METHODS
COMPASS is a prospective cohort study designed to annually collect hierarchical longitudinal data from a sample of 90 secondary schools and the 50,000+ grade 9 to 12 students attending those schools. COMPASS uses a rigorous quasi-experimental design to evaluate how changes in school programs, policies, and/or built environment (BE) characteristics are related to changes in multiple youth health behaviours and outcomes over time. These data will allow for the quasi-experimental evaluation of natural experiments that will occur within schools over the course of COMPASS, providing a means for generating "practice based evidence" in school-based prevention programming.


CONCLUSIONS
COMPASS is the first study with the infrastructure to robustly evaluate the impact that changes in multiple school-level programs, policies, and BE characteristics within or surrounding a school might have on multiple youth health behaviours or outcomes over time. COMPASS will provide valuable new insight for planning, tailoring and targeting of school-based prevention initiatives where they are most likely to have impact.
School of Public Health and Health Systems, University of Waterloo, 200 University, Avenue, Waterloo, ON N2L 3G1, Canada. sleather@uwaterloo.ca.
Scott T
ST
Leatherdale
K Stephen
KS
Brown
Valerie
V
Carson
Ruth A
RA
Childs
Joel A
JA
Dubin
Susan J
SJ
Elliott
Guy
G
Faulkner
David
D
Hammond
Steve
S
Manske
Catherine M
CM
Sabiston
Rachel E
RE
Laxer
Chad
C
Bredin
Audra
A
Thompson-Haile
D000293:Adolescent; D002170:Canada; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004779:Environment Design; D015438:Health Behavior; D006801:Humans; D057766:Policy; D012572:School Health Services; D012574:Schools; D013334:Students / Q000523:psychology