Browsing by keyword "School Health Services"

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    • Confidentiality in health care. A survey of knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes among high school students
      Cheng, Tina L.; Savageau, Judith A.; Sattler, Ann L.; DeWitt, Thomas G. (1993-03-17)
      OBJECTIVE--To assess adolescent knowledge, perceptions, and attitudes about health care confidentiality. DESIGN--Anonymous self-report survey with 64 items addressing confidentiality issues in health care. SETTING--Rural, suburban, and urban high schools in central Massachusetts. PARTICIPANTS--Students in ninth through 12th grades from three schools. RESULTS--A total of 1295 students (87%) completed the survey: 58% had health concerns that they wished to keep private from their parents, and 69% from friends and classmates; 25% reported that they would forgo health care in some situations if their parents might find out. There were differences in response by gender, race, and school. About one third were aware of a right to confidentiality for specific health issues. Of those with a regular source of care, 86% would go to their regular physician for a physical illness, while only 57% would go there for questions about pregnancy, the acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, or substance abuse that they wished to keep private. Sixty-eight percent had concerns about the privacy of a school health center. CONCLUSIONS--A majority of adolescents have concerns they wish to keep confidential and a striking percentage report they would not seek health services because of these concerns. Interventions to address confidentiality issues are thus crucial to effective adolescent health care.

    • Dietary and physical activity factors related to eating disorder symptoms among middle school youth
      Wang, Monica; Walls, Courtney E.; Peterson, Karen E.; Richmond, Tracy K.; Spadano-Gasbarro, Jennifer L.; Greaney, Mary L.; Blood, Emily; Mezgebu, Solomon; McCormick, Marie C.; Subramanian, S. V.; et al. (2013-01-01)
      BACKGROUND: Dietary and physical activity (PA) behaviors can predict disordered weight control behaviors (DWCB) among youth. This study examines dietary and PA correlates of DWCB and differences by race/ethnicity and weight status in a diverse sample of youth. METHODS: Self-reported data on dietary weight management behaviors, strengthening/toning exercises, moderate-to-vigorous physical activity, and DWCB (vomiting, taking laxatives, and/or taking diet pills without a prescription) were obtained from 15,260 sixth to eighth graders in 47 middle schools participating in the Massachusetts Healthy Choices Study at baseline (2005). Generalized estimating equations were used to estimate odds of DWCB associated with dietary and PA behaviors and to examine for differences by race/ethnicity and weight status, adjusting for covariates and clustering of individuals within schools. RESULTS: Disordered weight control behaviors were reported by 3.6% of girls and 3.1% of boys. Youth who engaged in strengthening/toning exercises 7 days per week versus 0-3 days per week had increased odds of DWCB (girls odds ratio [OR] = 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.3 - 3.0; boys OR = 1.5; 95% CI = 1.0 - 2.2). Dietary weight management behaviors were associated with increased odds of DWCB (girls OR = 1.2; 95% CI = 1.1 - 1.3; boys OR = 1.3; 95% CI = 1.2 - 1.4) for each additional behavior. These associations did not differ by race/ethnicity or weight status. CONCLUSIONS: Persons promoting healthy dietary and PA behaviors among youth should consider the co-occurrence of strengthening/toning and dietary weight management behaviors with DWCB and the consistency in these associations across racial/ethnic and weight status groups.