School Health Personnel Research Articles

COVID Just-in-Time Extension for Community Health Outcomes: A Collaborative Information-Sharing Platform for a School Health Community.

The COVID-19 pandemic challenged school health professionals to navigate a dynamic public health emergency and to stay aware of changing recommendations. This study aimed to determine the value of the COVID Just-in-Time ECHO (Extension for Community Health Outcomes) Learning Series for Schools among participating school health personnel and to describe their ongoing information needs during the pandemic. School health, public health, and education professionals across Colorado participated in this ECHO series. Participants attended 1-hour sessions every 2 to 4 weeks from March 2020 through December 2021 for a total of 34 sessions. Data collection included postsession and postseries surveys assessing what participants found most valuable and what additional information they needed. School nurses represented 113 of 224 participants (50%). ECHO content noted as being the most valuable included epidemiology updates and special topics as chosen by participant input. Postseries surveys identified the value of experiencing shared knowledge among Just-in-Time ECHO participants. Participants identified ongoing needs for information about COVID-19 guidance and risk mitigation in schools throughout the sessions. In postseries surveys, participants reported additional ongoing information needs related to COVID-19 outside schools. This ECHO series delivered reliable and time-sensitive information for school health personnel and school leaders and may provide a useful model for information sharing among education and public health professionals.

Performance of school health programme in Nigeria: A situation analysis

Background: School Health Programme (SHP) if effectively implemented, will contribute to the optimal health of schoolchildren. In this survey, the extent of the implementation of SHP in Nigeria was evaluated. Methods: The study was cross-sectional nationwide, school-based survey, and schools were randomly selected. The school proprietors, school health personnel, teachers, students, and parents were interviewed using an interviewer-administered questionnaire on the key components of SHP. Results: A total of 105 schools were surveyed. The proportion of CC –BY 4.0 students, teachers and parents who were aware of SHP were 26.3%, 11.1% and 9.10%, respectively. The proportion of the schools which conduct mental health, nutritional assessment and visual & hearing screening were 48.6%, 51.4%, and 57.1%, respectively. There were 18 (17.6%) schools that had trained person in charge of the health of students. Schools that still use pit toilet and open defecation method were 22.9% and 11.3%, respectively. The proportion of school with retainership with a health facility was 37.1%. Conclusion: The SHP awareness is poor in Nigeria, and its implementation is sub-optimal. There is need for renewed interest in SHP in Nigeria through reform and deliberate interventions especially on establishing school-based vaccination programme and referral of sick pupils to healthcare facility.

School health systems under strain: an example of COVID-19 experiences & burnout among school health staff in Pima County, Arizona

BackgroundSchool health staff lead and provide a variety of care for children in schools. As school districts have navigated the COVID-19 pandemic, school health staff have faced unprecedented challenges in protecting the health of students and school staff. Our objective was to qualitatively characterize these pandemic challenges and experiences of school health staff in Pima County, Arizona to identify gaps in school health staff support for improving future emergency preparedness.MethodsWe conducted two focus group discussions (FGDs) with 48 school health staff in Pima County, Arizona in two school districts using a discussion guide including ten open-ended questions. The FGDs were audio recorded and transcribed verbatim. We used the socioecological model (SEM) to organize the thematic analysis and generate codes and themes; data were analyzed using Atlas.ti software.FindingsThe pandemic has significantly challenged school health staff with new pandemic-related job tasks: managing isolation, vaccination, and developing/implementing new and evolving COVID-19 guidelines. School health staff also reported increased stress related to interactions with parents and school administration as well as frustrations with rapid changes to guidance from the health department and policy makers. A common issue was not having enough staff or resources to complete regular job responsibilities, such as providing care for students with non-COVID-19 related health issues.ConclusionsIncreased workload for school health staff resulted in physical burnout, mental distress, and disruption of core functions with long term implications for children’s health. These focus groups highlight the need for improved emergency preparedness in schools during pandemics or infectious disease outbreaks. These include basic infrastructure changes (e.g., personnel support from health departments for tasks such as contact tracing to enable school nurses to continue core functions), and increased funding to allow for hazard pay and more school health personnel during emergency situations. In addition, basic school health infrastructure is lacking, and we should include a licensed school health nurse in every school.

529-P: A Tale of Two States—Lessons Learned from Diabetes in School Health (DiSH) Telementoring Collaborative Sessions

School nurses are central to the health of children with diabetes (DM). In two states, a novel telementoring program, Diabetes in School Health (DiSH), was designed to support DM education for school nurses. Aims were to increase school nurse knowledge & comfort with routine DM care, and to build a network for sharing experiences & challenges with DM care. Sessions include brief didactic presentations followed by practical discussion and sharing of scenarios to collaborate and learn strategies to improve DM care. Recruitment of school nurses was via email. DiSH sessions started in Jan 2020 (WI) & Apr 2021 (WA) and are ongoing. This study reviewed the first 3 years of data from 25 DiSH-WI & 16 DiSH-WA sessions. Session attendance: mean 58 WI & 108 WA school health personnel, mostly nurses. Qualitative data included highlights from sessions’ didactics and discussions. In both WI and WA, recurrent themes included importance of communication, building relationships, and meeting students where they are. Table 1 reports challenges shared and lessons learned. Regional differences include applying regulations governing care in school. DiSH, a novel format for DM education of school nurses, provides a platform for locally relevant discussion of complex yet practical themes, which can be difficult to address in traditional educational modules. Dissemination of DiSH programs to other states is underway. Disclosure A.J.Pollock: None. W.N.Beaton: None. B.A.Burgess: None. K.B.Eitel: None. S.Logel: None. L.J.Ondeck: None. E.Sundberg: None.

Comparative Analysis of the Status of Implementation of School Health Services in Public and Primary Schools in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria.

Effective school health service helps to reduce ill health, increase school attendance, academic performance, decrease school dropout rates, and additionally plays a role in identifying children with emotional, behavioural, and mental health problems for proper assessment and appropriate interventions. To assess the status of the school health services in selected public and private primary schools within Owerri Municipal Local Government Area, Imo State. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out from March to April 2017. Out of the 48 government approved primary schools, 36 (12 public and 24 private) schools within Owerri Municipal LGA were assessed. Relevant data was obtained from school head teachers and direct observation was done where applicable. The responses were scored using a validated School Health Programme evaluation scale. The overall mean score for School Health Services in Owerri Municipal LGA was 13.14 with the mean scores of 14.42 for private and 10.58 for public schools which were significantly lower than the minimum acceptable score of 19. The private schools performed better than public schools in practice of School Health Services and their mean difference was statistically significant (p=0.012). School health personnel were available in fourteen (38.9%) schools, out of which one (8.3%) public school had health personnel. All (100%) schools had first aid boxes, but none of the schools had the boxes completely stocked. School health clinics were available in one (8.3%) public school and 5 (20.8%) private schools. School meals were served in six (25%) private but none in public schools. The overall status of school health services in primary schools within Owerri Municipal LGA is poor. The private schools performed comparatively better than public schools. These findings therefore portray the need for implementation of the National School Health Policy by the State Ministries of Education and Health. Keywords: Implementation, School Health Services, Public and Primary Schools.

7. Disparities in the Implementation of COVID-19 Prevention Strategies Involving the Delivery of Health Services and Healthcare-related Education by Presence of School Health Personnel and Infrastructure

7. Disparities in the Implementation of COVID-19 Prevention Strategies Involving the Delivery of Health Services and Healthcare-related Education by Presence of School Health Personnel and Infrastructure

Qualifications of Head Teachers and the numbers of Healthcare Personnel available in Public and Private Schools in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria

Globally, in spite of the fact that school age children do not suffer from the high mortality of preschool children; there exist significant burden of morbidity among them. School health services are the curative and preventive health services, provided for the promotion of the health of school population to enable them benefit maximally from the school system. The aim of the study was to assess the Qualifications of Head Teachers and the numbers of Healthcare Personnel available in Public and Private Schools in Owerri Municipal, Imo State, Nigeria. A cross sectional descriptive study was carried out to assess school health services in 36 government approved primary (12 public and 24 private) schools within Owerri Municipal LGA. Relevant data was obtained from school head teachers using an evaluation scale and direct observation was done where applicable. The responses were scored using the School Health Programme evaluation scale. Thereafter, a prospective (pre-test – post-test) study was carried out in two public primary schools between May to December 2017 (two academic terms). Within the period (September to December 2017) an intervention was carried out which involved the running of school clinics in two selected public primary schools. School attendances were kept during the pre-intervention and intervention periods using a check off list for monitoring daily attendances and reasons for absenteeism. The overall mean score for School Health Services in Owerri Municipal LGA was 13.14 with the mean scores of 14.42 for private and 10.58 for public schools which were significantly lower than the minimum acceptable score of 19 (p<0.001 respectively). Six (16.7%) schools, all of which were private schools scored up to the minimum acceptable score of 19. The private schools performed better than public schools in practice of School Health Services and their mean difference was statistically significant (p=0.012). School health personnel were available in fourteen (38.9%) schools, out of which one (8.3%) public school had health personnel. School health services in both public and private primary schools within Owerri Municipal LGA is poor and also the availability of health personnel in the scho

Vision screening as part of the school health policy in South Africa from the perspective of school health nurses

BackgroundVision screenings of school-going children are essential in the early detection of visual anomalies common in different age categories, which may negatively affect their academic ability and social development. Hence, their inclusion in school health policies is imperative. The aim of this study was to assess the implementation of vision screening protocols in the current Integrated School Health Screening policy of South Africa from the perspective of school health personnel.AimThe study sought to explore the perceptions, experiences and attitudes of the school health nurses on vision screenings included as part of the school health screenings in Gauteng province (South Africa).SettingThis study was located across three public healthcare facilities across Gauteng at primary healthcare levels.MethodsThree teams of 13 school health personnel from three primary healthcare facilities in the district of Ekurhuleni were invited to participate in the study. Focus group interviews were conducted for generating information on collective opinions and the rationale behind their views.ResultsResults of the collected qualitative data revealed challenges related to training, vision screening tests, referral criteria and follow-ups or referral pathways. In addition, further challenges reported were related to communication, time, space and consent forms not signed by the parents.ConclusionImproved cohesion and communication between all role players will enable reasonable and professional provision of validated vision screening services that have the best chance of early detection of children with vision anomalies to negate possible adverse effects on their scholarly performance.

Managing respiratory emergencies at school: A county-wide stock inhaler program

A total of 15 states allow schools to manage respiratory emergencies among multiple students by using a single albuterol inhaler (stock inhaler) paired with a disposable holding chamber. Our aim was to evaluate implementation barriers and facilitators, as well as satisfaction with a stock inhaler program across K through12 schools in Pima County, Arizona. All public, charter, private, and parochial schools were offered supplies, web-based training, and technical assistance at no cost. The RE-AIM (Reach, Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance) framework was used to evaluate program implementation. School documentation logs were reviewed, school health personnel were surveyed, and a convenience sample of health personnel were interviewed. Chi-square tests evaluated categoric outcomes and Poisson hurdle regression examined stock inhaler use by school organization type, grade levels served, and type of school health personnel employed. In all, 229 schools (68%) participated, reaching 82% of students in the county. Atotal of 152 schools (66%) used a stock inhaler, accounting for 1038 events. The mean number of puffs administered was 2.7 (SD= 1.2) per event, and most events (79%) involved students with asthma. Although most events (83.9%) resulted in the student returning to class, 15.6% resulted in students being sent home. Only 6 events resulted in 911 calls, and 5 of these led to an ambulance transport. School health personnel reported high levels of satisfaction, and all schools renewed participation for a second year. Program costs were $156 per school. With technical assistance, stock inhaler programs can be feasibly implemented by schools in a wide range of settings, thereby increasing their capacity to safely manage respiratory emergencies.

An Integrated School Health Teacher for Whole Student Health in China: Professional Competency Inventory.

This study aimed to develop a professional competency inventory for integrated school health teachers in the Chinese schooling system. It generated initial competency items through conducting job task analyses, group interviews, and expert consultations, which proposed 75 items in the following fields: general quality, basic health service, school health education, and school health management. A total of 312 school health administrators/instructors, principals, in-service health teachers, and preservice health teachers were surveyed during 2018-2019. Respondents valued aspects of health teacher's professional competency differently. Exploratory factor analyses finally extracted 9 domains, and 70 competency standards were retained. The Cronbach's α level was .983, with value for each domain ranging from .855 to .955. The final competency inventory for school health teachers contained 4 fields, 9 domains with 70 competencies. It provided a reliable framework for specialized training, evaluation, and professional development for school health teachers. The study also interpreted the differences in importance perception of competencies among stakeholders, provided across cultural views for elaborating values and meanings of school health personnel all over the world.

School health promotion in South-East Asia by Japan and partners.

School health promotion in South-East Asia has developed rapidly in recent years, and Japan has been one of the significant contributors to the reinforcement of school health promotion in the region. Starting from the Hashimoto Initiative on global parasite control, Japan advocated for international partnerships with several agencies for the development of school health programs in South-East Asia. Through a strengthened collaboration with international organizations, countries such as the Lao PDR, Cambodia, the Philippines, and Thailand have created and implemented school health programs on nutrition, sanitation, and deworming, among others. In addition to school health program formulation and implementation, the expanded network in South-East Asia led to more capable school health personnel, with many workers in the education and health sectors benefitting from the training programs jointly held by collaborating organizations.

Hubungan hubungan sikap, motivasi, ketersediaan fasilitas terhadap perilaku pemberian vaksin HPV diSMPN 5 Singaraja

The factors causing the high incidence of cervical cancer one of which is the lack of motivation and awareness of youth themselves to perform HPV vaccination. The purpose of this study was to relationship girls attitude, self-motivation and availability of the HPV vaccine administration behavior in SMP 5 Singaraja. This study used a descriptive analytical method with cross sectional approach, research carried out in SMP 5 Singaraja. Samples numbered 75 respondents. The sampling technique using the total population sampling. The results showed that there is a relationship attitude towards the behavior of young women HPV vaccine administration with a P value < α (5%) of 0.028 and OR of 3.16 (1,23 - 8,11). There is a self-motivated relationship to the behavior of HPV vaccine administration with a P value of 0.027 and OR of 3.20 (1,24 - 8,25) and no relation to the behavior of the availability of HPV vaccine administration with a P value of 0.014 and OR of 3.63 (1,39 - 9,48). Suggestions study is expected to further enhance the cooperation with the school health personnel in terms of education about the benefits of the HPV vaccine in preventing cervical cancer early. Schools need to provide motivation to adolescents in order to improve the behavior of cervical cancer prevention by means of HPV vaccine. Keywords : Attitudes, Motivation, Facilities, Behavior

Pattern and correlates of tobacco use among school personnel from a rural area in Kashmir, India

Background: Tobacco -free schools and non smoking school personnel set a positive environment for the younger genration. Aim: The aim of this study was to assess the patterns and correlates of tobacco use among school personnel in a rural area in Kashmir. Methodology: This school-based cross-sectional study was conducted from April 2018 to November 2018 in 50 government high schools. The study population comprised all the school personnel (teaching as well as nonteaching) of the selected schools. An anonymous pretested self-administered questionnaire (Global School Personnel Survey) was used for the collection of data. All data were analyzed using SPSS version 20.0 to demonstrate frequencies, cross-tabulation obtained from Chi-square tests. Multivariate analysis was done to predict factors associated with tobacco control. A significance level of < 0.05 was considered for statistical analysis. Results: Majority of the school personnel (68.3%) were smoking cigarettes on a daily basis (P < 0.001). Current bidi and hookah use was significantly higher among females than males (5.5% vs. 3.9%, P < 0.001). About 93.8% of the school health personnel strongly perceived the need for an anti-tobacco training (P = 0.151). Multivariate regression analysis predicted a positive association between the position in the school, age, and knowledge concerning harmful effects of environmental tobacco smoke (P < 0.001). School personnel with primary responsibility of teaching about health predicted a higher need for specific anti-tobacco training (P < 0.001). The smokers less strongly perceived the need for nonclassroom anti-tobacco activities (P = 0.000). Conclusions: The present study reports a high level of tobacco consumption among the school personnel and paucity of tobacco control school policies. Moreover, smokers felt a lesser need for tobacco control training among school personnel. These findings underscore the importance of support for tobacco control regulations and training in educational units.

School–Supervised Use of a Once-Daily Inhaled Corticosteroid Regimen: A Cluster Randomized Trial

To evaluate the efficacy of school-supervised administration of once-daily inhaled corticosteroid to improve asthma control and reduce school absences in a primarily low-income Latino population.Students with asthma in 20 Tucson Unified School District elementary schools were selected to represent a large urban school population of low-income Latino students.The study was a 2-year, cluster-randomized, delayed-intervention trial comparing 9 months of supervised, unblinded, open-label mometasone furoate therapy with usual care. At entry, schools were randomized 1:1 to immediately initiate supervised therapy or delay implementation until year 2. Need for controller therapy was based on in-person evaluation the first year and by telemedicine during the second year. Medication was administered by school health personnel once daily on weekdays; parents were instructed to continue their own home medication during weekends and holidays. The primary outcome was change in Asthma Control Questionnaire (ACQ) score. Secondary outcomes included absences, unscheduled medical visits and hospitalizations, and oral steroid use.Nine hundred ninety-five (11%) of 8916 students reported asthma; 393 (39%) students enrolled, and 332 provided adequate data for analysis. Mean age was 8.1 years. At baseline, only one-fourth had well-controlled asthma. Thirty-nine percent reported controller medication use, and 80% were prescribed controller medication after clinical evaluation. During year 1, the mean ACQ score for students receiving immediate intervention did not significantly differ from those receiving delayed intervention. Medications were administered 98% of the time when students were at school; however, total calendar adherence was 53% due to absences, weekends, and holidays. Average school absences were noted to be 16 and 15 in immediate- and delayed-intervention groups, respectively, with only 4 to 5 of those due to asthma.School-supervised administration of once-daily inhaled corticosteroid did not result in improved asthma control as measured by ACQ, school absences, or health care use when compared with usual care in an urban, low-income, Latino elementary school population. Because of absences, weekends, and school holidays, the regimen achieved 53% calendar adherence despite excellent adherence to school-administered dosing. Further research is needed to clearly define the minimal adherence necessary to result in meaningful improvement in asthma control.There are numerous studies illustrating the benefits of school-supervised asthma therapy; this study provides a real-world application of school-based intervention with humbling but important results. Unique characteristics of the low-income Latino population and minimal research staff involvement may have played a role in outcomes and deserve further study. Of note is the high overall absenteeism rate and low calendar adherence rate. Hence, institution of school medication administration programs alone may not sufficiently impact asthma control without addressing home dosing and other societal determinants of school attendance and overall health.

Equipping School Health Personnel for Diabetes Care with a Competency Framework and Pilot Education Program.

Schools struggle to support health needs of students with diabetes due to limited funding/resources. A competency framework can help individual schools clarify the knowledge and skills required for school-based diabetes care within their unique context, and inform the development of standardized diabetes education for health staff. A consensus-building technique, known as the Delphi method, was used to create a competency framework for diabetes care at school with a panel of 37 stakeholders. A continuing education program based on the resultant framework was developed and pilot-tested with school nurses. Pretest and post-test scores on knowledge, perceived competence, and self-efficacy were compared to evaluate the effectiveness of the program. Consensus was obtained for a total of 70 competencies: 22 competencies for health aids, 36 additional competencies for school nurses, and 12 additional competencies for diabetes resource nurses. Thirty school nurses completed the continuing education program and demonstrated significant improvement in diabetes knowledge, self-efficacy, and competence in pathophysiology and diabetes care tasks (p < .01 for all). Developing a consensus framework is an excellent starting place for stakeholders to identify the skills and knowledge required for various school personnel and to ensure that all school health staff members receive adequate diabetes education.

School Health: Pediatric Primary Care Curriculum.

Pediatric residents encounter issues related to school health (SH) throughout their training, particularly in their continuity clinics, and often serve as liaisons between a patient's medical home and school environment. However, there is currently a paucity of formal education on SH for pediatric residents to prepare them for this role. We created a 3-hour interactive learning conference that was delivered to four groups of six to eight pediatric residents during their intern year by a multidisciplinary team. Our curriculum focused on understanding the differences between individualized educational plans (IEPs), individualized health plans (IHPs), and 504 plans; the IEP process; and communication with schools. Residents were given pre- and postdidactic surveys, completed reflective writings, and participated in feedback sessions. Twenty-seven pediatric interns completed the curriculum; 85% and 74% had improved knowledge of IEP/504/IHP and SH personnel, respectively. Eighty-five percent reported feeling comfortable with family conversations about accommodations postcurriculum versus 0% precurriculum. The majority of interns found the curriculum to be valuable to their clinic performance. Our curriculum offers a unique multidisciplinary approach to teaching and can be easily integrated into other residency programs, even with limited protected didactic time.

Implementation of an Allergic Reaction Reporting Tool for School Health Personnel: A Pilot Study of Three Chicago Schools.

Food allergy (FA) impacts 8% of U.S. children, thus it is critical to document allergic reactions to assist schools in managing FAs. We implemented and evaluated an online tool to assist school health personnel in tracking the characteristics of allergic reactions occurring at schools. The Online School Allergic Reaction Registry (OScARR) was modified from the Epinephrine Administration Form developed by the Massachusetts Department of Public Health, adapted for integration into existing school health records, and implemented in three Chicago schools during the 2016-2017 school year. All allergic reactions occurring at participating schools were recorded by school nurses. Twenty-five percent of the 20 allergic reactions reported were characterized as anaphylaxis by school nurses. School nurses reported that they would recommend OScARR for use in other schools. Detailed data obtained from three Chicago schools underscore the importance of proper documentation to improve the understanding of the causative allergen and location and management of allergic reactions in schools.

Health-care conditions in elementary schools and teachers’ knowledge of childhood asthma

Background: For the adequate control of asthma in school-age children, it is recommended that teachers, school health personnel and administrators should have sufficient knowledge of how to manage asthma during school hours.Aim: To investigate asthma health care in elementary schools, and teachers’ knowledge of childhood asthma and its management.Methods: The extent of knowledge of childhood asthma in 2779 teachers in 141 elementary schools (children aged 6–14, grades 1–8) in Bursa, the fourth largest city in Turkey, was evaluated. Section I comprised questions about asthma health-care in schools, Section II teachers’ knowledge of the main characteristics of asthma and Section III (Likert Scale) teachers’ detailed knowledge of the signs, triggering factors, treatment and general knowledge of asthma.Results: The findings of Section I demonstrated that the organisation of health-care for asthma in schools was insufficient. Of the teachers questioned, 14·7% were not even aware and only 1% and 9·6% of the teachers had been made aware by school health personnel and school records, respectively, of asthmatic children. Only 27·3% of the teachers stated that they were responsible for the health of an asthmatic child. The majority of teachers (70%) said that asthmatic children could use the medication (e.g. inhalers) themselves. In Section II, there were between 44·1% and 75·5% correct answers, while in Section III this figure ranged from 3·3% to 78·4%. The correct answer rate was 60·4% for Sections II and III combined. The results of Sections II and III showed that the teachers’ knowledge of asthma was poor in many respects. Teachers who stated that they had asthma or had first-degree relatives with asthma, or those with 10 or more years’ experience provided significantly more correct answers in Sections II and III combined than did those without these characteristics (P<0·001).Conclusions: There is a need to improve and standardise health care for asthma (asthma management policies) in schools. The implementation of asthma education programmes for teachers and other staff responsible for pupils’ health should result in better control of this common disease.

Factors influencing sexually transmitted infections among adolescents in South Korea.

No data exist regarding the sexually transmitted infection (STI) rate in adolescents aged 12-15 in South Korea. Only a Korean few studies have attempted to investigate the factors influencing sexually transmitted infections among adolescents. The purpose of this study was to investigate the self-reported sexually transmitted infection contraction rate and analyse individual and family factors that influence this rate among middle school students aged 12-15 in South Korea. Using statistics from the 8th Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, secondary data analysis was conducted. The study sample consisted of 714 individuals who had reported initiating sexual intercourse. The rate of self-reported sexually transmitted contraction was 13.5%. The following factors predicted STI contraction: second year of middle school, excellent academic achievement, habitual or purposeful drug use, first intercourse before middle school, intercourse after drinking alcohol, weekly allowance, and living without family predicted sexually transmitted infection contraction. The parental data were collected by the self-reported surveys in a cross-sectional manner and questions of STI contraction and intercourse after drinking may have confused the subjects. We need to utilize these predictors in providing adolescents with sexual health interventions and establishing adolescent sexual health policies. Increased sex education and employment of a school nurse in each middle school are needed. High-risk students need to be monitored given the predictors of sexually transmitted infection contraction, and the school health personnel need to inform female students and their parents the importance of seeing a gynaecologist for regular check-ups.

Cardiac Kids Club: A Childhood Obesity Prevention Afterschool Intervention for Elementary School Students

The objective of this study was to assess pre‐ and post‐intervention dietary intake measures, physical activity levels, and body mass index (BMI) of students enrolled in a 10‐week (2 sessions per week) afterschool obesity prevention program. This one group pretest‐posttest design used a validated dietary intake survey, fitness measures using FitnessGram , and height and weight measurements taken by trained research assistants and school health personnel. The program was conducted in 6 elementary schools with 134 participants in grades 4 and 5; 111 participants (82.8%) completed all study components. Sixty‐four of the participants (57.7%) were overweight or obese (age‐ and sex‐specific BMI&gt;85th percentile) at baseline. Mean BMI among overweight and obese participants significantly decreased (p=0.02) from 94.77 (SD 4.41) to 93.80 (SD 5.89), while BMI among normal weight participants did not significantly decrease (p=0.44). Dietary intake measures were not significantly improved from pre to post. Fitness measures (curl up, trunk lift, right and left sit and stretch, pushups, and mile run) were significantly improved among all participants (p&lt;0.001); these measures were also significantly improved among overweight and obese participants (p&lt;0.01). Although dietary intake measures were not improved, the program was successful in improving BMI among overweight and obese participants and fitness levels improved for all participants, including overweight and obese participants.