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 devel oped a validated and reliable approach to identify adolescent health p roblems and initiate education in a school setting. A self-administere d, anonymous, 26-item questionnaire was given to 204 students in a rur al 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 reco mmendations for education. Ninety-nine percent of students participate d. Six weeks later 49% of a sample of 41 students reported reading the information and 50% planned to change behavior. This standardized, va lidated strategy of adolescent health assessment, feedback, and educat ion was feasible for use in schools. The school responded to the data, by employing a psychologist to address mental health needs.