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Completed

NCT Number: NCT03178331

Who Benefit From School Doctors' Health Checks?

The aims of the study are 1) to evaluate the potential benefits or harm of school doctors' routine health checks and 2) to explore whether part of the school doctors' routine health checks can be omitted using study questionnaires which address the parents', school nurses' and teachers' concerns regarding each child.

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Key information

Conditions

School Health Services

Age range

6 year–12 year

Sex eligibility

All sexes

Study type

Observational

Primary location

School and Student Health Services, Helsinki, Finland

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About this study

The aim is to include 4 cities, 21 schools, 14 doctors and 1050 children from Southern Finland. From each doctor the aim is to get 25 children from both grades 1 and 5 (at ages 7 and 11) from 1-2 schools. Before the school doctor's check-up, the parents, nurses and teachers fill a questionnaire to identify any potential concerns about each child. The questions were partly chosen from the Strengths and Difficulties Questionnaire (SDQ). Additional questions concerning the child's growth, physical well-being, learning, school absenteeism and the well-being of the whole family are included. The doctor is blinded to the answers of the questionnaires. After the health check the doctors fill an electronic report including any instructions given, significant discussions and follow-up plans and their estimate of the potential benefit or harm of the medical appointment. The child and the parent fill patient-reported experience measure (PREM) forms where they evaluate the benefit or harm of the health check. The researchers compare the need for a doctor's appointment to the benefit gained. At one year after the check-up, the implementations of the follow-up plans are analyzed.

A data balance sheet has been prepared. The coordinating ethics committee of the Hospital District of Helsinki and Uusimaa (HUS) has approved the study protocol. Permissions for the study from the Department of Social Services and Healthcare and the Department of Education from all participating cities have been obtained. Informed consent will be obtained from all participating children, parents, doctors, nurses and teachers.

Who can participate

Healthy volunteers accepted: Yes

Only the study team can determine whether someone qualifies for participation.

Inclusion criteria

Grade 1 and grade 5 children

Exclusion criteria

Children studying mainly in special education groups or the need of an interpreter

Treatment and study plan

Study questionnaires

Other

filled by parents, school nurse and teacher

Primary outcomes

  1. The need for a school doctor's health check

    Time frame: Baseline

    The need for a school doctor's health check according to the study questionnaires filled by parents, nurse and teacher.

    Areas of concern in study questionnaires: growth, physical symptom, hearing, school absenteeism, learning, concentration, behavior, emotions, getting on with others, eating, sleeping, wellbeing of family, free description of concern, wish to talk about concerns with the school doctor

    The responses will be categorized into three groups: 1) "Needs doctor's health check" 2) "No need for doctor's health check and 3) "Consultation of the nurse or doctor may be sufficient".

  2. The benefit/harm of school doctors' routine health checks

    Time frame: Baseline

    A seven point likert scale that is based on:

    • Measures from the doctor's electronic report: instruction, other significant discussion, referral to laboratory test/physiotherapist/speech therapist/nutritionist/secondary care, guidance to or contact of a specialised worker or other unit: teacher/special education teacher/school psychologist/school social worker/health center/family guidance center/home service/child welfare, prescription, medical imaging, individual follow-up plan
    • School doctor's evaluation of benefit/harm
    • Patient reported experience measures (PREM) of benefit/harm by child and parent

Secondary outcomes

  1. Interventions and plans arising from school doctors' routine health checks

    Time frame: Baseline

    Measures from the doctor's electronic report: instruction, other significant discussion, referral to laboratory test/physiotherapist/speech therapist/nutritionist/secondary care, guidance to or contact of a specialised worker or other unit: teacher/special education teacher/school psychologist/school social worker/health center/family guidance center/home service/child welfare, prescription, medical imaging, individual follow-up plan

  2. The implementations of the school doctors' follow-up plans

    Time frame: 12 months

    The implementations of measures from the doctor's electronic report (yes, no, information not accessible): instruction, referral to laboratory test/physiotherapist/speech therapist/nutritionist/secondary care, guidance to or contact of a specialised worker or other unit: teacher/special education teacher/school psychologist/school social worker/health center/family guidance center/home service/child welfare, prescription, medical imaging, individual follow-up plan

Sponsors and collaborators

Lead sponsor

University of Helsinki

Other

Collaborators

  • City of Helsinki
  • Finnish Foundation for General Practice
  • Foundation for Paediatric Research, Finland
  • General Practitioners in Finland
  • Network of Academic Health Centres, Finland
  • Pediatric Research Center, University of Helsinki
  • Päivikki and Sakari Sohlberg Foundation, Finland

Registry information

Official study title

Who Benefit From School Doctors' Health Checks: a Prospective Study of a Screening Method in Finland

Important dates

Study start
2017
Primary completion
2018
Study completion
2023
First posted
Jun 6, 2017
Registry last updated
May 14, 2024

OpenTrials presents study information sourced from ClinicalTrials.gov. The official registry record should be consulted for the latest information.

View the official ClinicalTrials.gov record (opens in a new tab)

This listing is for discovery and informational purposes only. It is not medical advice, does not guarantee that a study is recruiting, and does not determine eligibility. Contact the study team and a qualified healthcare professional when considering participation.

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