Woodrow Nicholas, Fairbrother Hannah, Breheny Katie, d'Apice Katrina, Albers Patricia N, Mills Clare, Curtis Matthew, Hopkins Lisa, Tebbett Sarah, Campbell Rona, De Vocht Frank
School of Health and Related Research (ScHARR), University of Sheffield, Regent Court, S1 4DA, Sheffield, UK.
Health Sciences School, University of Sheffield, 3a Clarkehouse Road, S10 2HQ, Sheffield, UK.
BMC Public Health. 2022 Feb 16;22(1):324. doi: 10.1186/s12889-022-12748-2.
Supporting children and young people's (CYP) mental and physical health is a global policy priority but detecting need and facilitating access to health services and support is challenging. This paper explores professional stakeholders' perspectives of the acceptability, utility and effectiveness of a school-based online health and wellbeing screening tool, the Digital Health Contact (DHC). The DHC, delivered by Public Health School Nurses (PHSN), aims to identify, and put in place strategies to support, unmet health needs among CYP.
We employed a qualitative study design, using semi-structured interviews. Fourteen key stakeholders involved in the design and implementation of the DHC (commissioners, providers, PHSN and healthcare staff, school leaders) were purposively sampled. Data were analysed thematically.
Our analysis generated two key themes: the perceived benefits of the DHC; and challenges in delivering the DHC. Stakeholders perceived the universal application of the DHC with linked follow-up intervention as an effective means of identifying and supporting CYP with unmet needs, and an efficient way to target limited service resources. There were barriers around enabling school engagement in the DHC, typically in terms of logistics, school infrastructure, and perspectives of fit with schools. These barriers were seen as being negated through developing effective working relationships between schools and PHSN. Effective relationships could highlight the potential benefits of participation. Overall, the DHC was seen as a valuable and effective use of resources, with a low burden on school staff.
The DHC, as a universal school-based health and wellbeing screening tool with linked follow-up intervention, has great potential in identifying and supporting unmet health needs among CYP. The perspectives and experiences of those involved in delivering the DHC highlight important considerations which may enable effective implementation and delivery of school screening programmes across other areas.
支持儿童和青少年（CYP）的身心健康是一项全球政策重点，但发现需求并促进其获得医疗服务和支持具有挑战性。本文探讨了专业利益相关者对一种基于学校的在线健康与福祉筛查工具——数字健康联系（DHC）的可接受性、实用性和有效性的看法。由公共卫生学校护士（PHSN）提供的DHC旨在识别CYP中未满足的健康需求，并制定支持策略。
我们采用定性研究设计，使用半结构化访谈。有目的地抽取了14名参与DHC设计和实施的关键利益相关者（专员、提供者、PHSN和医护人员、学校领导）。对数据进行了主题分析。
我们的分析产生了两个关键主题：DHC的感知益处；以及DHC实施中的挑战。利益相关者认为，DHC的普遍应用及相关的后续干预是识别和支持有未满足需求的CYP的有效手段，也是针对有限服务资源的有效方式。在促使学校参与DHC方面存在障碍，通常体现在后勤、学校基础设施以及与学校的契合度方面。通过在学校和PHSN之间建立有效的工作关系，这些障碍被认为可以消除。有效的关系可以突出参与的潜在益处。总体而言，DHC被视为一种有价值且有效的资源利用方式，对学校工作人员的负担较小。
DHC作为一种具有相关后续干预的基于学校的普遍健康与福祉筛查工具，在识别和支持CYP中未满足的健康需求方面具有巨大潜力。参与DHC实施的人员的观点和经验突出了一些重要考虑因素，这些因素可能有助于在其他地区有效实施和开展学校筛查项目。
