School health-history forms. A study of those used in California, with suggestions for changes.

The health history form has an important role in the evaluation of student performance. Recommendations for therapeutic programs may be based on information gained from the health history. One hundred three California high schools reported the frequency of their use of the health history form. Only 56 percent of these schools require health histories of their new students. Only 38 percent obtain health histories from their athletes.Sixty-four of the 103 California high schools responding enclosed copies of the health history form in use in their schools. Analysis of these forms revealed a lack of uniformity of content and, in general, failure to obtain information pertinent to the in-school student problem.A format for a school health history form whose primary purpose is to reveal school-related health data was developed.