Screening and referral outcomes of school-based health services in a low-income neighborhood.

A school health program, conducted by the Division of Community and Social Pediatrics of Harlem Hospital Center at two elementary schools in central Harlem, provides screening, followup, and health education services. The children attending these schools are largely dependent on public medical care, with low accessibility and lack of continuity of care. The effectiveness of the program's services were evaluated with respect to screening and referral outcomes. During the spring of 1974, the school health records were reviewed for the 221 children who had been in the program for 1 year in one of the schools. The evaluation results indicated that although major health conditions were not commonly disclosed by the screening component of the program, the examining physicians noted that 57% of the children had one or more health problems. Children with dental caries were the most frequently observed as well as the most frequently referred for care. Children with two-thirds of the medical problems who were referred for further care received medical attention. The program demonstrates the capability of relevant school-based health services in a low-income neighborhood to address the medical needs of elementary school children.