Parents' Participation in School Health Examinations for Their Adolescent Children in Finland.
Hanne M Kivimäki, Timo P Ståhl, Katja M Joronen and 1 others
PMID 34894843WHAT IT FOUND
44.1% of Finnish adolescents reported a parent at their school health examination.
Non-participation was common among boys, immigrant-background students, low maternal education, heavy drinking, at least two daily complaints, and difficulty talking with parents. School nurse staffing showed no clear link.
Key findings
01Only 44.1% of students reported that a parent participated in their school health examination, and reported participation varied widely between schools and service providers.
02After adjustment, school health nurse resource and parent invitation were not significantly associated with parents' non-participation.
03Non-participation was more likely for boys, students whose mothers had low education, those not living with both parents, those with immigrant background, and those with daily complaints, heavy drinking, or difficulty talking with parents.
STILL TO COME
How it was doneWhat they foundWhat it means for RNs
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What it does not show
Students reported their own parents' participation, and recall may be imperfect because the latest health examination could have been over a year before the survey. 15,112 students were excluded for missing or invalid answers, including 8.8% who did not know if their parents participated. The study did not know whether students had a comprehensive health examination with parent invitation, or how invitations were sent, timed, or translated. Students absent from school and students in special education schools were not represented. The analysis shows associations at one time, not that these factors caused non-participation or that changing staffing or invitations would improve it.
Declared interests
The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest. One author received a grant from Tampere University Hospital and an adult education benefit from the Education Fund in Finland.
The easy way to misread this
Do not conclude that school nurse staffing or parent invitations have no effect. The adjusted associations were not significant, but the study lacked information on how resources were allocated, how invitations were sent, and whether parents could attend. Do not treat the suggested strategies, such as flexible scheduling or interpreters, as tested interventions.