Abstract
Health care reform has changed the landscape for the nation’s health safety net, and school-based health centers (SBHCs) remain an important part of this system. However, few large-scale studies have been conducted to assess their impact on access to care. This study investigated differences in access among a nationally representative sample of adolescent SBHC users. An analysis using multivariate logistic regression examined the association between student characteristics and access to care. We found no differences based on race/ethnicity or insurance status among adolescent SBHC users; however, we did observe significant differences with regard to unmet health needs. School nurses serve as invaluable frontline staff who can facilitate equitable access to care, provide high-quality primary care, coordinate care for students with community health services, and advocate for policy and funding support of SBHCs as a critical part of the safety net for underserved adolescents.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 291-299 |
Number of pages | 9 |
Journal | Journal of School Nursing |
Volume | 31 |
Issue number | 4 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 21 2015 |
Keywords
- access to care
- adolescent health
- disparities
- logistic regression
- school health
ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Nursing (miscellaneous)