Going Beyond the Health Room

By Margaret C. Dunkle

Many people still think of a school health program as a health room, a few hours of instruction on health issues, and a part-time school nurse who dispenses aspirin and Band-Aids. While this image was probably never accurate, the health needs of students of the 1990's go far beyond it. The epidemic of H.I.V./AIDS, concern about teenage pregnancy, and the poor health of too many of this country's young people are causing educators and health-care professionals alike to take a fresh look.

What they are seeing is mounting evidence on need and benefits that argues powerfully for greater coordination in this area. A word that recurs frequently in their conversations is "comprehensive.''

Put simply, a comprehensive school health program provides both health-related instruction and health services within the context of a healthy school environment. Instruction, or health education, gives students the information they need to make informed choices. Services--or the access to them--may range from routine first-aid and hearing-and-vision screenings, to primary medical care, whether through a school-based health clinic or referrals and partnerships with local health providers. And a healthy school environment encompasses both safe physical surroundings and a psychological climate that facilitates learning. This includes an emotional environment that fosters high achievement by all students and respects their diversity by race, sex,...