Utilizing Student Health and Academic Data: A County-Level Demonstration Project

Abstract

Students with chronic health conditions miss more school days than their peers and are at increased risk for performing worse on standardized tests and not completing a high school degree. University-based researchers, state government leaders, and a local county school system collaborated to use existing health and academic data to (1) evaluate the strength of the relationship between health status and school performance (absenteeism, grades) and (2) describe the health status of students who are chronically absent. Analyses included descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, negative binomial regression models, and estimated marginal means. The most common health conditions among the 3,663 kindergarten through Grade 12 students were ADD (attention deficit disorder)/ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), asthma, migraine headaches, mental health conditions, and eczema/psoriasis/skin disorders. After controlling for covariates, having asthma or a mental health diagnosis was positively associated with absences; and having an ADD/ADHD or mental health diagnosis was negatively associated with GPA (grade point average). Chronically absent students had significantly lower GPAs, and a higher number of health conditions than other students. The success of this demonstration project encourages strengthening existing collaborations and establishing new multidisciplinary partnerships to analyze existing data sources to learn more about the relationship between student health and academic achievement. Moreover, connecting health status to academic achievement might be a chief tactic for advocating for additional resources to improve the care and management of chronic disease conditions among students.

Introductory Chapter: Wellness for Education

“…For example, being a bully victim at age 16-19 is strongly associated with mental health, sleep problems and lower academic performance [7]. In addition, having chronic health conditions like asthma, mental health diagnosis, and attention disorders during kindergarten to secondary is negatively associated with attendance and grade point average [8]. Appropriated sleep is essential for ensuring a good health since differences in sleep timing like bed time, rise time, mid-point of sleep and sleep duration in school-age children and youths show associations with low academic performance, depressive symptoms, high risk of substance use, overweight/obesity, behavioral problems and suicidality [9,10].…”

<p>Optimal Management of Plaque Psoriasis in Adolescents: Current Perspectives</p>

“…Psoriasis in adolescence has been associated with cognitive impairment, the development of addictions (tobacco, alcohol, and drug abuse), and psychiatric symptoms such as attention deficit disorder or attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. [36][37][38][39] These data led to the hypothesis that early psoriasis onset affects the educational development of young patients. In a recent study, our group found that there were no significant associations between early onset of psoriasis and educational level, working activity or living conditions, or with alcohol consumption in adulthood (personal data, submitted for publication).…”

Reasons for absenteeism in rural primary schools in two Colombian municipalities

“…However, children with chronic illnesses like asthma, migraine headaches, mental health conditions, and eczema/psoriasis/skin disorders have frequent absences due to medical appointments, therapies, or acute episodes of illness. Recurrent absenteeism due to these illnesses hinders academic progress, increases dropout rates and affects professional career success in adulthood (14)(15)(16).…”