The Model School Pediatric Health Initiative arose out of concern about health access inequities and disparities among some of Toronto's most vulnerable children living in our inner-city neighborhoods. It is well documented that illness, emotional difficulties and self-esteem impacts a variety of educational markers including school attendance and performance. Providing health care in schools may be the most direct and efficient way to ensure that all children have access to the care they need including diagnosis, management and follow up of multiple health and school related concerns. American research has demonstrated that inner city children who had access to an elementary school-based health clinic (SBHC) had less difficulty receiving treatment for illnesses and injuries, immunizations, and physical examinations. In addition, rates of enrolment and utilization of elementary SBHCs are higher in those children who traditionally have poorer access to health care. Given the vast differences in the Canadian and American health systems it is important to evaluate SBHCs in Canada before long-term implementation. The objective of this study is to collect data including demographic characteristics and clinical features of students attending a SHBC at five selected sites in Toronto. In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the research team is additionally interested in asking about families' experiences with the pandemic and school closures. It is hypothesized, that these vulnerable children who come from lower income families and/or are newcomers to Canada attending these SHBCs, are likely to experience more mental health symptoms with the heightened uncertainty surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic. This study will be a prospective chart review design. A COVID-19 questionnaire will be constructed and administered online at three time points: baseline, 6 months upon completion of the baseline questionnaire, and 12 months upon completion of the baseline questionnaire.
Study Type
OBSERVATIONAL
Enrollment
851
To study the experience of students and their families during the COVID-19 pandemic an online questionnaire will be utilized. This COVID-19 questionnaire will be administered at three time points: baseline, 6 months upon completion of the baseline questionnaire, and 12 months upon completion of the baseline questionnaire.
Unity Health Toronto
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Direct Experience with COVID-19 virus
Survey question asking whether you or any of your family developed COVID-19 symptoms, to select the symptoms that apply, and to indicate whether you or anyone in your family tested positive for COVID-19.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months
Family's overall experience with COVID-19 pandemic
Survey question asking the participant to identify and describe whether their family had a positive and/or negative experience resulting from the COVID-19 crisis. Has the quality of the relationship with the child attending SBHC changed.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months
Child's experience with cancellations and access to services
Identify which of the listed options relating to a child's health were experienced during the pandemic. Also identify whether any of the listed health or education services were not accessed during the pandemic. How difficult has cancellations during the pandemic been for the child.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months
Caregiver's experience during COVID-19
Survey questions asking to what degree has the listed situations bothered the caregiver. To what degree do you (the caregiver) agree with the listed situations during the pandemic. Have you (the caregiver) been unemployed due to the pandemic and have/had trouble making ends meet. Was there enough groceries and other essentials during the pandemic.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months
stress or unpleasant experiences endured by the caregiver during COVID-19
The questions in this component of the survey includes rating how bothered you were about the listed options. Over the specified period of time, rate your stress level, describe the quality and duration of your sleep per night. How frequently did you use the listed options to relieve your stress.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months
Activities the caregiver engaged in during COVID-19
How frequent and for how long did you engage in the listed activities.
Time frame: Baseline to 12 months
Describe the caregiver's parenting during COVID-19
Questions asking to what degree do you agree with the following statements describing your parenting ability over the specified period of time.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months
The impact of school closure on the child
Questions asking what other childcare services were used during the pandemic. If they received child subsidy. If the child stayed home during the pandemic, and how long did they spend doing schoolwork and other activities (academic and non-academic) during COVID-19. Does the family have the resources to engage in online learning, if so what are the resources used. Describe any challenges faced with online learning.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months.
Describing the child's character
Questions asking to what extent do the statements provided describe the child. Identify the age group the child described is in.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months
Childs daily routine
Questions asking to rate the quality and quantity of the child's sleep. Describe and rate the child's eating behaviour/practices during the pandemic.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months
Childs interest about COVID-19
Questions asking how interested the child is about COVID-19, how often are they asking/reading about COVID-19. How hopeful is the child about COVID-19 ending.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months.
COVID-19 preventative measures.
This question asks you to describe how frequent the child and the caregiver practiced the preventative measures to protect against COVID-19.
Time frame: baseline to 12 months.
How can the SBHC help?
An open ended question for the family to indicate what kind of help they would like during the pandemic
Time frame: baseline to 12 months.
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