Screening University Students for Health Checks With an Electronic Health Questionnaire in Finland: Protocol for a Retrospective, Register-Based Cohort Study
Open Access
- 1 January 2020
- journal article
- research article
- Published by JMIR Publications Inc. in JMIR Research Protocols
- Vol. 9 (1), e14535
- https://doi.org/10.2196/14535
Abstract
Background: Health questionnaires and health checks are an established part of preventive health care services in Finland. However, only very limited research of these has been conducted. The Finnish Student Health Service (FSHS) provides primary health care services to all bachelor's and master's degree university students (approximately 134,500 students) in Finland. FSHS's statutory health examination process of university entrants includes an electronic health questionnaire (eHQ) and, based on the students' eHQ responses, a subsequent health check if necessary. To our knowledge, no previous studies have been published on the use of questionnaires for screening students for general health checks. Objective: The general aim of the study is to evaluate the health examination process of university entrants. The objectives are to determine how students' self-reported health in the eHQ and participation in the health examination process are associated with graduation, mental health problems, and the use of student health care services. Methods: This is an ongoing, nationwide, retrospective, register-based cohort study with a 6-year follow-up. The study population is the cohort of university entrants (N=15,723) from the 2011-2012 academic year. These students were sent the eHQ, which consisted of 26 questions about health, health habits, social relations, and studying. Based on the eHQ responses, students were referred to one of the following interventions: (1) a health check, (2) an appointment other than a health check (eg, physiotherapy), or (3) electronic feedback to support a healthy lifestyle, when the other interventions were not necessary. Multiple comparisons will be made within these groups using logistic regression. The primary outcome variables are graduation, having a mental health problem, and attending a health check. The use of FSHS health care services will be studied with the cluster analysis method. The data have been obtained from three nationwide registers: the eHQ register, the medical records of FSHS, and the Higher education achievement register. The data have been linked using personal identity codes. Results: As of August 2019, the data collection and processing are complete and the statistical analyses are in progress. Preliminary results are expected in autumn 2019. Further publications are expected in 2020, and two PhD theses are expected to be completed by the end of 2022. Conclusions: Studying practical procedures in primary health care is highly important for resource allocation and the development of evidence-based processes. This study will be the first to assess the usage of a health questionnaire in screening students for health checks. The findings of this study will contribute to the field of preventive health care. The main practical implication is the development of the FSHS's health examination process. We hypothesize that participation in the health examination process enhances academic achievement and the detection of university students' mental health problems early on in their studies.Keywords
This publication has 22 references indexed in Scilit:
- Effectiveness of general practice-based health checks: a systematic review and meta-analysisBritish Journal of General Practice, 2013
- Systematic review of the application of the plan–do–study–act method to improve quality in healthcareBMJ Quality & Safety, 2013
- A systematic review of studies of depression prevalence in university studentsJournal of Psychiatric Research, 2013
- General health checks in adults for reducing morbidity and mortality from disease: Cochrane systematic review and meta-analysisBMJ, 2012
- Development of a student health questionnaire: the necessity of a symbiosis of science and practiceGlobal Health Promotion, 2009
- Sexual behaviour and lifestyles of young men in Finland, 1998–2005. Cross-sectional survey of military conscriptsThe European Journal of Contraception & Reproductive Health Care, 2009
- Health Behaviors, Self-Rated Health, and Quality of Life: A Study Among First-Year Swedish University StudentsJournal of American College Health, 2003
- Development of the Alcohol Use Disorders Identification Test (AUDIT): WHO Collaborative Project on Early Detection of Persons with Harmful Alcohol Consumption‐IIAddiction, 1993
- A non-automated multiphasic health testing program in a student health service.American Journal of Public Health, 1973
- Periodic Health Examination of University StudentsArchives of environmental health, 1963