| Summary: | The school-age period is one in which the health status
of the pupil must be constantly observed and appraised
if optimal growth and development are to be realized.
Therefore, Oregon laws provide that the State Board of
Health shall have direct supervision of all matters pretaining
to the preservation of the life and health of the
people of the state. To achieve this purpose, the Superintendant
of Public Instruction is given the duty to prescribe
for, with the advice of the State Board of Health,
the program of health examinations for pupils. The
county and city school superintendants are made responsible
for carrying out this program. These health examinations
render a type of health service to children that
develop understanding and action by parents and result in
an improved health status of the child.
In this study the questionnaire method was used and
brought a fifty per cent return which was considered sufficient
to make the study factual. Information for this
study was collected from all areas of the state and included
completed questionnaires from elementary, junior
high and high schools. The total enrollment of the 125
schools returning the questionnaire came to a figure of
40,101 students. Of this total number only 36,455 were
reported by the administrators as being in one of the
nine categories available for health examination on the
questionnaire. Of the 36,455 students recorded, only
23,378 were provided with health examinations, or 64
plus per cent. This figure is rather disappointing as
it was hoped the percentage would be at least in the
nineties.
As was expected, the students participating in
athletics are receiving a higher per cent of examinations
than any other group of school-age children. Of the
8,894 athletes listed, 8,610 were given health examinations,
or 97 per cent. The principals indicated that of
the 4,765 pupils entering school for the first time,
4,101 received health examinations, or 87 per cent of the
total. This group ranked second in the percentages, a
full ten per cent behind the athletic participant group.
There were 2,011 pupils referred for examination by the
teacher or by the teacher-nurse screening. Of this number,
1,679 pupils were examined which indicates that 83
per cent of those referred were examined. This particular
group ranked third in the over-all picture. Of the
pupils entering the ninth grade and new to the school,
73 per cent are being examined according to the questionnaire.
There were 6,647 pupils in this group and
4,848 received examinations. Of the 2,260 seventh grade
pupils, 1,181 were given a health examination which gives
a percentage figure of 52 plus per cent. Very little
examining is done in the tenth or other grades according
to the information gathered. Of the 961 students listed
in this group, only 328 received examinations, or 34 per
cent. Of the 10,917 students participating in the intramural
and recreation program, only 1,631 were given a
health examination, or 15 per cent. === Graduation date: 1955
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