Envolvimento das Equipas de Saúde Escolar no estudo de Crianças e Jovens com Necessidades de Saúde Especiais em Escolas Portuguesas na Região de Lisboa: Relato de Experiência

Abstract

Introduction: TMonitoring prevalence is essential for planning health interventions. In Portugal, the scarcity of official data in the school context makes it difficult to understand the number and profile of children with special health care needs (CSHCN) and the interventions underway. Objectives: To report on the experience of involving school health teams (SE) in fieldwork during the study on the prevalence of CSHCN and their profile of health conditions, in the Lisbon region, Portugal. Materials and Methods: A descriptive study, in the form of an experience report, on the methodological options for the implementation of data collection by the school health teams of the municipal health units. Results: The study was implemented regionally with the participation of school health teams from 24 Community Care Units, 4 Public Health Units and 8 Local Health Units. The work of the school health teams focused on selecting the school clusters, obtaining authorization for the schools to participate, taking part in the process to randomize the clusters and liaising directly with the schools to distribute the questionnaire. Conclusions: The participation of the teams in the fieldwork was essential in order to reach a large number of schools and ensure that the sample was adherent was representative. The involvement of the school health teams was an important milestone in the research, essential for creating future support and health promotion strategies that contribute to the inclusion process, coordinated by the teams themselves.