Adolescents' evaluations of the quality of lifestyle counselling in school-based health care.

BACKGROUND: Adolescents need effective lifestyle counselling precisely because health problems are so common. Good-quality lifestyle counselling can prevent the problems from becoming worse and decrease the costs of health care. Nurse practitioners in schools are well positioned to promote adolescent health.

AIM: This study describes adolescents' evaluations of the quality of lifestyle counselling and factors related to it in school-based health care.

METHODS: The data were collected from seventh- to ninth-grade adolescents (n = 846) using the Counselling Quality Instrument, from two junior high schools in northern Finland. The study employed a web-based survey. Response rate was 67% (n = 563). The data were analysed via descriptive statistics.

RESULTS: Most adolescents (84%) reported that the counselling resources related to school-based health care are quite good. Most of them reported that nutrition (70%) and physical activity (63%) related to lifestyle counselling are sufficient. Approximately half of adolescents (51%) considered the counselling related to substance abuse as being sufficient. Most (80%) felt that the level of interaction during counselling is good. Overall, the majority of adolescents reported that goal-oriented lifestyle counselling (67%) and adolescent-centred counselling (69%) are good. Finally, most adolescents (72%) reported that they have benefitted from lifestyle counselling. Gender and health status were significantly related to resources, interaction and benefits of lifestyle counselling. Girls evaluated that counselling were more adolescent-centred than boys. Adolescents with very good health status evaluated content of lifestyle counselling better than adolescents with poorer health status.

CONCLUSION: The adolescents evaluated the quality of lifestyle counselling in school-based health care as mainly being good. School nurses should pay particular attention when providing counselling to boys and those who are in poorer health.