4. Results
five risk factors (suicide, running away, sexual behaviour, substance abuse and
parental substance abuse) among urban minority junior high school students in
the USA.
Four studies evaluated tools that were designed to be used in health-care
settings, such as primary care. Van Antwerp (Van Antwerp, 1995) evaluated a
tool to assess lifestyle and behaviour among young people in the USA. Dafflon
and Michaud (2000) evaluated a tool designed to facilitate effective health
consultation among young people in France. This tool covered health problems
and symptoms, as well as mental health, lifestyle and personal and environmental
resources. Harrison et al. (2001) developed and tested a psychosocial screening
tool with young people in the USA. A final study in this group focused on a very
specific tool. Prochaska et al. (2001) developed and tested a physical activity
screening measure for use with young people in the USA.
For five studies, it was unclear whether tools were designed for use in particular
settings. Ravens-Sieberer (2001) reported on a cross-Europe project to measure
health-related quality of life. These instruments were developed in consultation
with children and young people, and assessed physical, mental and social
wellbeing. Two studies tested a child health and illness profile with groups in the
USA: one evaluated the child self-report version (Riley et al., 2004b), and the
second the parent report version (Riley et al., 2004a). This tool covered five
dimensions: satisfaction with self and health; emotional and physical comfort;
resilience; risk avoidance; and achievement. In the USA, Yarcheski et al. (2005)
evaluated a tool to assess how young people conceptualise health, including
‘wellness’ and ‘clinical health’. The final study evaluated a tool to assess both
emotional and physical health problems among young people in Vietnam (Vo et
al., 2005).
4.3.6 Systematic reviews
We identified five systematic reviews which looked as though they might offer
relevant information. However, none of these reviews exactly matched the topic,
intervention and population focus of this scoping review. All the reviews focused
mainly on primary-care settings rather than school settings. In some of these
reviews, very little or no relevant evidence was identified. Fothergill et al. (2003)
aimed to examine the role of the school nurse in the detection of mental health
problems among young people, but no relevant studies were identified. Stickler et
al. (2000) examined the literature on whether annual physical examinations for
young people were necessary. This review did identify relevant studies but these
focused on the effectiveness of routine physical examinations in terms of whether
they were able to detect previously unknown health problems, rather than on
whether they could promote physical and mental wellbeing.
Walker and Townsend (1998) aimed to examine the effectiveness of primary care
interventions to prevent mental health problems among young people. Only three
relevant studies were identified and these offered very limited information. In a
later review by the same authors, Walker and Townsend (1999) aimed to examine
the effects of providing health promotion for young people in primary care.
However, due to a paucity of studies, this review concluded that whether or not
screening followed by advice can change health behaviours requires further
evaluation. Moyer and Butler (2004) reviewed the effectiveness of three types of
interventions implemented in the context of ‘well-child care’ in primary care in the
USA: behavioural counselling; screening; and preventative treatments (e.g. use of
A scoping review of the evidence relevant to life checks for young people aged 9 to 14 years
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