School-based health centres in cape breton: Gathering evidence within a district health authority to inform policy and practice

The purpose of this study is to work with the Cape Breton District Health Authority in order to change and enhance their current, and future, system of school-based health centres (SBHCs) through a process of knowledge translation. In addition, we aim to establish a network of researchers and planners/policy makers for ongoing collection of data about school based health centre use and adolescent behaviours to determine trends over time and assist with the development of further interventions and strategies to promote and protect youth health. We will initially collect data about the use of the SBHCs from student surveys and data routinely collected at the SBHCs. These data will then be used in an initial workshop with planners and policy makers to determine how to enhance SBHC services generally. A second workshop will look at issues of special risk groups and the need for targeted interventions. Educational video-conferences will be held with SBHC health professionals to strengthen their abilities to meet adolescent health needs identified through the research process. Developing solid relationships between universities and planners/policy makers is crucial to ongoing development and use of information that leads to planning which incorporates needs identified by District Health Authorities in Nova Scotia.