Marina KuzmanCroatian National Institute of Public Health

Leuven, 2010

European Union for School and

University Health and Medicine

“For developmental as well as epidemiological reasons, young people need youth-friendly models of primary care….Enough is known to recommend that a priority for the future is to ensure that each country, state and locality has a policy and support to encourage provision of innovative and well-assessed youth-firendly services”

Tylee A, Haller DM, Graham T, Churchill R, Sanci LA. Youth-friendly primary-care services: how are we doing and what more needs to be done. Lancet 2007;365:1565-1573.

What is needed for children and youth

EUSUHM GOALS

To foster and encourage population-based health care for children and young people in all European countries with the emphasis on the relevant setting related to their stage of life (e.g. daycare centres, kindergartens, schools, universities).

To foster and encourage the development and improvement of health services in these settings.

EUSUHM GOALS (2)

To keep member associations and individual members informed regarding the current demands and changing pattern of preschool, school and student health care in the different countries.

To support and harmonize the development and maintenance of specific medical training in school health, respecting the rights and needs of individual countries to create, continue and develop nationally relevant training programmes.

EUSUHM: AREAS OF ACTION

To support member organisations to attain and maintain high quality youth health care services in their countries

To support member organisations to attain and maintain high quality postgraduate training programmes for youth health professionals

To support member organisations to base youth health care activities on scientific evidence

To facilitate communication with and between member organisations

To examine opportunities for collaboration with other European organisations focusing on the health of youth

EUSUHM members:

Belgium Croatia Estonia Finland (2

Organisations) Germany Hungary Macedonia

Netherlands Norway Russia Slowenia Switzerland United Kingdom

(3 Organisations)

EUSUHM argues, in line with its’ mission, purpose and member organizations that in EUSUHM countries several basic principles regarding health care for school children and university students are respected:

Trained professionals

School health services in EUSUHM countries employ wide range of professionals - medical doctors, nurses, psychologists, social workers.

The common characteristic for majority of countries is that for being fully engaged in these services, medical doctors have to have specific education,

EUSUHM argues that according to the country rules, the specific education for working within these services is recommended and needed.

A great diversity in an organization

In most countries School or Youth Health Services are providing specific care for adolescents and school aged youngsters

In the organisation of these Services a variety of instances are involved: Non-profit organisations Local authorities : communities – municipalities –

county public health institutes Central Government: National Public Health

Institute, Ministries, National Board of Health Other, …

In some countries the organisation of these Services is rather weak, and dependent of local initiatives

Professionals working in the SHS

Medical doctors: school doctors, paediatricians, GP’s, gynaecologists, psychiatrists, urologists-andrologists, cardiologists

(School) nurses (School) dentist Nutritionists Psychologists, pedagogues Social workers Doctor assistants Other school staff (headmaster, teachers,

kitchen,…)

Training: Existing postgraduate programmes

Great variety of training programmes:

full medical specialisation in school and adolescent medicine specific 1- or 2-year postgraduate

programmes short intensive courses (days or weeks) complete absence of any recognised

specific training in adolescent health.

Challenges regarding training in Adolescent/School Health

Lack of interest/motivation of providers regarding training in adolescent/school health

Problems regarding financing of training

Lack of awareness of authorities of the importance of adolescent health (and therefore for the need of training)

Recognized needs regarding training in adolescent/school health

Definition of minimal competences for professionals in adolescent/school health is needed (medical doctors and nurses specifically)

An European standard for professional training in adolescent/school health Recognition of a (sub)specialty Adolescent Health

Care/School Health Care

Criteria to evaluate the competence of providers in adolescent/school health care

International Collaboration between universities and training institutions to maximalize the educational quality of the existing programmes in the European Region