[Adolescents' expectations with regard to school health services in Sfax, Tunisia]

Adolescent health poses new kinds of problems which are difficult to handle and solve through traditional school health centres and structures. In order to identify the expectations of adolescents with respect to their health centres, an epidemiological survey was carried out by means of a self-administered questionnaire to a representative sample of 625 high school students in Sfax, Tunisia. The principle results demonstrated that 54% of those questioned were not satisfied with the available services offered by their school health centres. Their expectations concerned physician availability, the quality level of the exchange, in particular with regard to being listened to (85%), dialogue (82%), a clear understanding of the real problems and issues (82%), as well as information (51%), discussion and consultation in the event of health problems (61%) and the quality of bedside manner (50%). Such results indicate the need for an orientation of the work of school health care staff towards a psycho-social approach centred on the individual students and which dedicates more interest to their needs, perceptions and participation.