The Postcard Initiative: Personal Communication From Students Can Increase Timely Compliance With Health Requirements

Immunizations and physical exams ensure the health and safety of school children. Failure to comply with state regulations can lead to exclusion from school activities.

Students in fifth and eighth grades personalized postcards that contained health requirements for entry into sixth (junior high) and ninth (high school). The postcards were mailed three times over the school year. The junior high had a decline in first-day exclusions that did not reach significance. The high school decreased first-day exclusions from 6.4% to 1.6%. Both schools had significantly more physicals turned in before August 1 when compared with the previous year.

Communicating health requirements by personalized postcards provides information in a manner that is better understood by parents/guardians.