Utilizing Student Health and Academic Data: A County-Level Demonstration Project.

Area of Science:

• Public Health
• Education Policy
• Pediatric Health

Background:

• Students with chronic health conditions face significant academic challenges, including increased absenteeism and lower test performance.
• Existing health and academic data offer a valuable resource for understanding the link between student well-being and educational outcomes.

Purpose of the Study:

• To quantify the relationship between student health status and academic performance metrics such as absenteeism and GPA.
• To characterize the health profiles of chronically absent students within a K-12 population.

Main Methods:

• Utilized descriptive statistics, chi-square tests, negative binomial regression, and estimated marginal means.
• Analyzed integrated health and academic data for 3,663 students from kindergarten through Grade 12.
• Identified common conditions including Attention Deficit Disorder/Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADD/ADHD), asthma, mental health conditions, and skin disorders.

Main Results:

• Asthma and mental health diagnoses were significantly associated with increased student absences.
• ADD/ADHD and mental health diagnoses correlated with lower Grade Point Averages (GPAs).
• Chronically absent students exhibited lower GPAs and a greater number of co-occurring health conditions.

Conclusions:

• Multidisciplinary partnerships analyzing existing data can illuminate the student health-academic achievement nexus.
• Connecting student health data to academic outcomes can drive advocacy for enhanced chronic disease management resources.
• Strengthening collaborations is crucial for leveraging data to support student success.