Injuries, absences, and visits to the nurse among children in alternative schools

Previous research suggests ecological and programmatic characteristics of schools may influence the health and health behavior of schoolchildren. In particular, schools with alternative educational programs, such as "magnet" curricula and extended school hours, have been found to have a higher incidence of student injuries. To examine further the health correlates of alternative educational programs, the authors studied injuries, health office visits, and school absences of 983 elementary schoolchildren during the 1983-1984 academic year. The study population comprised students attending three elementary schools-two with magnet programs and one with a regular primary curriculum. All three had an option for extended school hours. The frequency of school absences was related significantly to school hours, with fewer absences found in schools with extended hours (p less than .01). Enrollment in a magnet school was associated positively and significantly with rates of both health office visits and injuries, even after adjustment for the effects of age, gender, and extended school hours (p less than .001). Finally, an interaction effect was identified in which children enrolled in both a magnet curriculum and an extended day program had substantially higher rates of health office visits than did children enrolled in either program alone (p less than .001). These findings confirm a disproportionate use of school health services for injuries and other health concerns among students attending alternative educational programs. Possible explanations include differences in student characteristics, adult supervision, or the family lifestyles of children in alternative schools.