Implementation of School-Based Vision Care in an Urban District

Education;Children"s vision;School-based health program;School-based vision care;Vision;Education

Inns, Amanda Jean

Johns Hopkins University

关键词: Education;    Children";    s vision;    School-based health program;    School-based vision care;    Vision;    Education;   

Others  :  https://jscholarship.library.jhu.edu/bitstream/handle/1774.2/60056/INNS-DISSERTATION-2018.pdf?sequence=1&isAllowed=y

瑞士|英语

来源: JOHNS HOPKINS DSpace Repository

【 摘 要 】

Far too many disadvantaged children have unmet needs for vision care. This has serious consequences for their lives, and may be a serious barrier to academic success. The purpose of the series of studies presented in this dissertation is to examine the effectiveness of the implementation of a school-based vision care model designed to ensure that all students needing glasses receive and wear them. The basic program, Vision for Baltimore, provides vision screening, assessment, and glasses (if needed) to all children in Baltimore City Schools in grades PK-8. The studies reported here build on this major randomized experiment. This was done in three linked efforts. The first set of research questions and analyses focused on one component of the Vision for Baltimore project: the use of additional outside support and group incentives to increase parental consent rates and enhance students’ participation in the program. Findings suggest that utilizing additional support staff in the form of School Vision Advocates (SVAs), as well as modest teacher group incentives, are each effective strategies to increase the number of parent permissions, increasing the number of students utilizing a school-based vision program. The second set of research questions and analyses examined the impact of the Vision for Baltimore model of school-based vision care on glasses usage rates. The results of this study provide evidence that school-based vision programs can increase the number of students wearing glasses in schools. The third and final set of research questions and analyses descriptively examined the replacement rates of glasses across schools. While the replacement process appears to be underutilized by schools, the reason for this pattern is unknown. The study also examines the role of school organizational health with glasses replacement and usage rates. Schools with high levels of organizational health appeared more likely to develop higher levels of glasses wearing, and these schools also used the glasses replacement process for the benefit their students as needed.Examining the implementation of school-based vision programs helps these programs to become effective and replicable ways of providing necessary vision services to numerous children.