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ERIC Number: EJ1489254
Record Type: Journal
Publication Date: 2025-Dec
Pages: 10
Abstractor: As Provided
ISBN: N/A
ISSN: ISSN-0022-4391
EISSN: EISSN-1746-1561
Available Date: 2025-08-26
Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on School-Based Medical Services in Austria
Journal of School Health, v95 n12 p1026-1035 2025
Background: The COVID-19 pandemic affected school students in several ways, including mental health issues, physical activity, or education. The objective of this paper is to shed light on an underexplored aspect of the pandemic by estimating its impact on the provision and utilization of routine school-based medical services by school doctors in Austria. Methods: We utilize survey-based data on school medical services collected by the Austrian Ministry of Education, Science and Research in the 2018/2019 and 2019/2020 school years. We compare both years using fixed-effects regression. Results: In the 2019/20 school year, compared to 2018/19, we observe a decline in engagement of school health professionals in health-promoting school projects (-4.3%-points) and in first-aid training sessions (-8.6%-points). Most networking activities with other school-based advisory teams decreased; only membership of a school-based crisis team increased (+6.9%-points). The share of compulsory check-ups (-24.8%-points) and student-initiated medical consultations (-17.7%-points) decreased significantly. Implications for School Health Policy, Practice, and Equity: Findings outline the need for strategies to provide school-based medical services in crises, especially in countries where school health professionals are key points of contact for medical concerns. Conclusions: Our results indicate a significant reduction in routine school medical services during the pandemic.
Wiley. Available from: John Wiley & Sons, Inc. 111 River Street, Hoboken, NJ 07030. Tel: 800-835-6770; e-mail: cs-journals@wiley.com; Web site: https://www-wiley-com.bibliotheek.ehb.be/en-us
Publication Type: Journal Articles; Reports - Research
Education Level: N/A
Audience: N/A
Language: English
Sponsor: N/A
Authoring Institution: N/A
Identifiers - Location: Austria
Grant or Contract Numbers: N/A
Author Affiliations: 1University for Continuing Education Krems (Danube University Krems), Krems an der Donau, Austria