Global Overview of School Health Services: Data from 102 Countries

Objective : The objective of this paper was to produce a global inventory of school health services and describe characteristics such as target group, providers, staffing level, services, settings, and organizational challenges. Methods : The literature in PubMed and other sources were reviewed using an explicit methodology. Results : School health services exist in at least 102 countries. Usually services are provided within school premises (97 countries), by dedicated school health personnel (59 countries). Services are provided in 16 areas; the top 5 interventions include vaccinations, sexual and reproductive health education, vision screening, nutrition screening, and nutrition health education. Conclusions : Important areas such as mental health, injury and violence prevention may not be given sufficient consideration in routine service provision. We advance several recommendations for research, policy, and practice.