Filling the Gaps in Adolescent Care and School Health Policy-Tackling Health Disparities through Sports Medicine Integration

Healthcare (Basel). 2018 Nov 13;6(4):132. doi: 10.3390/healthcare6040132.

Abstract

The School-Based Health Centre (SBHC) model of healthcare delivery in community health is designed to address the unique needs of adolescents. Through a collaborative interprofessional approach, they aim to provide comprehensive care with the goal of reducing health disparities in underserved, at-risk adolescents. Integration of sports medicine health professionals is a novel approach to increasing available services, as well as patient utilization, while addressing multiple public health issues, including lack of athletic training services for youth athletes.

Keywords: Athletic Training; School-Based Health Centres; adolescent healthcare; community health; health disparities; social determinants; sports medicine.