School Nurse-Led Help-Seeking Program in Middle School Students

NCT07582939 | Active Not Recruiting

• 1 other identifier: KBU-HEM464-503441
• Study Type: interventional
• Target: 280
• Locations: 1 country
• Sites: 1

Brief Summary

This study aims to evaluate the effect of a school nurse-led symptom awareness and appropriate help-seeking program on the health behaviors of middle school students. In school settings, middle school students frequently experience common symptoms such as headache, abdominal pain, or fatigue but may have difficulty recognizing their significance and seeking appropriate help. Improving symptom awareness and help-seeking behaviors in middle school students is essential for promoting health and preventing potential complications. This cluster randomized controlled pilot study will be conducted among middle school students. Classes will be randomly assigned to either the intervention or control group. The intervention group will receive a structured, school nurse-led education program consisting of four sessions focusing on recognizing body signals, understanding common symptoms, and making appropriate help-seeking decisions. The control group will continue with routine school activities without receiving the intervention. Data will be collected at baseline and after the intervention using a scenario-based help-seeking assessment and a help-seeking attitude form. The results of this study are expected to provide evidence for the effectiveness of school nurse-led interventions in improving students' health behaviors and contribute to the development of school health programs.

Conditions

Help-Seeking Behavior; Focus; School Health; Symptom Awareness

Keywords

Middle School Students; School Nursing; Help-Seeking Behavior; Symptom Awareness; Health Education; Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial; Adolescent Health Behavior

Outcome Measures

Primary Outcomes (1)

• Help-Seeking Behavior Score (Scenario-Based Assessment)

  The primary outcome is students' help-seeking behavior, assessed using a scenario-based help-seeking test developed for middle school students. The assessment evaluates students' ability to recognize symptom severity and select appropriate help-seeking actions in common school-related situations (e.g., seeking help from a teacher, school nurse, or family member). Scores range from 0 to 10, with higher scores indicating more appropriate help-seeking behavior.

  Baseline and 4 weeks (post-intervention)

Secondary Outcomes (1)

• School Health Office Visits

  During the 4-week intervention period

Study Arms (2)

School Nurse-Led Education Program

EXPERIMENTAL

Students in this group will receive a school nurse-led symptom awareness and appropriate help-seeking education program consisting of four structured sessions. The program focuses on recognizing body signals, understanding common symptoms, interpreting symptom severity, and making appropriate help-seeking decisions within the school setting.

Behavioral: School Nurse-Led Symptom Awareness and Help-Seeking Education Program

Routine School Activities

NO INTERVENTION

Students in this group will continue with routine school activities and will not receive any additional intervention during the study period.

Interventions

School Nurse-Led Symptom Awareness and Help-Seeking Education Program BEHAVIORAL

This intervention is a structured, school nurse-led education program designed to improve symptom awareness and appropriate help-seeking behaviors among middle school students. The program consists of four sessions delivered in a classroom setting. The content includes recognizing body signals, identifying common symptoms such as headache, abdominal pain, dizziness, and fatigue, interpreting symptom severity, and making appropriate help-seeking decisions within the school environment (e.g., seeking help from a teacher, school nurse, or family member). The sessions are designed to be age-appropriate, interactive, and student-centered, incorporating discussions and real-life scenarios to enhance understanding and engagement. The program aims to support students in developing the ability to recognize when a symptom requires attention and to choose appropriate sources of help.

School Nurse-Led Education Program

Eligibility Criteria

• Age: 10 Years - 13 Years
• Sex: all
• Healthy Volunteers: Yes
• Age Groups: Child (0-17)

You may qualify if:

• Being between 10 and 13 years of age (5th-7th grade students)
• Providing written informed consent from parents and assent from the student
• Regular school attendance
• No condition preventing participation in group sessions

You may not qualify if:

• Presence of a diagnosed neurological or psychiatric condition that may prevent participation in group activities
• Cognitive or developmental impairments that significantly affect communication
• Planned long-term school absence during the study period

Sponsors & Collaborators

• Karabuk University: lead

Study Sites (1)

Karabük University

Karabük, Turkey (Türkiye)

Location

MeSH Terms

Conditions

Help-Seeking Behavior; Health Education

Condition Hierarchy (Ancestors)

Social Behavior; Behavior; Adherence Interventions; Medication Adherence; Patient Compliance; Patient Acceptance of Health Care; Treatment Adherence and Compliance; Health Behavior

Study Design

• Study Type: interventional
• Phase: not applicable
• Allocation: RANDOMIZED
• Masking: NONE
• Purpose: PREVENTION
• Intervention Model: PARALLEL
• Sponsor Type: OTHER
• Responsible Party: PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR
• PI Title: Assistant Professor

Model Details: Cluster randomized parallel-group design with class-level allocation.

Study Record Dates

• First Submitted: April 24, 2026
• First Posted: May 13, 2026
• Study Start: April 15, 2026
• Primary Completion: May 1, 2026
• Study Completion (Estimated): June 1, 2026
• Last Updated: May 13, 2026

Record last verified: 2026-05

Data Sharing

• IPD Sharing: Will not share

Locations

TU (1)