Identifying and addressing health problems of school children through the Omaha System: a nurse-led intervention study in suburban Istanbul

Abstract

Background Health problems such as anxiety, depression, obesity, and dental caries are increasingly common among school-aged children. Early detection and timely interventions are essential to promote healthy childhoods and reduce future healthcare burdens. Especially in Turkey, few studies have addressed schoolchildren's health problems holistically, particularly using the Omaha System. This study aimed to identify the physiological, psychosocial, health-related behavioral, and environmental health problems of migrant and non-migrant schoolchildren in suburban Istanbul, to implement person-centered nursing interventions through the Omaha System, and to examine factors associated with these problems. Methods This is a descriptive, cross-sectional, one-group pre-intervention assessment design with integrated nursing interventions study. Data to create each schoolchild's health file were collected using the Children's Depression Inventory, the Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders, the Adolescent Lifestyle Profile, anthropometric measurements, a Snellen vision checklist, and an oral and dental health checklist. These data, together with information obtained from individual interviews with the children, were integrated into electronic records in the Omaha System, which guided the identification of health problems and the implementation of person-centered nursing interventions. Results The sample consisted of 918 children aged 10-14 years (grades 5-8); 51% were female, and 5% were Syrian migrants. The most frequent problems were oral health issues (29%), mental health concerns (14%), personal care difficulties (12%), and nutritional problems (11%). A total of 49 targets were used from the Omaha System, resulting in 14,586 interventions, Interventions were primarily classified as teaching, guidance, and counseling (48.5%), followed by survey category (24%). Migration status was significantly associated with mental health (p = 0.001) , personal care (p -.002), nutrition (p<.001), and physical activity (p<.001). Conclusion Nurse-led interventions using the Omaha System effectively addressed common and preventable health problems among schoolchildren, underscoring the need for scalable, evidence-based school health programs tailored to vulnerable populations.