Evaluation of School-Based Health Services and their Influence on Students' Health Outcomes in Universities in Imo State

This study examined the evaluation of school-based health services and their influence on students’ health outcomes in universities in Imo State. A correlational research design was adopted. Three objectives, three research questions, and three null hypotheses guided the study. The population comprised undergraduate students in selected universities, from which a sample of 250 respondents was drawn using a multi-stage sampling technique. Data were collected using a structured questionnaire titled School-Based Health Services and Students’ Health Outcomes Questionnaire (SBHSSHOQ). The instrument was validated by experts, and its reliability was established using Cronbach’s alpha, yielding a coefficient of 0.867. Data were analyzed using mean and standard deviation to answer the research questions, while Pearson product-moment correlation and multiple regression analysis were used to test the hypotheses at the 0.05 level of significance. The findings revealed a significant positive relationship between accessibility of school-based health services and students’ health outcomes (r = 0.62, p < 0.05). A strong and significant relationship was also found between utilization of school-based health services and students’ health outcomes (r = 0.68, p < 0.05). Furthermore, accessibility and utilization jointly had a significant influence on students’ health outcomes, accounting for 54% of the variance (R² = 0.54), with utilization emerging as the stronger predictor. The study concluded that school-based health services play a significant role in improving students’ health outcomes and recommended improved accessibility, increased awareness, and enhanced service quality.