Survey Shows Oregon Middle and High School Students Are Not Getting the Health Care They Need
Emotional Isolation, Systemic Barriers, and Silence Are Key Themes Emerging from an Oregon Student Mental and Physical Health Needs Report
Three key themes emerged from a new state Student Health Survey (SHS) in which more than one in five Oregon eighth and 11th-graders experienced unmet mental and physical health care needs – they felt emotionally isolated, experienced systemic barriers, and were met by invalidation and silence.
According to a news release from the Oregon Health Authority (OHA), the report paints a sobering picture of the challenges faced by the younger generation in accessing essential health care needs.
Report Based on Responses from More Than 45,000 Students
OHA administers the anonymous, school-based annual survey, collecting responses from more than 45,000 students statewide.
Student comments in the latest report represent 85 school districts, 327 schools and 29 counties.
The SHS was undertaken at schools between October 2022 and January 2023, and more than 4,200 students responded to open-ended questions about barriers they encountered.
The three key themes to emerge are:
Emotional isolation, leaving youngsters feeling defeated by the lack of accessible support systems.
Systemic barriers, such as lack of insurance, protracted waiting times, and transportation issues.
Invalidation and silence is a recurring theme in which students are left feeling dismissed and not taken seriously.
According to OHA, many students felt that their needs were ignored or minimized without meaningful adult intervention.
“Mental and physical health are deeply interconnected, and when students can’t access care, it affects every part of their lives—including their ability to learn and thrive,” says Tom Jeanne, deputy state health officer and epidemiologist at OHA.
Oregon Needs to Foster Safe Environments
The report stresses the importance of fostering environments in which students feel safe discussing their health needs with adults, be they parents, educators, or health professionals, who are empowered to listen and respond effectively.
Alexis Zou, a senior at Lake Oswego High School, was a primary author of the Unmet Needs Report and a member of the Oregon Youth Data Council (YDC), sponsored by OHA.
She said an alarming noticeable trend was that over 23% of Oregon eighth and 11th-graders said their physical and mental health needs were not met.
Governor Tina Kotek recently championed new investments in Oregon’s behavioral health system which included $6 million to support school-based health centers (SBHCs) increase mental health services, substance use disorder screening, and prevention programs. An additional $1 million was dedicated to support culturally specific suicide prevention efforts.
To learn more about the Youth Data Council, visit www.oregon.gov/YDC.
Read the full Unmet Needs Report and learn more about the Student Health Survey.