About DESKcohort

 

The DESKcohort project aims to monitor high schooled students aged from 12 to 18 in Central Catalonia high schools over time, to analyze their behaviour and other relevant aspects which may affect their health and their social and educational life. In general, young people have different health-related behaviours than adults, but there are few data available on youth health needs over the years. Here is the reason why DESKcohort in Central Catalonia aims to discover which are the behaviours and necessities related to health and health-related factors of young people in this territory over the years.

 

This follow-up will be carried out every two years to students from 2nd and 4th course of secondary education, 2nd course of College-preparatory and 2nd course of vocational training, therefore, these students will be monitored for five years. Participating in DESKcohort means answering a confidential questionnaire which will be conducted every two years in Central Catalonia high schools at 2nd and 4th of compulsory secondary education (CSE); 2nd of post-compulsory secondary education (PCSE); and 2nd of Intermediate Level Training Cycles (ILTC). Data will always be treated in an aggregate statistical way hence it will be useful to know the territory needs. Data will never be treated individually therefore it will be impossible to know which person will have answered the questionnaire or his/her answers.

 

This information can be vital for planning, implementing, or evaluating different actions related to public health. These actions will contribute to the implementation of policies for health improvement and the reduction of social inequalities in health. As participant high schools will be provided with a biannual report with their generic results, they will be able to detect health needs which will make it possible to implement programs that suit their youth requirements the best.