Objective: The National Association of Pediatric Nurse Practitioners (NAPNAP) founded a national campaign entitled KySS (Keep your children/yourself Safe and Secure) in order to prevent and reduce the escalating numbers of mental health/psychosocial problems in children and adolescents. This paper will describe the development and implementation of the first phase of the KySS campaign, the national KySS survey.
Design: A cross-sectional descriptive survey was used with children/teens, parents and pediatric healthcare providers from 24 states.
Population: Children and teens, ages 10 through 18 years, and their parents from primary care practice sites across the country; Pediatric healthcare providers consisting of pediatricians, family practice physicians, nurse practitioners, and physician’s assistants.
Concept: Development of the KySS survey and national research network to assess knowledge, attitudes, worries, communication, and needs regarding commonly occurring pediatric mental health problems.
Methods: Experts in pediatric and adolescent mental health/psychosocial morbidities developed the KySS survey after an extensive search of the literature. The survey was pilot tested with 15 children/teens and their parents as well as 20 pediatric healthcare providers. The final survey consisted of 60 knowledge and attitude items as well as 13-worry and communication items as well as questions about related needs. In addition, the healthcare provider questionnaire assessed frequency of screening for these problems and the adequacy of their educational preparation in addressing these issues.
A research network was created through 24 of the 50 NAPNAP chapters. KySS survey coordinators were identified who then given instructions to randomly select pediatric nurse practitioners from their organizations who then randomly selected children/teens, parents and other healthcare providers to complete.
Findings: A total of 621 children/teens and their parents (n=603) as well as 690 healthcare providers completed the survey.
Conclusions/ Implications: A research network facilitated by a national organization is an excellent venue for collecting survey data.
Back to Promoting Mental Health in Children and Teens: Findings and Clinical Implications from the National KySS Survey
Back to 14th International Nursing Research Congress
Sigma Theta Tau International
10-12 July 2003