Abstract
BackgroundHealth risk behaviour among South African youth is a significant public health concern. Despite a societal mind shift to educating the public on the prevention of health risk behaviour, behavioural change is not progressing at the rate needed to influence health risk behaviour positively. The project aims to explore behavioural trends and willingness to engage in risky behaviour among senior primary school children. Secondly, to design a health risk behaviour prevention program which adequately equips senior primary school children with the necessary life skills to alter risk behaviour engagement.MethodsThe study will make use of an intervention mapping framework and a sequential, explanatory mixed methods design. Stratified random probability sampling will be used to select three primary schools in the region. Nonprobability purposive sampling will be used to select the stakeholders participating in the focus group sessions. Data collection consists of five phases with the results of each stage informing the structure and application of the next. Phase 1 - baseline data collection (needs analysis) using the child health risk behaviour survey. Phase 2 - focus group interviews. Phase 3 - a systematic review of the literature for result analysis triangulation. Phase 4 – the development of the child risk behaviour prevention program based on the outcomes of phases 1,2 and 3. Phase 5 - implementation of the program. Descriptive statistics will be used to analyse the quantitative data. Chi-square, ANOVA and multiple regression analyses will be used to predict health risk behaviour engagement. Thematic analysis will be used to analyse qualitative data.DiscussionTo our knowledge, this is the first study that would attempt to establish a health risk behaviour prevention program in youth and young people in South Africa. Overwhelming evidence exists that adolescents engage in risky health behaviour which may potentially negatively impact their lives. This study provides an opportunity to address a gap in the current strategy by developing a prevention program for young people which could later be supported by further booster programs through their adolescents. This project would serve as a baseline prevention program that could assist in the reduction of risky health behaviour among various communities.
Highlights
MethodsThe study will make use of an intervention mapping framework and a sequential, explanatory mixed methods design
Health risk behaviour among South African youth is a significant public health concern
Overwhelming evidence exists that adolescents engage in risky health behaviour which may potentially negatively impact their lives
Summary
Study setting The study will be conducted in the Drakenstein Municipality, which has the town of Paarl at its center. Second phase data will be collected using focus group interviews and analysed qualitatively. The primary investigator (PI) will use the results of the baseline data collected to build questions for the focus group sessions in the second phase of the study. Study population The study population will comprise of various stakeholders, including all grade 4–7 learners currently enrolled in a primary school in the Paarl region, teachers, parents, school nurses and influential community representatives involved in life skills training in the area. Stratified random probability sampling will be used to select three primary schools in the area This will allow for a maximum learner population of 1800 learners for the first phase risk analysis survey. Self-reported Child Health Risk Behaviour Survey (CHRBS) questionnaires will be administered at the included sites in paper format. The proposed methods of disseminating the study results will include public and stakeholder presentations, knowledge translation workshops, as well as the planned publication of results in peer-reviewed journals and presentations at relevant academic conferences
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