Health awareness in elementary school curricula: a content analysis within the framework of a holistic approach to health

Abstract

The main purpose of this research was to analyze health subjects in former and current elementary school curricula . The research was a follow up study of the “Development of Health Awareness in Adolescents Project” with support from the United Nations Population Fund in conjunction with the Ministry of Education and the Human Resources Development Foundation. The project’s committee specified seven subject areas and 230 sub-categories within the framework of a holistic approach to health. Analyses were based on the goals and objectives of former and current elementary school curricula that overlapped the subjects determined by the Project Scientific Committee. Analyses were done with respect to the goals and objectives of former and current elementary school curricula indicated by the committee as being concerned with health. Goals/objectives of Life Science, Science and Technology, Social Studies, Turkish and Mathematics’ courses were analyzed. It was found that the majority of goals and objectives pertaining to these subjects appeared in the Life Sciences and Science and Technology courses in elementary school curricula. The 230 subcategories cover 131 subjects in former and 179 subjects in current elementary school curricula. These were added on important subjects as decision-making ability, the dangers of smoking, maternal and infant mortality, changes in adolescence, discrimination and vaccination in current elementary school curricula. But, sexuality, development of sexual identity, sexual violence and abuse are not covered at all in elementary school curricula