School Health Research Articles

Teachers’ Knowledge, Attitude, and Practice on Schoolchildren’s Visual and Eye Health: A Scoping Review

Abstract Studies on knowledge, attitude, and practice (KAP) of teachers regarding schoolchildren’s visual and eye health is an important step before implementing further collaboration between education and healthcare system. The input in this field is limited as many countries are at the early stage of involving teachers in school health screening programmes. This review aims to understand the level of KAP among teachers on schoolchildren’s visual and eye health and the methodology used to conduct these studies. This scoping review was conducted based on Arksey and O’Malley’s framework for scoping studies. A systematic search using electronic databases (Scopus, Web of Science, PubMed and Ebscohost) was conducted to identify relevant articles, imported into the Rayyan web application for review management. Mendeley desktop was utilised for citation management. A total of 463 articles were identified during the selection process, and 17 articles were included in this scoping review after eligibility screening. These studies were grouped into three designs: cross-sectional, intervention, and qualitative. This scoping review revealed that the level of knowledge and practice among teachers on schoolchildren’s visual and eye health was low to moderate, while the level of attitude was good. Some misconceptions exist among teachers regarding children’s visual and eye health. Training programmes for teachers are crucial to significantly improve their KAP levels. Most of the teachers lacked the knowledge and practice concerning children’s visual and eye health. However, with a good attitude, their awareness level can be upgraded with proper training, eye screening facilities, and access to information.

Evaluation of the health services provided by the primary schools in southwest Districts of Mogadishu, Somalia

Purpose: This study set out to evaluate the state of the School Health Services SHS in primary schools across the Southwest Districts of Mogadishu, Somalia. Methods: The Southwest Districts of Mogadishu City, which are made up of the four districts "Wadajir, Dharkenley, Kahda, and Deyniile," served as the study site. In Mogadishu, these four districts rank among the biggest. The population was estimated around a million. A cross sectional descriptive study conducted from January to July 2024. A School Health Evaluation Scale Questionnaire was completed for each school by direct interview, there were about 100 elementary schools in the Area that were officially registered, comprising 60 private and 40 public schools. Results: Of the Teachers in the schools surveyed, 8 (30.8%) were trained to assess the physical status of children. Only 6 (23%) schools observe and assess health status of school children regularly. Overall, twenty-one schools (80.7%) has no sick bay/health center. 80.8% has no a policy on first aid and emergency treatment. First Aid boxes were present only 2 schools (7.7%). Only 6 schools (23%) used their dispositions to exclude and re-admit students suffering from communicable diseases from school. 7 Schools 26.9% require students to be immunized against communicable diseases. Conclusion: both public and private elementary schools in Mogadishu southwest districts, the quality of the school health services was generally poor. Thus, we would like to encourage that the management of the elementary schools be given immediate attention. First aid should be taught to at least one member of staff in every elementary school. The Ministry of Education ought to make this a requirement for registration and a policy.

Utah Young Adults Describe What They Wished They Had Learned in Sex Education: A Qualitative Study.

Utah implements an abstinence-based approach to sex education. However, research has found that abstinence-based sex education is associated with higher risk-taking behaviors, and youth would like more from their school-based sex education. This study examined what sex education information or programs young adults in Utah would have liked to receive during high school. Participants provided responses to a single open-ended question included in the Utah College Sexual Behavior Survey. The results of a thematic analysis show the emergence of four salient themes, including fundamental knowledge, contraception and sexually transmitted infection prevention, personal safety, consent, and abuse. Findings suggest that participants wanted sex education beyond just abstinence and stressed the importance of inclusive education. Recommendations for school nurses and the important role they play in delivering sex education include receiving education needed to teach sex education and working with school health educators to act as a resource.

PREVENTING AND COMBATING BULLYING: AN ANALYSIS OF HELP TEAMS

Bullying is one of the biggest challenges faced by schools, deeply impacting students' emotional health and development. Recognized as a form of systematic violence by the World Health Organization (WHO), bullying has serious consequences, ranging from anxiety and social withdrawal to lasting psychological problems. In Brazil, the National School Health Survey (PENSE, 2022) reveals that one in five young people engages in bullying. This study aims to discuss strategies to prevent and combat bullying, focusing on the implementation of Help Teams, a form of youth leadership that promotes healthy coexistence and reduces violence. The research was conducted using a qualitative approach, based on a literature review and analysis of documentary and legislative data, including studies by Tognetta (2022), Loch et al. (2020), and Allen and Kern (2017). The results indicate that Help Teams are an effective strategy to improve school climate and student well-being, providing a reduction in cases of bullying. However, implementation faces challenges, such as a lack of resources and the need for ongoing training for educators. The study concludes that, for schools to become spaces for welcoming and preventing conflicts, a collective effort from the school community, institutional support and well-implemented public policies are necessary, with youth leadership as a fundamental tool.

Factors Associated with Homosexual Adolescents in South Korea

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to investigate factors related to homosexual adolescents in South Korea. Methods: Using statistics from the 12th (2016) Korea Youth Risk Behavior Web-based Survey, hierarchical logistic regression analysis was conducted. The study sample comprised 65,528 middle and high school students aged 12 to 18 years. Results: The significant predictors of homosexual intercourse were gender, attempted suicide, bullying at school experience, ever drinking, ever smoking, habitual or purposeful drug use, cohabitation with family, weekly allowance, and mother’s education levels. Conclusions: The results suggest that gender-related interventions should be considered in school health education programs and that sexual health interventions for high-risk groups may be needed, given the factors predicting homosexual intercourse.

Analysis of The Prevention Needs of Adolescent Girls' Mental Health Disorders: A Qualitative Study

Adolescent girls in Jakarta face unique mental health challenges due to cultural, social, and environmental factors. Understanding their prevention needs is critical to inform targeted interventions. This qualitative study aimed to explore the prevention needs of mental health disorders among adolescent girls in Jakarta, shedding light on their experiences and requirements for effective support. We conducted a qualitative study in Jakarta, Indonesia. Participants included 4 counseling guidance teachers consisting of public schools, private schools, Islamic and Christian affiliated schools, 2 parents, 1 coordinator of the School Health Unit, 2 health workers who hold PKPR projects, and the supervisor in charge of the school health unit, selected through purposive sampling. Data were collected through focus group discussion and analyzed using thematic analysis manually. The study reveals that teachers and parents have varying levels of exposure to adolescent mental health information, with some offering counseling but not always tailored to girls' needs. Parents often rely on subtle cues to detect mental health issues in their daughters. There's room for improvement in addressing girls' mental health needs in schools, with specific training for teachers and more open parent-daughter communication. Further research is needed to ensure uniform support for adolescent mental health.

Students', parents' and teachers' perspectives on comprehensive school-based sleep promotion.

Sleep deprivation is common among children and schools are ideal settings in which to influence children's sleep. Children spend a significant amount of time at school during key developmental periods, and programmes that influence students' well-being also benefit academic achievement. Comprehensive School Health (CSH) is an approach that prioritises school, home and community partnerships by supporting the development of health behaviours. However, sleep is often unaddressed in the school environment. The objective of this study was to integrate multiple partner perspectives to inform how to strengthen school-based sleep promotion using a CSH approach. A secondary qualitative analysis of student aged 9-11 (n = 45), parent/guardian (n = 24) and teacher (n = 19) interviews from participants representing elementary (Kindergarten - Grade 6) schools and communities in Alberta, Canada was conducted. Data were examined using an a priori framework in alignment with the four components of the CSH approach: social and physical environment, teaching and learning, policy and partnerships and services. Inductive content analysis was used to develop categories followed by subthemes within each CSH component. Subthemes identified within each component were as follows: social and physical environment (culture of healthy sleep habits; students influence each other); teaching and learning (formally integrate sleep-specific learning into curricula; school, teacher and parents/guardian collaboration); policy (sleep-positive classroom policies) and partnerships and services (community partnerships; school-home collaboration). This research identifies recommendations from student, parent/guardian and teacher interviews to inform and strengthen school-based sleep promotion when taking a CSH approach. Findings can support school partner efforts to foster a school culture (or ethos) of healthy sleep habits leading to improvements in student sleep behaviours.

Handwashing with soap training for elementary school children along the Martapura riverbank

Handwashing with soap, when practiced correctly, is the simplest and most effective way to prevent the spread of fecal-oral and other diseases among children. One of the national elementary school health programs is handwashing with soap (CTPS). Therefore, the purpose of this community service activity is to improve the handwashing skills of elementary school children living near the Martapura River. The methods used were lectures with question-and-answer sessions, demonstrations, focus group discussions, and practice. The results of this activity showed an increase in understanding and skills related to CTPS, so that children know the benefits and procedures.

Qualitative study investigating the health needs of school-aged children and adolescents in Dubai

BackgroundChildren’s health has been linked with morbidities such as cardiovascular events, type 2 diabetes and obesity in adulthood. Further efforts are needed to understand the current and emerging challenges due...

Joint effect of docosahexaenoic acid intake and tobacco smoke exposure on learning disability in children and adolescents: a cross-sectional study from the NHANES database

BackgroundDocosahexaenoic acid (DHA) has been reported to be associated with the children’s neurodevelopment, who may be exposed to tobacco smoke simultaneously. The evidence about joint effect of DHA intake and tobacco smoke exposure on children and adolescents’ learning disabilities (LD) was limited. The objective of this study was to assess the joint effect of DHA intake and tobacco smoke exposure on children and adolescents’ LD.MethodsA cross-sectional analysis of the NHANES 1999–2004 was performed. Children and adolescents aged 6–15 years old were included. The outcome was diagnosed by parental report of ever health professionals or school representative-identified LD. Dietary DHA intake data were obtained by food frequency questionnaire and tobacco smoke exposure levels were evaluated by serum cotinine levels. Weighted univariable and multivariate logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the joint effect of DHA intake and tobacco smoke exposure on LD in children and adolescents, with odds ratios (ORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). This joint association was further assessed after stratification by age, gender, body mass index, the history of attention deficit disorder and seen mental health professional.ResultsWe identified 5,247 children and adolescents in present study, of whom 593 (11.30%) had LD. After adjusting covariates, we observed children and adolescents with DHA intake (OR = 0.76, 95%CI: 0.61–0.96) was related to lower incidence of LD; children who exposure to tobacco smoke was related to higher incidence of LD (OR = 1.54, 95%CI: 1.07–2.23); children and adolescents who exposure to tobacco smoke and without DHA intake were related to highest odds of LD (OR = 2.08, 95%CI: 1.37–3.17, P for trend = 0.042), that was, DHA and tobacco smoke exposure may have a joint effect on the odds of LD in children and adolescents. Subgroup analyses suggested this joint effect was robust especially among children and adolescents with normal & underweight BMI and without the history of attention deficit disorder and seen mental health professional.ConclusionIncreasing the DHA intake and reducing tobacco smoke exposure may have a potential role in the prevention of LD in children and adolescents. This joint effect warrants further investigation by large-scale prospective study.

Children's and parents' attitudes to and knowledge about HPV vaccination following a targeted information intervention.

The aim of this study was to investigate Swedish children's and parents' attitudes and knowledge about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination a year after gender-neutral HPV vaccination was introduced in Sweden's national immunization program (NIP). Additional information about HPV and vaccine was provided in the extended immunazation program. In total, 276 parents and 206 children from 22 School Health Services responded to a web-based survey. Results showed that half of the children and about a third of the parents received additional Public Health Agency information about HPV vaccination, and a majority were satisfied. Parents considered HPV vaccination being important for their children's health, and both children and parents considered it important to vaccinate all genders against HPV. Both children and parents rated school nurses as most reliable source of HPV vaccination information. Teachers were also a common source of HPV and HPV vaccination information for children. Further research among teachers in Sweden is needed to explore their knowledge and abilities to inform students and parents about HPV and vaccination.

Exploring Innovative U.S. School Health Delivery Models: A Narrative Review.

School health services have been described as the "hidden healthcare" system because of their isolation within schools and from other healthcare providers. This isolation may inhibit innovations in school healthcare delivery. Hence, there is a need to identify and characterize various delivery models. This review examines models to identify innovative approaches and formulate suggestions for public health departments, local and state educational agencies, and policymakers. Toward this goal, published and gray literature were studied and synthesized, identifying three delivery models: the traditional model of school-based nursing and two alternative models: school-based health centers and community partnerships. Mechanisms of delivery included telehealth, mobile clinics, and system-level care. Although no innovative, comprehensive approaches to school health services models were found, innovation generally focused on improving equitable delivery to vulnerable populations. Policies must be formulated and funded to integrate such innovations into a comprehensive, preventative approach, including improved care coordination and data sharing.

Guardians of health: School nurses and their leadership roles in the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic in education<sup></sup>

This study investigated school health nurses’ critical role and importance in managing infectious diseases during the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic has had negative impacts on schools and educational institutions. In light of these impacts, the assistance of school health nurses in overcoming difficulties in accessing health services for students and their families was examined globally. The study aimed to explore the status of school nursing practices in various countries in response to the challenges posed by the COVID-19 pandemic, assess the situation in Turkey, and examine how these nurses contribute to health management in educational settings. To identify pertinent literature, relevant publications were reviewed using key terms such as ‘school nursing,’ ‘infectious disease management,’ ‘COVID-19,’ ‘safe school,’ and ‘public health’. The search focused on studies analysing the role of school health nurses during the pandemic. Sources included academic databases, public health reports, and public health organisation publications. Due to the lack of precise data on the employment of school health nurses in Turkey, specific information on their role during the pandemic could not be found. However, the relevant literature was comprehensively reviewed, and the study analysed global publications highlighting the critical role of school nurses in managing infectious diseases in educational settings. The study highlights that school health nurses play significant roles in preventing and controlling communicable diseases and contribute notably to health education for students and staff during the pandemic. School health nurses protect children and adolescents’ physical, psychological, and spiritual well-being. Findings suggest that structural changes in health and education systems are needed to enhance the effectiveness of school nurses. This study underscores the critical importance of school health nurses in pandemic management and public health protection. Strengthening their role is vital for preventing the spread of infectious diseases in schools and ensuring the well-being of students. Recommendations include increasing the employment of school health nurses, improving their professional development, and integrating their expertise into pandemic management strategies.

Trailblazer in Health Education: The Legacy of Thomas Denison Wood.

Thomas Denison Wood, often regarded as the "Father of Health Education," was a pioneering figure in the early 20th century whose work laid the foundation for modern health education. His contributions were instrumental in integrating health education into the public school curriculum in the United States. Wood advocated for a holistic approach to health, encompassing physical fitness, hygiene, nutrition, mental health, and preventive care. His key achievements include the development of comprehensive health education programs, leadership in professional organizations, and the establishment of the New York City School Health Program. Wood authored several influential books, such as "Health by Stunts" (1901) and "A Textbook of Hygiene" (1915), which provided practical guidance on maintaining health and were widely used in educational settings. His work emphasized the importance of lifelong health education, beginning in childhood and continuing throughout life. Through his writings, teaching, and advocacy, Wood significantly shaped the field of health education, and his legacy continues to influence health education practices today.

Competencies needed for public health workforce in the programs of Iran's health transformation plan: A descriptive study based on programs, operations, and competencies chain.

The public health workforce faces a wide range of challenges related to people's health. Thus, they need a combination of different professional skills and competencies to perform essential public health operations and provide services to people. The present study was conducted to determine the competencies needed for the public health workforce to implement health transformation plan programs at Ahvaz University of Medical Sciences in the capital of Khuzestan province in Iran. This research was a descriptive cross-sectional study that was conducted in 2020 among 51 managers and experts of the health deputy and faculty members of the public health school. STROBE guideline was used for the present study. The research tools were two researcher-made questionnaires based on the chain of Programs, Operations, and Competencies (POC). Additionally, the validity and reliability of the questionnaires were checked. Cronbach's alpha coefficient was equal to 0.87 for the first questionnaire (programs-operations) and 0.85 for the second questionnaire (operations-competencies). The operations of surveillance of population health and well-being, monitoring and responding to health hazards and emergencies, and disease prevention, including early detection of illness, obtained the highest mean total score (3.9 (95% CI: 3.6 to 4.2)). Respect for and adherence to ethical principles and confidentiality in any professional activity obtained the highest mean total score (4.0 (95% CI: 3.7 to 4.3)) among the needed competencies. To properly implement public health programs, managers must plan and take necessary measures to improve such operations as surveillance of population health and well-being, monitoring and responding to health hazards and emergencies, disease prevention (including early detection of illness), and promotion of the workforce competencies in the field of respect for and adherence to ethical principles and confidentiality in any professional activity.

Experiences of Young People From LGBTQ-Headed Families of School and Student Health Care Services in Finland: A Qualitative Study

Experiences of Young People From LGBTQ-Headed Families of School and Student Health Care Services in Finland: A Qualitative Study

CPR Memory and Skill Degradation Among Non-Allied Healthcare Professionals

Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation is defined by the Mayo Clinic as a lifesaving technique that is useful in many emergencies, such as a heart attack, stroke, choking, or drowning, in which someone’s breathing and heartbeat have stopped.Under the guidelines put forth by the International Liaison Committee on Resuscitation (ILCOR) and the Emergency Cardiovascular Care Organization (ECC), the American Red Cross and American Heart Association currently require that an individual’s CPR certification be renewed every two years. However, data has suggested that non-allied healthcare providers, such as school-based personnel, may require more regular training to maintain required CPR proficiency levels. Four hundred non-allied healthcare professionals from a school district in central Georgia were CPR-certified under the American Heart Association (AHA) Heart-Saver curriculum. Participants included 153 males and 247 females from elementary, middle, and high school settings. Participants included administrators, teachers, coaches, and staff. Two tenured college professors from the School of Health and Human Performance were responsible for teaching and certifying study participants. Each of these professors possessed a minimum of five years of CPR certification experience with the American Heart Association. Course sizes were limited to 12-15 participants. All CPR certification courses were implemented under standardized, controlled circumstances. Following the initial certification, twenty-five percent of participants were randomly selected to be reassessed at either three, six, nine, or twelve months, respectively, to determine memory and skill degradation rates and patterns. Degradation of declarative and procedural knowledge was observed during subsequent retest sessions at each of the three-, six-, nine-, and twelve-month marks. Scores depreciated approximately 10% each three-month retesting period, to 88%, 79%, 69%, and 57%, respectively. Data suggest that after six months, participants failed to meet the AHA standards for demonstrating acceptable declarative and procedural knowledge related to CPR implementation. Due to the observed degradation in both declarative and procedural knowledge, it is apparent that a more periodic training and recertification process in CPR is required for school-based personnel. A more consistent and periodic approach to preparing school-based first responders may prove beneficial in maintaining CPR proficiency rates, which very well could save lives.

Effects of health education intervention on menstrual hygiene knowledge and practices among the adolescent girls of Pokhara Metropolitan, Nepal.

Poor menstrual hygiene practices are one of the major public health problems in Nepal. Due to persistent taboos and socio-cultural constraints, adolescent girls are often unaware of scientific facts, knowledge, and practices related to menstrual hygiene. This paper aims to assess the effects of health education intervention on menstrual hygiene knowledge and practices among adolescent girls in Pokhara Metropolitan, Nepal. A true experimental study was conducted in two government basic schools in Pokhara Metropolitan, Nepal. The study population was adolescent girls who had attended the menarche. Firstly, a pretest with the help of a self-administered questionnaire was done to find out the socio-demographic information, knowledge and practices of menstrual hygiene. Next, health education sessions were conducted among the intervention group. Finally, after one month of intervention, a post-test was conducted among the intervention and non-intervention group. Data analysis was done through descriptive and inferential statistics. The findings showed significant improvement in the knowledge and practice level of adolescent girls on menstrual hygiene after health education intervention. Participants in the intervention group showed a significant increase in knowledge scores from 10.0% to 67.0%, while the non-intervention group remained unchanged at 7.5%. Good menstrual hygiene practices scores in the intervention group increased significantly from 22.5% to 67.0%, whereas the non-intervention group saw a slight rise from 20.0% to 22.5%. Regarding observed practice scores in menstrual hygiene, significant improvement was observed in the intervention group (45.0% to 100.0%) in contrast to the non-intervention group (25.0% to 27.5%). This study highlights the crucial role of school health education interventions in promoting menstrual hygiene among adolescent girls. It emphasizes the importance of comprehensive educational programs tailored to early teenage girls, addressing timing, content, and delivery methods alongside ensuring the availability of Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) facilities.

Individual Factors in Young Female Athletes' Bladder Health (the Y-FAB Study).

Bladder health in high school and collegiate females is not well understood. The objective of this study was to compare toileting behaviors, lower urinary tract symptoms (LUTSs), and fluid intake in female athletes and nonathletes. English-speaking nulliparous females aged 13-23 years were recruited. Participants completed the Toileting Behaviors: Women's Elimination Behaviors Scale, Bristol Female LUTS Questionnaire, and Beverage Questionnaire. Statistical analysis included univariable analyses and multivariable comparisons of athletes to nonathletes adjusting for age and fluid intake. One hundred athletes and 98 nonathletes participated (mean age 20 ± 2, mean body mass index 23 ± 4). Athletes' sports were predominantly high impact. Dysmenorrhea and anxiety were higher in nonathletes (P < 0.01) versus more stress fractures in athletes (P < 0.001). Problematic toileting behaviors were prevalent regardless of athletic status; nonathletes were more likely to hold urine until home and empty away from home without the urge (both P = 0.04). Lower urinary tract symptoms were prevalent regardless of athletic status, including frequency (34.2%), hesitancy (33.3%), urgency (32.8%), stress incontinence (15.3%), and urgency incontinence (11.8%). Athletes had significantly more stress incontinence and urgency and higher incontinence subscores on univariable analysis, although the difference was attenuated after multivariable adjustment. Athletes consumed lower total fluids (P = 0.03). Problematic toileting behaviors and LUTSs were prevalent in high school and collegiate females, regardless of athletic status. Athletes had higher stress urinary incontinence and urgency and lower fluid intake. These findings support future work toward enhancing early bladder health interventions (screening, education, and LUTS prevention) among high school and collegiate females.

Prevention and Control of Rheumatic Fever in India – A Blue Print for Introduction of a Pragmatic Program with Limited Resources

“Eliminate rheumatic fever (RF) and minimize the burden of rheumatic heart disease by 2025” is the goal of World Heart Federation (WHF). The most important step to achieve the goal of WHF is the implementation of the prevention and control of RF in India. The program can be implemented with minimal fund allocation from government making use of the existing man power in the government and private health sector and schools with the concurrence of National Health Mission, Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, Ministry of Public Education and under the guidance of Cardiological Society of India, National Rheumatic Heart Consortium, Rheumatic Heart Club India, Association of Physicians of India, Indian Academy of Pediatrics, and Association of Otolaryngologists of India. By the successful implementation of this program, the children of 5–15 years in India can be protected from RF. India eradicated small pox in 1980 and Polio 2012. With this program, we can start our efforts to eliminate RF by 2025.