School Health Promotion Research Articles

Balanced Nutrition Optimizes the Growth and Development of School Age Children

Background : Schools, as sites of teaching and learning, are intended to evolve into Health Promotion Schools. Objective : This activity aim to provide balanced nutrition health education which can optimize growth and development in school-aged children. Methods : The method of activity is community empowerment, which is accomplished through a series of health promotion. Result : This activity is useful for increasing students' knowledge, attitudes and behavior who can implement my food plate with a balanced nutritional pattern. Health promotion also plays a vital part in shaping food environments and access to healthy options. Through initiatives like school meal programs, community gardens, and partnerships with local businesses, health promotion efforts can ensure nutritious foods are available and affordable for all children, regardless of socioeconomic status. Conclusion : The nurse in charge of the UKS should carry out regular health promotions.

School Counsellors’ Professional Practice in Health Promotion, Prevention and Remedial Work in Swedish Schools

According to the Swedish Education Act, schools in Sweden must provide comprehensive student health services to foster an inclusive and conducive learning environment, promoting students’ well-being and knowledge development. As part of a multi-professional team, school counsellors are essential in achieving these goals. However, national guidance lacks details on the role of school counsellors in health promotion, prevention and remedial efforts. This study addresses this knowledge gap by examining aspects of school counsellors’ professional work using theories of professions. Open-ended answers in a survey distributed to school counsellors in Sweden were analysed through content analysis. Findings show that remedial work primarily focuses on individual students’ social issues through conversation-based interventions. Preventive work targets groups and the broader school environment, often involving tasks like policy development. Health promotion work stands out with its educational component, where school counsellors are involved in Life Competence Education, often in collaboration with other school professionals.

Qualitative multi-stakeholder evaluation of the adoption, implementation and sustainment of theschool-based dietary intervention "Jump-in".

Comprehensive school-based programs applying the WHO Health Promoting School Model have the potential to initiate and sustain behavior change and impact health. However, since they often include intervention efforts on a school's policies, physical environment, curriculum, health care and involving parents and communities, they significantly 'intrude' on a complex system that is aimed primarily at education, not health promotion. More insights into and concrete strategies are therefore needed regarding their adoption, implementation, and sustainment processes to address the challenge to sustainable implementation of HPS initiatives in a primarily educational setting. This study consequently evaluates adoption, implementation and sustainment processes of Amsterdam's Jump-in healthy nutrition HPS intervention from a multi-stakeholder perspective. We conducted semi-structured interviews and focus groups with all involved stakeholders (n = 131), i.e., Jump-in health promotion professionals (n = 5), school principals (n = 7), at-school Jump-in coordinators (n = 7), teachers (n = 20), parents (n = 50, 9 groups) and children (n = 42, 7 groups) from 10 primary schools that enrolled in Jump-in in the school year 2016-2017. Included schools had a higher prevalence of overweight and/or obesity than the Dutch average and they were all located in Amsterdam's low-SEP neighborhoods. Data were analyzed using a directed content analysis, in which the Determinants of Innovation Model was used for obtaining theory-based predetermined codes, supplemented with new codes emerging from the data. During intervention adoption, all stakeholders emphasized the importance of parental support, and accompanying workshops and promotional materials. Additionally, parents and teachers indicated that a shared responsibility for children's health and nuanced framing of health messages were important. During implementation, all stakeholders needed clear guidelines and support structures. Teachers and children highlighted the importance of peer influence, social norms, and uniform application of guidelines. School staff also found further tailoring of the intervention and dealing with financial constraints important. For long-term intervention sustainment, incorporating the intervention policies into the school statutes was crucial according to health promotion professionals. This qualitative evaluation provides valuable insights into factors influencing the adoption, implementation, and sustainment processes of dietary interventions, such as the importance of transparent and consistent intervention guidelines, clear communication regarding the rationale behind intervention guidelines, and, stakeholders' involvement in decision-making.

Mental health after the COVID-19 pandemic among Finnish youth: a repeated, cross-sectional, population-based study

High levels of mental health problems among young people were reported during the COVID-19 pandemic, but studies of the post-pandemic period are scarce. We assessed mental health problems among Finnish youth before, during, and after the COVID-19 pandemic using nationwide population-based samples. Our aim was to examine in which direction the heightened levels of adolescent mental health problems have developed after the pandemic. In this national, repeated cross-sectional, population-based study in Finland, we recruited students at lower and upper secondary level (aged 13-20 years) who were taking part in the Finnish School Health Promotion (SHP) survey in 2015-23 (119 681-158 897 participants per round). The SHP is based on total sampling and conducted biennially between March and May. Self-reports covered the seven-item Generalized Anxiety Disorder Scale; the two-item Patient Health Questionnaire for depression; the Mini Social Phobia Inventory for social anxiety; the Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale for mental wellbeing; loneliness; the Sick, Control, One Stone, Fat, Food measure for disordered eating; and suicidality (suicidal ideation, deliberate self-harm, and suicide attempts). Scales were dichotomised using validated cutoffs. Presence of any and comorbid mental health problems was assessed. Logistic (for dichotomised outcomes) and linear (for Short Warwick-Edinburgh Mental Wellbeing Scale) mixed effects models were used to analyse the effect of survey year on mental health, controlling for sociodemographic background factors and stratified by gender and school level. Cisgender and transgender youth were compared. Between 2015 and 2023, the SHP study recruited 722 488 students (371 634 [51·6%] girls and 348 857 [48·4%] boys) with a mean age of 15·8 years (SD 1·3) who were either in the eighth and ninth grades of comprehensive school or the first and second years of general and vocational upper secondary schools in Finland. The proportion of participants with generalised anxiety, depression, and social anxiety symptoms above the cutoff increased from pre-COVID-19 levels to 2021 and remained at these higher levels in 2023 among all study groups. Among girls in lower secondary education, prevalence of generalised anxiety, depression, and social anxiety symptoms increased from 2021 to 2023, as did social anxiety among girls in upper secondary education. Among boys, the proportion with social anxiety symptoms decreased between 2021 and 2023. Mental wellbeing scores decreased in all groups between 2021 and 2023, and disordered eating increased in girls, and in boys in lower secondary education. Suicidality increased in girls but not in boys. Loneliness was the only measure to show improvement in all groups from 2021 to 2023. In 2023, 55 895 (72·6%) of 76 994 girls and 22 718 (32·8%) of 69 205 boys reported at least one mental health problem, and 37 250 (48·4%) girls and 9442 (13·6%) boys reported comorbid mental health problems. Among both transfeminine and transmasculine youth, the prevalence of generalised anxiety and depression symptoms decreased from 2021 to 2023, but compared with cisgender youth, the proportions were significantly higher throughout. The effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on youth mental health could be long lasting. In this study, the substantial change for the better among transgender youth was a positive exception. Providing adequate support and treatment for young people with poor mental health is essential, but solutions to the mental health crisis need to address a wider societal perspective and should be developed in partnership with young people. NordForsk, Research Council of Finland. For the Finnish and Swedish translations of the abstract see Supplementary Materials section.

Unveiling school community perceptions of nutrition-friendly school initiatives in preschool settings in rural Sindh province, Pakistan: an exploratory study.

In 1995, the World Health Organization launched its Global School Health Initiative to expand the Health Promoting School (HPS). The objective of this study was to explore the perception of the school community in implementing nutrition-friendly school initiatives in preschool settings. This paper delineates the exploratory phase of a mixed-method study, which broadly aims to assess the adoption of the Nutrition Friendly School Initiative (NFSI) through a preschool preparedness intervention package in rural Sindh province, Pakistan. The study sites include three campuses of the Aga Khan School (Mirpur Sakro, Junior Campus Vur, and a community-based school in Sujawal). Participants were selected purposively from these campuses and constituted a committee named 'school community,' which was responsible for implementing all activities outlined in the intervention package. Data was gathered through in-depth interviews and consultative meeting with the school community. Thematic analysis was employed for data analysis. The analysis established five major themes that represent the participants' perception of school-based nutrition interventions in preschool settings. These five themes include (i) Challenges in health and nutrition for pre-school age children, (ii) Clarity in roles and responsibilities for school-based nutrition intervention, (iii) Advancing school-based nutrition activities and interventions, (iv) Recognizing resources requirements, (v) Opportunities and challenges for the way forward in school-based nutrition. Findings also suggest sustainability and scalability measures that include the aligning School Nutrition Policy with the school handbook, ways to engage with parents, a nutrition theme corner, the inclusion of a parenting component in the nutrition manual, and capacity building of the school community. Qualitative findings have guided the refinement of the intervention package, proposing additional measures for sustainability and scalability across AKES, P. The school community is hopeful that the implementation of the refined intervention package will enhance preschool preparedness toward achieving nutrition-friendly school checklist items. This study holds strong potential for replication in a public school setting and presents an opportunity to launch a school accreditation program to certify schools as Nutrition-friendly.

Influence of key components of health-promoting schools and physician ratio on health insurance education: a cross-sectional study

Influence of key components of health-promoting schools and physician ratio on health insurance education: a cross-sectional study

Parental perspectives on Children's lifestyles: A Path for school health promotion

The National School Health Program in Portugal advocates for healthy lifestyles. However, school health teams mostly focus their activities on educating children, whereas it is the families who are primarily responsible for managing children's lifestyles. Although the programme proposes interactive health education activities, such as meetings with the children's families, few parents participate in these activities. The project Gostar de Mim was created to bridge this gap by promoting healthy family lifestyles in school settings. The project used an evaluating instrument called the ‘Parents’ Booklet’ packed with information. This study assessed the usefulness of the booklet in providing health information and planning family engagement. Based on the PRECEDE-PROCEED framework (PRECEDE: Predisposing, Reinforcing, and Enabling Constructs in Educational/Environmental Diagnosis and Evaluation; PROCEED: Policy, Regulatory, and Organizational Constructs in Educational and Environmental Development), this article focuses on the social and epidemiological assessment phases. We examined the health surveillance status of children aged 6–10 years (epidemiological phase) and description of health behaviours in different lifestyle dimensions (behavioural and environmental phase). The Parents' Booklet was used to identify parents' perspectives on their children's lifestyles. Data analysis of 568 Parents' Booklet (23 schools) use cases showed that the lifestyle priorities, in order, were ‘sleep and rest’ (95.6 %), ‘energy balance’ (100 %), ‘oral/body healthcare’ (95.6 %), ‘alcohol, tobacco/other drugs’ (73.9 %), ‘consumerism’ (91.3 %), ‘leisure-time occupation’ (91.3 %), and ‘literacy and satisfaction at school’ (86.9 %). Clearly, the Parents' Booklet was useful, as it made it possible to obtain information that allowed for participatory school health diagnosis and can guide community nursing actions that need to be developed in schools. Crucially, this tool can be useful for parents, enabling them to be more aware of their children's lifestyle via self-monitoring as well as increasing their participation in health education.

School health promotion and fruit and vegetable consumption in secondary schools: a repeated cross-sectional multilevel study

BackgroundWorldwide, recommendations for fruit and vegetable consumption are not met, which can cause chronic diseases. Especially adolescence is an important phase for the development of health behaviours. Therefore, in the Netherlands, the Healthy School program was established to aid schools in promoting healthy lifestyles among their students. We examined to what extent the variation between secondary schools regarding students’ fruit and vegetable consumption could be explained by differences between schools regarding Healthy School certification, general school characteristics, and the school population. Additionally, we examined whether Healthy School certification was related to the outcomes, and whether the association differed for subgroups.MethodsWe performed a repeated cross-sectional multilevel study. We used data from multiple school years from the national Youth Health Monitor on secondary schools (grades 2 and 4, age ranged from approximately 12 to 18 years) of seven Public Health Services, and added data with regard to Healthy School certification, general school characteristics and school population characteristics. We included two outcomes: the number of days a student consumed fruit and vegetables per week. In total, we analysed data on 168,127 students from 256 secondary schools in the Netherlands.ResultsResults indicated that 2.87% of the variation in fruit consumption and 5.57% of the variation in vegetable consumption could be attributed to differences at the school-level. Characteristics related to high parental educational attainment, household income, and educational track of the students explained most of the variance between schools. Additionally, we found a small favourable association between Healthy School certification and the number of days secondary school students consumed fruit and vegetables.ConclusionsSchool population characteristics explained more variation between schools than Healthy School certification and general school characteristics, especially indicators of parental socioeconomic status. Nevertheless, Healthy School certification seemed to be slightly related to fruit and vegetable consumption, and might contribute to healthier dietary intake. We found small differences for some subgroups, but future research should focus on the impact in different school contexts, since we were restricted in the characteristics that could be included in this study.

Associations between Polish school principals' health literacy and implementation of the Health Promoting School approach during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The coronavirus pandemic has contributed to increasing the responsibility of school principals for the health of all school community members. Moreover, evidence confirms the significant role of school principals' health literacy (HL) for health promotion in schools. Therefore, the presented study aims to evaluate the associations between Polish school principals HL and the implementation of the Health Promoting School (HPS) approach in Polish schools. The present study was conducted as part of an international survey on the global COVID-HL network (www.covid-hl.eu) between June 2021 and December 2021. Three subscales of the HPS were considered and an exploratory analysis were used in this study. Associations between the median split of each subscale of HPS (outcome) and health literacy (predictor) were performed using logistic regression. Research results showed that the highest level of HPS implementation was directed at pupils. Principals perceived themselves as having the highest HL on the 'accessibility' subscale and these respondents had significantly higher odds of implementing learning opportunities for students. The study suggests that principals with adequate HL may be more likely to effectively implement HPS strategies in schools. This research could provide insights into the complex interplay between HL and the HPS approach and inform the development of more effective strategies for promoting health and HL in schools.

Priorities in school eye health in low and middle-income countries a scoping review.

School eye health (SEH) has been on the global agenda for many years, and there is mounting evidence available to support that school-based visual screenings are one of the most effective and cost-efficient interventions to reach children over five years old. A scoping review was conducted in MEDLINE, Web of Science, PubMed, and CINHAL between February and June 2023 to identify current priorities in recent literature on school eye health in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). Selection of relevant publications was performed with Covidence, and the main findings were classified according to the WHO Health Promoting Schools framework (HPS). A total of 95 articles were included: cross-sectional studies (n = 55), randomised controlled trials (n = 7), qualitative research (n = 7) and others. Results demonstrate that multi-level action is required to implement sustainable and integrated school eye health programmes in low and middle-income countries. The main priorities identified in this review are: standardised and rigorous protocols; cost-effective workforce; provision of suitable spectacles; compliance to spectacle wear; efficient health promotion interventions; parents and community engagement; integration of programmes in school health; inter-sectoral, government-owned programmes with long-term financing schemes. Even though many challenges remain, the continuous production of quality data such as the ones presented in this review will help governments and other stakeholders to build evidence-based, comprehensive, integrated, and context-adapted programmes and deliver quality eye care services to children all over the world.

IJCM_134A: Community Engagement Strategies for Prevention and Control of Non-communicable Diseases in Primary Healthcare Settings: A review of evidences from Low- and Middle-income countries

Background: Community engagement is considered as one of the pillars in successful implementation program for prevention and control of Non- Communicable Diseases (NCDs). Objective: To gather evidence from the available literature concerning effective strategies for enhancing community engagement in primary healthcare for NCD prevention, which are appropriate for resource constraint settings in low- and middle-income countries. Methodology: This study followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis for Scoping Reviews (PRISMA- ScR) guidelines. Original articles and reports published from January 2000 to September 2023, in English language; with the following designs- Randomized controlled trials with single or multiple arms, quasi- experimental studies, public health practices and qualitative studies, available online were included in this review. Digital databases like PubMed and Google scholar were searched to find out articles, using a pre-designed peer- reviewed search strategy by combining established search terms and free text terms. Further, hand search was made by going through the references of the retrieved articles. All publications were independently evaluated by two reviewers. Information extracted from the published articles were recorded using a pre-designed data extraction sheet in Microsoft excel. Results: Key interventions emerged from the review included group-based peer support program; family level intervention; setting based approach (Health Promoting school /institution /market /hospital); advocacy, network and counselling among People Living with NCDs etc. Evidence also suggested use of appropriate technology such as CPHC-NCD Software, generation of Ayushman Bharat-Health Account IDs (ABHA IDs) through National NCD Portal, maintenance of NCD data record and register in digital formats on National NCD Portal and spreading community dialog using mass media, digital media and social media. Conclusion: The findings of this study will guide the development and implementation of evidence-based interventions for prevention of NCDs using primary healthcare platform suitable for resource limited settings.

Bridging the SEL CASEL Framework with European educational policies and assessment approaches

The importance of enhancing social and emotional skills in educational settings has gained prominence, with many countries and organizations embracing the Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) framework to equip individuals with the tools needed for shaping a self-identity, emotional regulation, goal achievement, empathy, nurturing relationships, and responsible decision-making and overall well-being. In this paper, we aim to connect the globally acknowledged Collaborative for Academic, Social, and Emotional Learning SEL framework with international policies that underscore the importance of social and emotional skills in the school context. To accomplish this goal, we first provide a brief overview of the key components of the SEL framework. Subsequently, we explore two significant educational policies within the European context. The first policy is the World Health Organization Health Promoting Schools initiative. We present its objectives, a WHO-affiliated program example, the promoted and assessed competencies of students, and its results, connecting its framework with the CASEL SEL approach. The second focus is the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development Study on Social and Emotional Skills, describing its developmental process and the assessment framework. Finally, we describe the alignment of SEL with these European educational policies and illustrate their role in advancing and improving the evaluation of SEL initiatives in educational environments.

Development and implementation of a municipal outdoor play policy for children and youth in Nova Scotia, Canada: a community case study.

Background: Children and youth benefit from outdoor play; however, environments and policies to support outdoor play are often limited. The purpose of this paper is to describe a case study of the development of a municipal outdoor play policy in Nova Scotia, Canada. The outdoor play policy was developed by the Town of Truro with support from the UpLift Partnership, a School-Community-University Partnership in Nova Scotia, Canada. UpLift supports the health and well-being of school-aged children and youth using a Health Promoting Schools approach which identifies the important role of municipal government in creating healthy school communities. The UpLift Partnership and the municipality hosted online workshops for municipal staff, community leaders and partners that included content about the importance of outdoor play, barriers and facilitators to outdoor play, best practices for youth engagement, the policy development process, and how policy actions can support outdoor play. Workshop participants developed policy actions for their community of Truro, Nova Scotia to increase opportunities for outdoor play for children and youth. Following the workshops, a small team from the municipality and UpLift drafted an outdoor play policy and submitted it to Truro town council for approval. The outdoor play policy was adopted in Fall 2021 and has since informed recreation and municipal planning decisions. By presenting a case study of the development of this outdoor play policy, we hope other communities may be inspired to develop and adopt their own outdoor play policies to benefit children and youth in their communities.

Mental health promotion in a public school in southeastern Pará: experience report

Considering that anxiety disorder is one of the most prevalent mental disorders in adolescence, considering the post-pandemic period and the demands that emerged in the psychology service at Campus Marabá Industrial (CMI) of the Federal Institute of Education, Science and Technology of Pará (IFPA), along with the importance of actions for the prevention and promotion of mental health in the school environment, the objective was to describe the results obtained in offering a workshop organized by the psychology service at CMI/IFPA. The workshop aimed to inform students about stress and anxiety in adolescence, teach relaxation techniques, and provide psychoeducation on mental health care. This is an experiential report originating from a workshop with 1st-year high school students. The workshop was organized and conducted by psychology interns, under the guidance of the internship supervisor and psychologist at IFPA. The results showed an increased demand for psychology services from the students in the class, seeking information about emotional difficulties and requesting psychological assistance. Several students reported that they began discussing the topic more openly with reduced stigma. In conclusion, the work highlights the importance of psychology's role in the school environment, with a focus on prevention and promotion of mental health.

A Review of Instruments Measuring the Basic Knowledge of Palliative Care Concepts in Teenagers

This article reviews the literature for tools that measure the knowledge of basic palliative care concepts in teenagers as set forth by the World Health Organization who challenged Health Promoting Schools to provide health literacy and to increase knowledge of palliative care concepts. Teenagers constitute an underrepresented population in terms of understanding palliative care, despite often possessing the ability to make medical decisions. The aim of this article is to examine instruments that may be utilized to measure high school students’ knowledge of basic palliative care concepts, even if they may require modification. A Google Scholar and PubMed search resulted in finding that with modifications the Palliative Care Knowledge Scale and Palliative Care Quiz for Nurses can be utilized for measuring knowledge of palliative care concepts in teenagers’, which serves as a first step in meeting this population where they are in understanding and improving their heath literacy for future access and utilization of palliative care resources.

Using the Theory of Learning Organisations to Understand the Role of Principals in School Health Promotion: A Case Study

The role of principals is increasingly recognised as important in school health promotion. There is a significant body of literature regarding school health promotion and its benefits for learners and the school community, but little is known about the role of principals. Using Senge’s theory of learning organisations as a framework, this study qualitatively sought to understand the roles of principals in promoting healthy school environments. The study used a combination of semi-structured individual interviews and focus groups to gather data from six school management team members; seven teachers; and three school governing body members from a high school in Fezile Dabi District of the Free State. Individual interview data was obtained and focus group discussions were conducted to confirm the findings. The data gathered was analysed using a combination of inductive classification and theory analysis. The study’s main findings demonstrate that principals should (i) provide leadership in health promotion activities within their schools and in collaborations and partnerships with the external community and (ii) have personal mastery, vision, knowledge and thinking skills to be able to play their role effectively. Furthermore, it was found that all five principles of the theory of learning organisation can be used to understand the role of principals in school health promotion. Based on these findings it is recommended that a learning culture be created in schools. The findings of this research suggest implications regarding both the practice of providing leadership in school health promotion and practices in the preparation of principals and teachers for the task of School Health Promotion. Keywords: Learning Organisations, School Health Promotion, School leadership, Team Learning

Self-assessment of dental health status, behaviours and oral health risk factors among adolescents from public schools in Maputo City-Mozambique

Self-assessment of dental health status may have an impact on the oral health behaviour of adolescents which could impact their oral health. Oral health has been linked to various medical health conditions, thus eliminating oral health diseases can improve general health. The present study aimed to assess the association between behaviours and risk factors (oral hygiene habits, sugar intake, urban/rural status) and negative self-perception of dental health status among adolescents attending public schools in Maputo City.Method An analytic cross-sectional study, conducted in three Primary public schools from urban and peri-urban areas in Maputo City selected by convenience due to their geographic location was included. The size of the sample was 236 12-year-olds. Data was collected using a self-completion questionnaire designed by the World Health Organization (WHO). Chi-square tests or Fishers’ Exact tests were used for associations. A simple and multiple logistic regression was used to determine the strength of these associations using backward elimination (p < 0.05). Results: The sample consisted of 221 adolescents, with 114 (51.6%) residing in urban areas and 107 (48.4%) in peri-urban areas. More than half of the participants (111 individuals) reported having a negative perception of their dental health. In the urban location, a higher percentage of participants had a “negative” perception of dental health (57.9%, n = 66), while in the peri-urban location, more participants perceived their dental health as “positive” (57.9%, n = 62). Participants residing in an urban setting were 82% more likely to have a negative perception of dental health (AOR = 1.82 [95% C.I.: 1.05 to 3.14]). Those who had experienced dental pain tended to report a higher proportion of negative dental perception (57.2%, n = 91), with 2.7 times more likely to report a negative perception of dental health (AOR = 2.72 [95% C.I.: 1.46 to 5.08]). The majority (n = 139; 63.2%) claimed to clean their teeth twice a day.Conclusion There was a higher negative perception of dental health in urban areas. The need to strengthen oral health promotion in urban schools is high since schools play such a significant role in oral health promotion.

Engaging Families in Supporting the Whole Child: Chicago West Side Parents’ Perceptions of Child Health

Schools and districts nationwide have heavily emphasized supporting students’ health and wellbeing by engaging families and caregivers to truly support the “whole child,” as outlined in the Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model. The COVID-19 pandemic only heightened the important role of school and family partnerships in supporting children’s health. The Chicago Public Schools (CPS) Healthy CPS initiative is designed to support schools in their compliance with existing health and wellness policies to support child health. This study aimed to explore parents’ primary health concerns for their children, characterize these views, explore any alignment with WSCC, and identify recommendations for family engagement in school health promotion. Eleven semi-structured focus groups (seven English, four Spanish) were conducted with CPS parents/caregivers. Groups were conducted in spring 2021 on Chicago’s West Side, one of the more historically disinvested communities in the city. Focus groups were recorded, transcribed, and analyzed using constant comparison, incorporating both inductive and deductive approaches. Key themes emerged related to parents’ perceptions of schools’ role in promoting health including: (1) parents see child health as a shared responsibility between families and schools; and (2) parents identify significant structural barriers and inequities that impede child health, such as racism, community violence, and a lack of community resources in their neighborhoods, and believe schools can do more to address them. Parents’ viewed child health and wellbeing as multidimensional and stated that these dimensions must be considered holistically. Their views aligned with WSCC family engagement-related components. Parents recommended that schools employ a variety of strategies to engage families. Findings from this paper have implications for engaging families in school health policy and program development as well as implementation, particularly those in lower income, urban communities that have faced a history of structural inequities.

Key factors affecting health promoting behaviors among adolescents: a scoping review

BackgroundHealth-promoting behaviors have been noticed recently as one of the most critical factors in raising life expectancy, which can be formed during adolescence. Thus, the current scoping review aimed to identify the key factors affecting health-promoting behaviors among adolescents.MethodsIn this scoping review, we searched multiple English online databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Science Direct, ProQuest, and Scopus, for articles published between 1977 and 2020. All eligible studies describing health-promoting behaviors in adolescents were included. We followed the JBI guideline for conducting a scoping review and increasing the study’s rigor. Extracted data were synthesized through inductive approaches.ResultsA total of 3199 articles were identified during the first phase. After the screening process, 20 articles were found eligible for final inclusion. Educational factors (individualized education and school health promotion programs), Economic factors (income, economic incentives and national health insurance), Social factors (support system, responsibility and peers), Spiritual, Psychological and Personal factors (gender, family structure, patterns of living, and medical problems) were found effective in health-promoting behaviors among adolescents.ConclusionsHealth-promoting behaviors among adolescents require careful consideration. The current review identified some fundamental factors affecting health-promoting behaviors in adolescents. Based on the findings, it is recommended that policymakers and healthcare providers develop several interventions based on identified factors to increase adolescent’s health-promoting behaviors among adolescents.

Hubungan Pola Menstruasi Dengan Kejadian Anemia Pada Remaja Putri Di SMPN 6 Tapung Kabupaten Kampar

Anaemia is a public health problem that occurs throughout the world, especially in developing countries such as Indonesia, the prevalence of anaemia in women of reproductive age between the ages of (15-49) in the world in 2019 ranged as much as 29.9%. This study aims to determine the relationship between menstrual pattern variables and the incidence of anaemia. The design of this study was cross sectional. The sample in this study was 100 respondents. The hypothesis test used was the Chi-square test. The results of this study are that there is a significant relationship between menstrual patterns and the incidence of anaemia in adolescent girls at SMPN 6 Tapung Kampar Regency in 2023, the value of P value = 0.002 OR (95% CI: 1.778-9.87), and there is a significant relationship between menstrual patterns and the incidence of anaemia in adolescent girls at SMPN 6 Tapung Kampar Regency. It is expected for health workers to be able to make creative and innovative policies in the prevention of anaemia through increasing health education and promotion in schools and fostering the PIK-KRR program (Adolescent Reproductive Health Information and Counseling Center) and UKS (School Health Unit), as well as facilitating adolescents to participate.