School-based Health Promotion Interventions Research Articles

Process evaluation of the Yéego! Program to increase healthy eating and gardening among American Indian elementary school children

BackgroundAmerican Indian children are at increased risk for obesity and diabetes. School-based health promotion interventions are one approach to promoting healthy behaviors to reduce this risk, yet few studies have described their implementation and fidelity. We conducted a qualitative process evaluation of the Yéego! Healthy Eating and Gardening Program, a school-based intervention to promote healthy eating among Navajo elementary school children. The intervention included a yearlong integrated curriculum, as well as the construction and maintenance of a school-based garden.MethodsOur process evaluation included fidelity checklists completed by program staff and qualitative interviews with program staff and classroom teachers after the intervention was implemented. We used content analysis to identify themes.ResultsWe identified several themes related to evidence of delivery adherence, program satisfaction, and lessons learned about delivery. Intervention staff followed similar procedures to prepare for and deliver lessons, but timing, teaching styles, and school-level factors also impacted overall implementation fidelity. Teachers and students had positive perceptions of the program, especially lessons that were highly visual, experiential, and connected to Navajo culture and the surrounding community. Teachers and program staff identified ways to enhance the usability of the curriculum by narrowing the scope, relating content to student experiences, and aligning content with school curriculum standards.ConclusionsThe program was implemented with moderately high fidelity across contexts. We identified areas where modifications could improve engagement, acceptability, efficacy, and sustainability of the program. Our results have implications for the evaluation and dissemination of school-based health interventions to promote healthy eating among children, especially in American Indian communities.

A scoping review of the implementation and cultural adaptation of school-based mental health promotion and prevention interventions in low-and middle-income countries.

Effective school-based mental health promotion and prevention interventions in low-and middle-income countries (LMICs) can positively impact the mental health and well-being of large numbers of young people. This scoping review aimed to investigate the implementation of effective mental health promotion and prevention interventions in LMIC schools. A scoping review of the international literature was conducted and followed the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic reviews and Meta-Analysis extension for Scoping Reviews guidelines. Medline, PsycInfo, Scopus, Embase, CINAHL and Cochrane were searched for peer-reviewed literature published from 2014 to 2022. PsycExtra, Google Scholar and the websites of key organisations were searched for relevant grey literature. Study selection focussed on mental health promotion interventions, including the development of social and emotional skills and mental health literacy, and prevention interventions, including anti-bullying and skill-based interventions for "at-risk" students. Twenty-seven studies evaluating 25 school-based interventions in 17 LMICs were included in the review. Fifteen interventions were developed in the implementing country and 10 were adapted from high-income countries (HICs) or other settings. Findings from the studies reviewed were generally positive, especially when interventions were implemented to a high quality. Universal life-skills interventions were found to increase social and emotional skills, decrease problem behaviours and positively impact students' mental health and well-being. Mental health literacy interventions increased mental health knowledge and decreased stigma among students and school staff. Outcomes for externally facilitated anti-bullying interventions were less positive. All 19 effective studies reported on some aspects of programme implementation, and 15 monitored implementation fidelity. Eleven studies outlined the programme's underpinning theoretical model. Only four studies reported on the cultural adaptation of programmes in detail. Including young people in the adaptation process was reported to facilitate natural cultural adaptation of programmes, while input from programme developers was considered key to ensuring that the core components of interventions were retained. The review findings indicate increasing evidence of effective mental health interventions in LMIC schools. To facilitate the sustainability, replication and scaling-up of these interventions, greater attention is needed to reporting on intervention core components, and the processes of implementation and cultural adaptation in the local setting.

THE EXTENT OF CHILDHOOD OBESITY AND THE SCOPE OF SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH PROMOTION INTERVENTIONS IN SAUDI ARABIA: A REVIEW OF LITERATURE

Childhood obesity is a concerning trend and represents one of the most significant challenges to public health worldwide. Childhood obesity in Saudi Arabia has become a significant concern for scholars and healthcare professionals. An extensive amount of research has been conducted to identify the most effective interventions to prevent childhood obesity in light of its prevalence, health consequences, and associated costs. Studies indicate that identifying and addressing obesity-related behaviours can be valuable for developing and implementing effective interventions and prevention measures to mitigate childhood obesity in Saudi Arabia. It has been shown that obesity-related behaviours can be changed through school-based health promotion interventions. Therefore, the present review summarises the current evidence on childhood obesity, including its prevalence, health consequences, and obesity-related behaviours in children and adolescents in Saudi Arabia. In addition, it aimed to determine the scope of school-based health promotion efforts in Saudi schools to reduce childhood obesity. Keywords: Childhood Obesity, Overweight, Children, Adolescence, Health Promotion, School, Saudi Arabia

Adolescents' experiences of a school-based health promotion intervention in socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged areas in Sweden: a qualitative process evaluation study.

Adolescence is a transition period in which positive experiences of physical activity have the potential to last into later adulthood. These experiences are influenced by socioeconomic determinants, leading to health inequalities. This study aims to explore adolescents' experiences and participation in a multi-component school-based intervention in schools located in socioeconomically advantaged and disadvantaged areas in Sweden. A qualitative design was used to evaluate how participants experienced the intervention. The intervention was a multi-component school-based intervention. It was conducted in six schools (four control and two intervention schools) with a total of 193 students and lasted one school year. It was teacher-led and consisted of three 60-minute group sessions per week: varied physical activities, homework support with activity breaks, and walks while listening to audiobooks. In total, 23 participant observations were conducted over eight months and 27 students participated in focus groups. A content analysis was conducted. The results describe a main category 'Engaging in activities depending on socioeconomic status' and three generic categories: 1. Variations in participation in PA together with classmates and teachers; 2. Variations in engagement in PA after school; and 3. Differences in time and place allocated to do homework and listen to audiobooks. These categories illustrate how participants looked forward to the physical activities but used the time spent during the walks and homework support differently depending on how busy they were after school. Frequently, those who were busiest after school were also those from the advantaged area, and those who had little to do after school were from the disadvantaged area. Socioeconomic factors influence participants' possibilities to engage in the intervention activities as well as how they use their time in the activities. This study showed that it is crucial to support adolescents' participation in physical activities by providing structure and engaging well-known teachers in the activities, especially in schools located in disadvantaged areas.

Effectiveness of Health Promotion Interventions in Primary Schools-A Mixed Methods Literature Review.

School-based health promotion interventions (HPIs) are commonly used in schools, but scientific evidence about the structures of effective interventions is lacking. Therefore, we conducted a mixed methods systematic literature review to recognize the HPI structures related to their effectiveness. Based on the inclusion criteria, 49 articles were selected for the literature review. The articles, published in 2011-2022, described 46 different school-based interventions conducted in 20 different countries. The average duration of the interventions was 12 months, and they were implemented mostly with an RCT study design (61.2%) and by targeting children (69.4%). Three main groups of interventions were identified and explained: (1) extensive and long-term interventions; (2) school policy-changing interventions; and (3) highly effective interventions. Effective school-based HPIs included multiple target groups, multiple providers with external experts, and an efficient duration and timing of follow-ups. The implications for educational research and school practice are presented. Evidence on the effectiveness of health-related interventions is still lacking and needs to be addressed in further studies.

Nutritional status, body image satisfaction, and self-esteem in adolescents from the SI program for secondary school trial

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): 1. SHE Foundation and "la Caixa" 2. Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria - Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Background/Introduction Adolescence is a sensitive period regarding self-esteem and body image. In particular, nutritional status could affect self-esteem levels and body image satisfaction. Purpose To evaluate the distribution of body image satisfaction by nutritional status, and to assess the relationship between body image satisfaction and self-esteem over adolescence. Methods 1315 adolescents from the SI! Program for Secondary Schools trial were assessed at baseline (12.5 (0.4) years, 48.2% girls), first follow-up (1-FU) (13.9 (0.4) years, 47.6% girls) and second follow-up (2-FU) (15.8 (0.4) years, 48.4% girls). Adolescents were classified as having underweight, normal weight or overweight/obesity according to Center for Disease Control (CDC) standards for body mass index (BMI). Body image satisfaction and self-esteem were assessed with Stunkard's figure rating scale and self-esteem domain of the Child Health and Illness Profile-Adolescent Edition (CHIP-AE) questionnaire, respectively. The association between both variables was estimated using linear and logistic mixed models. Results Overall, only 14.6% of adolescents were systematically satisfied with their body image. Most adolescents with overweight/obesity desired to lose weight (89.7% at baseline, 84.9% at 1-FU, and 83.9% at 2-FU), while most adolescents with underweight desired to gain weight (76.3% baseline, 80.0% 1-FU, 84.0% 2-FU). The percentage of girls with normal weight desiring to lose weight increased from 33.4% at ~12 years of age to 45.9% at ~16 years of age, while the desire to gain weight increased in boys with normal weight (32.3% at baseline vs 38.2% at 2-FU) (Figure 1). Satisfied adolescents consistently presented higher self-esteem over time compared to unsatisfied adolescents, especially girls (Table 1). Conclusion(s) Body image satisfaction was consistently related to nutritional status over adolescence. The desire to lose weight in girls with normal weight increased over time, while the desire to gain weight increased in boys with normal weight. Data suggests that body image satisfaction could determine self-esteem levels. These results show how gender stereotypes may affect body image and self-esteem, and therefore eating and exercise behaviors, highlighting the importance to reinforce body acceptance through school-based health promotion interventions.

The role of socioeconomic background on cardiovascular health promotion in early childhood: insights from the SI Program for preschoolers

Abstract Funding Acknowledgements Type of funding sources: Other. Main funding source(s): 1. SHE Foundation and "la Caixa" 2. Fondo de Investigación Sanitaria - Instituto de Salud Carlos III. Background Family socioeconomic status (SES) impacts childhood health and could influence the effect of school-based health promotion interventions. Purpose This work aims to evaluate the impact of SES on the effects of the SI! Program randomized controlled trials for cardiovascular health promotion in preschoolers carried out in Colombia, Spain, and USA. Specifically, this work analyzed the effect of SES in the change of knowledge, attitudes and habits (KAH) and body mass index z-scores (zBMI) from baseline to immediately after the end of the health promotion intervention. Methods Children completed a KAH questionnaire (from 0 to 80 points) at baseline and immediate post-intervention. Families reported household income and education level through a dedicated questionnaire. Household income was categorized as low or high, and education level as low, intermediate, or high based on local census data. Adjusted baseline scores were calculated and stratified by SES using linear mixed models. The impact of the intervention was assessed by an individual participant-level meta-analysis using a random-effects model (DerSimonian-Laird method). Estimates of the difference between groups were derived from linear mixed models. Results A total of 3839 children were included in the analysis (48.9% girls, 4.0 (SD=0.8) years at baseline). Children of families with high education level and high household income tended to have a higher KAH score at baseline than those with low education level or low income (47.2 points [95%CI: 43.9; 50.5] vs. 45.7 points [95%CI: 42.4; 48.9]; 47.4 points [95%CI: 44.6; 50.2] vs. 45.8 points [95%CI: 43.0; 48.6], respectively) (Fig. 1A). Children from high education level and high income families had a lower zBMI at baseline than those from low education level and low income families (0.23 [95%CI: -0.20; 0.67] vs. 0.47 [95% CI: 0.03; 0.90]; 0.25 [95%CI: -0.15; 0.66] vs. 0.44 [95%CI: 0.04; 0.85], respectively) (Fig. 1B). The mean difference in KAH change between the intervention and control groups was 4.76 points (95%CI: 2.78; 6.74). The effect of the intervention on KAH score change was higher for children of families reporting high income or an intermediate/high education level than for those reporting low income or education level (Fig. 2A). The overall mean difference in zBMI change between groups was -0.06 (95%CI: -0.14; 0.02), and no significant differences were found in relation to SES indicators (Fig. 2B). Conclusions These results suggest that children from a low SES background benefit less from lifestyle interventions than those from high SES families. Health promotion interventions may implement strategies to counteract this effect and, consequently, avoid the potential risk of increasing health inequalities.

Do Right, Be Bright: A Protocol on the Development of an Inter-Professional Health Intervention Model for Pre-School Children Through a Community-Based Service-Learning Initiative.

An inter-professional project with a collaborative endeavor between the programs of Dentistry, Nutrition and Medicine was carried out with the aim to emphasise oral health maintenance, making the right nutritional choices and effective hand washing among pre-school children. The purpose of this paper is to share a detailed description of the design, development process, implementation, and planned evaluation of an interprofessional school-based health promotion intervention model "Do Right, Be Bright". This model is part of a quasi-experimental study, targeting pre-school children as the "Targets of Change" through the empowerment of school teachers as the "Agents of Change". The program design was based on Bartholomew's Intervention Mapping Approach, which proposes a direction for developing a theory-based health promotion intervention and on the most extensively applied theories of health behavior, the Health Belief Model. Therefore, based on a thorough literature review and needs assessment, three key areas of needs were identified for the targeted preschool children: oral hygiene, hand hygiene and nutrition. The efficacy of this model will be pilot tested in a preschool in Kuala Lumpur Malaysia.

School-based universal mental health promotion intervention for adolescents in Vietnam: Two-arm, parallel, controlled trial.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the effects of Happy House, a universal school-based programme, in reducing adolescents' depressive symptoms and improving their mental well-being, coping self-efficacy and school connectedness. This was a school-based, two-arm parallel controlled trial. Depressive symptoms were measured using the Centre for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale. Data were collected at recruitment, and at 2 weeks and 6 months post-intervention. Mixed-effect models were conducted to estimate the effects of the intervention on the outcomes. A total of 1,084 students were recruited. At 2 weeks post-intervention, the effect size on depressive symptoms was 0.11 (p=0.011) and the odds of having clinically significant depressive symptoms were lower in the intervention compared to the control (0.56, p=0.027). Both of these were no longer significant at 6 months post-intervention. Psychological well-being mean scores in the intervention were significantly higher than in the control at 2 weeks post-intervention (effect size 0.13). Coping self-efficacy mean scores were significantly higher in the intervention group at both 2-week and 6-month post-intervention (effect sizes from 0.17 to 0.26). Data support the potential of Happy House to reduce the prevalence of adolescent mental health problems and to promote positive mental health in the school context in Vietnam.

Design for a cluster randomized controlled trial to evaluate the effects of the CATCH Healthy Smiles school-based oral health promotion intervention among elementary school children

BackgroundThe top two oral diseases (tooth decay and gum disease) are preventable, yet dental caries is the most common childhood disease with 68% of children entering kindergarten having tooth decay. CATCH Healthy Smiles is a coordinated school health program to prevent cavities for students in kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd grade, and is based on the framework of Coordinated Approach to Child Health (CATCH), an evidence-based coordinated school health program. CATCH has undergone several cluster-randomized controlled trials (CRCT) demonstrating sustainable long-term effectiveness in incorporating the factors surrounding children, in improving eating and physical activity behaviors, and reductions in obesity prevalence among low-income, ethnically diverse children. The aim of this paper is to describe the design of the CATCH Healthy Smiles CRCT to determine the effectiveness of an oral health school-based behavioral intervention in reducing incidence of dental caries among children. MethodsIn this CRCT, 30 schools serving low-income, ethnically-diverse children in greater Houston area are recruited and randomized into intervention and comparison groups. From which, 1020 kindergarten children (n = 510 children from 15 schools for each group) will be recruited and followed through 2nd grade. The intervention consists of four components (classroom curriculum, toothbrushing routine, family outreach, and schoolwide coordinated activities) will be implemented for three years in the intervention schools, whereas the control schools will be offered free trainings and materials to implement a sun safety curriculum in the meantime. Outcome evaluation will be conducted at four time points throughout the study period, each consists of three components: dental assessment, child anthropometric measures, and parent survey. The dental assessment will use International Caries Detection and Assessment System (ICDAS) to measures the primary outcome of this study: incidence of dental caries in primary teeth as measured at the tooth surface level (dfs). The parent self-report survey measures secondary outcomes of this study, such as oral health related behavioral and psychosocial factors. A modified crude caries increment (mCCI) will be used to calculate the primary outcome of the CATCH Healthy Smiles CRCT, and a two-tailed test of the null hypothesis will be conducted to evaluate the intervention effect, while considering between- and within-cluster variances through computing the weighted-average of the mCCI ratios by cluster. ConclusionIf found to be effective, a platform for scalability, sustainability and dissemination of CATCH already exists, and opens a new line of research in school oral health. Clinical trials identifierAt ClinicalTrials.gov - NCT04632667.

A cost analysis of a sports-based sexual health education programme for adolescent girls in South African schools.

Studies have shown that school-based sexual health promotion interventions can improve adolescent sexual and reproductive health outcomes. However, there has been insufficient evidence on the cost and cost-effectiveness of such programmes, driving poor and inconsistent investment and prioritization. This paper analyses the costs of the SKILLZ Health for Girls programme, a sports-based sexual education intervention targeted at adolescent girls in the secondary school environment. Costs were collected alongside a cluster-randomized trial, including 38 secondary schools in Cape Town, South Africa. The analysis was conducted from a provider (multi-sector) perspective and used a mixed-methods costing approach. We developed a cost data collection tool to compile cost information from one-on-one interviews, administrative data and non-participant observations of the intervention. Costs were analysed for 2019, representing a full academic year of programme implementation. The intention-to-treat analysis revealed an average cost per learner per session of $9.92, and the cost per learner reached was estimated at $69.43. Sensitivity analysis indicated that these costs were sensitive to the participation rates of the learners who did not complete the intervention. The cumulative cost for the scale-up scenario for the Western Cape Province based on the base-case analysis (maximizing coverage of schools but only including 30% of eligible learners within schools) was estimated at $5 311 453.00 for a 3-year period, which exceeds the provincial conditional grant allocation dedicated to the human immunodeficiency virus and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (life skills education) for the same period, yet is comparable to the expenditure for a similar donor-funded programme within the province. The study's results will contribute to decision-making for implementing sexual education interventions in schools in South Africa and similar contexts.

It takes a community: exploring APPLE Schools' impact within and beyond school walls in Canada.

Childhood is a critical stage to develop healthy behaviours, and the school years are an important developmental period in which children are learning and growing. School-based health promotion interventions are increasingly using the comprehensive school health (CSH) approach that has been found effective at improving health behaviours, while adapting to the school and community context to create and sustain a healthy school culture. The interconnected environments of school, home and community are key to the CSH approach, however, there is minimal research that has been conducted to determine the impact at the community-level. This research used a qualitative multiple case study design to explore the influence of a school-based health promotion intervention, APPLE Schools, on the school and community environments from the perspectives of school staff in Alberta, Canada. Twenty-two participants participated in walking interviews in five schools. The walking interview approach combined interviewing and field observation and empowered participants to share their local expertise and knowledge within the context of school and community environments. Interviews were transcribed and analysed using an inductive thematic approach. Four themes were identified: APPLE schools look different, APPLE Schools build champions, APPLE Schools builds community partnerships and APPLE Schools honours community culture. Health promotion practice in schools was uniquely adapted based on strengths and needs of each school and was broadly influenced by the community outside of school walls. In sum, it was found that school-based health promotion reaches beyond school walls and can influence the broader community environment.

Scoping Review of School-Based Obesity Interventions among Children and Adolescents in Arabic Speaking Countries

BACKGROUND: Childhood and adolescent obesity globally presents a huge public health problem and the dramatic increase in its prevalence and associated poor health outcomes pose serious concerns among Arabic-speaking countries.
 
 AIM: This scoping review seeks to identify the characteristics and assess the effectiveness of school-based health promotion interventions on prevention or reduction of overweight/obesity among children and adolescents. This review further describes the implementation and evaluation of nutrition and physical activity interventions and their measured health outcomes for schools in Arabic speaking countries. 
 
 METHODS: We searched 10 electronic databases (PubMed MEDLINE, Scopus, CINAHL, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), ERIC, EMBASE, ProQuest, EBSCO Host and Global Health) from 2010 to 2020 for studies evaluating school-based health promotion interventions on obesity or overweight among children and adolescents in Arab speaking countries. Sixteen studies met the inclusion criteria for this review and narrative synthesis was conducted. 
 
 RESULTS: The 16 articles reported on eight discretely different interventions which were largely school-based and examined physical activity and/or nutritional changes as well as changes in knowledge and attitude in regard to physical activity and nutrition. 
 
 CONCLUSION: Our review demonstrates an inconclusive and mixed effect of behavioural and physical activity intervention on prevention or reduction of obesity and/or overweight. While the strengths and limitations of the various interventions may have influenced the outcomes, long-term school-based interventions with rigorous methodological and theoretical frameworks are necessary to assess the true impact of these interventions on childhood and adolescent obesity in Arab speaking countries.

Teacher Training and Engagement in Health Promotion Mediates Health Behavior Outcomes.

School-based health promotion interventions have been shown to lead to measurable changes in the nutrition and physical activity behaviors. This study examines whether the impact of an intervention program on students’ healthy eating and physical activity was mediated by teacher training and engagement in health promotion. The trial was conducted in three phases: needs assessment of the baseline survey of teachers, mothers’ and children; intervention among seven randomly selected schools that included teacher training in healthy eating and physical activity; and a post-intervention evaluation survey. The SPSS PROCESS for Hayes (Model8) was used to determine moderation and mediation effects. The difference in difference (DID) was calculated for the three main outcomes of the study: eating breakfast daily (DID = 17.5%, p < 0.001); consuming the recommended servings of F&V (DID = 29.4%, p < 0.001); and being physically active for at least 5 days/week (DID = 45.2%, p < 0.001). Schoolchildren’s eating breakfast daily was mediated by their teachers’ training in nutrition (β = 0.424, p = 0.002), teachers’ engagement (β = 0.167, p = 0.036), and mothers preparing breakfast (β = 1.309, p < 0.001). Schoolchildren’s consumption of F&V was mediated by teachers’ engagement (β = 0.427, p = 0.001) and knowing the recommended F&V servings (β = 0.485, p < 0.001). Schoolchildren’s physical activity was mediated by their teachers’ training in physical activity (β = 0.420, p = 0.020) and teachers’ engagement (β = 0.655, p < 0.001). Health behavior changes in the school setting including improvements in eating breakfast, consuming the recommended F&V and physical activity was mediated by teacher training and engagement. Effective teacher training leading to teacher engagement is warranted in the design of health-promotion interventions in the school setting.

Health promotion intervention to prevent risk factors of chronic diseases: Protocol for a cluster randomized controlled trial among adolescents in school settings of Chandigarh (India).

Chronic diseases like diabetes, cardiovascular diseases and cancers are on the rise. Most of the risk factors of these diseases commence in Adolescence. Therefore, a cluster randomised controlled trial is designed to evaluate the effect of school-based health promotion intervention on the risk factors of chronic diseases. Considering school as a cluster, twelve schools will be randomly selected from the public schools of Chandigarh, a city in India. After baseline assessment, six schools will be randomly allocated to intervention and six to the control arm. Study participants will be students of 8th grade (age 10-16 years), their parents and teachers. A sample of 360 students (12 clusters x 30 students) has been estimated to provide statistically valid inference. The PRECEDE PROCEED Model will be used to develop health promotion interventions to prevent the use of an unbalanced diet, physical inactivity, alcohol, and tobacco. Interventions will be implemented for six-months in the school setting. For students, the intervention will comprise interactive learning sessions of 30 minutes duration per week and physical activity sessions of 30 minutes duration four times every week. Educational sessions will be conducted for parents and teachers for 30 minutes, four times during the intervention period. Primary outcomes will be changes in the prevalence of behavioural risk factors from pre- to post-intervention. Changes in anthropometric, physiological, and biochemical measures will be the secondary outcomes. The difference-in-difference (DID) method will be used to measure the net change in the outcomes. It is essential to understand whether health promotion interventions implemented in the school setting simultaneously targeting adolescents, teachers, and parents are effective. Using the PRECEDE-PROCEED model for planning, implementing, and evaluating the intervention as part of a cluster Randomized Controlled Trial design with DID analysis, could objectively assess the impact.

Design for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effects of the CATCH Healthy Smiles School-Based Oral Health Promotion Intervention Among Elementary School Children

Design for a Cluster Randomized Controlled Trial to Evaluate the Effects of the CATCH Healthy Smiles School-Based Oral Health Promotion Intervention Among Elementary School Children

School-Based Mental Health Promotion and Early Intervention Programs in New South Wales, Australia: Mapping Practice to Policy and Evidence

Limited empirical evidence is available regarding the uptake and effectiveness of school-based mental health and wellbeing programs implemented in Australian schools. This study aimed to characterise the delivery of programs in primary (elementary) schools across New South Wales, Australia, and to assess this information against published ratings of program effectiveness. Delivery of programs in four health-promoting domains—creating a positive school community; teaching social and emotional skills; engaging the parent community; and supporting students experiencing mental health difficulties—were reported by 597 school principals/leaders via online survey. Although three quarters of principals reported implementing at least one program, many of these programs were supported by little or no evidence of effectiveness. There was also variability in the use of evidence-based programs across the four domains. Findings indicate a need to provide educators with improved support to identify, implement, and evaluate effective evidenced-based programs that promote student mental health.

Project PaThWay: protocol for a school-based health promotion intervention for prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) behavioral risk factors

Background: Prevention of non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and their behavioral risk factors (tobacco use, unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, harmful use of alcohol) among children and adolescents have garnered paramount importance under the Sustainable Development Goals. Methods: Project PaThWay is a school-based, two years, multi-component intervention to prevent key behavioral NCD risk factors among school-going children (classes 6-8th; 10-14 years) from private and public schools across two Indian cities (Pune and Bengaluru). We assessed the baseline knowledge, attitude, and behavior related to NCD risk factors (unhealthy diet, physical inactivity, and tobacco use) of the participating students through a survey. The intervention was developed and designed for implementation by the trained teachers and similar-age peers, as facilitators. The teachers and peer leaders were trained through organising school-level orientation workshops for implementation of intervention activities, after baseline assessment. Year 1 of the intervention focuses on the knowledge and learnings and year 2 on enhancing the life-skills (leadership, communication, refusal, health advocacy, etc.). Regular monitoring visits by the project team to ensure intervention activities are being carried out as planned and providing continuous support. The end line evaluation will be done after the completion of two years’ intervention to evaluate the effectiveness of the Project PaThWay intervention. Outcome measures will include improved knowledge, positive attitude, improve behaviors related to diet, physical activity, and tobacco use, and enhanced skills in handling NCD risk factors. A process evaluation will explore several aspects of Project PaTHWay intervention (fidelity, dosage, reach, adaptations), social validity (acceptability, feasibility, utility). Conclusion: Project PaTHWay, having a multiple-component intervention, may offer the best chance for success, as it addresses multiple risk factors using multi-pronged strategies. The agents of intervention implementation are trained teachers and similar-age student peer leaders (as facilitators), one of the successful and effective approaches in school-based interventions globally and in India.

A school based health promotion intervention to address the smoking behaviors of school children in Walisinghe Harishchandra secondary school, Sri Lanka

A school based health promotion intervention to address the smoking behaviors of school children in Walisinghe Harishchandra secondary school, Sri Lanka

School professionals committed to student well-being

ABSTRACT The northern provinces of Finland are mostly not densely populated, with long distances to healthcare services. This creates a challenge for how to reach all children and adolescents with mental health services. In order to assess the effectiveness of school-based mental health promotion interventions, it is essential to understand the views of school professionals on student well-being and mental health promotion activity in schools. This study was carried out in urban area comprehensive schools where psychiatric nurses delivered additional mental health promotion interventions. The data were collected using a questionnaire, and a mixed-methods approach was utilised in the analysis. School professionals perceived that students are more unwell than before; they exhibit a general disregard for their well-being and more mental health problems. The respondents regarded the promotion of students’ mental health as a basic function of schools. Teachers need adequate support with this work.