Surveillance for characteristics of health education among secondary schools--school health education profiles, 1998.

PROBLEM/CONDITION: School health education (e.g., classroom instruction) is an essential component of school health programs; such education promotes the health of youth and improves overall public health. REPORTING PERIOD: February-May 1998. DESCRIPTION OF SYSTEM: The School Health Education Profiles monitor characteristics of health education in middle or junior high schools and senior high schools in the United States. The Profiles are school-based surveys conducted by state and local education agencies. This report summarizes results from 36 state surveys and 10 local surveys conducted among representative samples of school principals and lead health education teachers. The lead health education teacher coordinates health education policies and programs within a middle/junior high school or senior high school. RESULTS: During the study period, most schools in states and cities that conducted Profiles required health education in grades 6-12. Of these, a median of 91.0% of schools in states and 86.2% of schools in cities taught a separate health education course. The median percentage of schools in each state and city that tried to increase student knowledge in selected topics (i.e., prevention of tobacco use, alcohol and other drug use, pregnancy, human immunodeficiency virus [HIV] infection, other sexually transmitted diseases, violence, or suicide; dietary behaviors and nutrition; and physical activity and fitness) was >73% for each of these topics. The median percentage of schools with a health education teacher who coordinated health education was 38.7% across states and 37.6% across cities. A median of 41.8% of schools across states and a median of 31.0% of schools across cities had a lead health education teacher with professional preparation in health and physical education, whereas a median of 6.0% of schools across states and a median of 5.5% of schools across cities had a lead health education teacher with professional preparation in health education only. A median of 19.3% of schools across states and 21.2% of schools across cities had a school health advisory council. The median percentage of schools with a written school or school district policy on HIV-infected students or school staff members was 69.7% across states and 84.4% across cities. INTERPRETATION: Many middle/junior high schools and senior high schools require health education to help provide students with knowledge and skills needed for adoption of a healthy lifestyle. However, these schools might not be covering all important topic areas or skills sufficiently. The number of lead health education teachers who are academically prepared in health education and the number of schools with school health advisory councils needs to increase. PUBLIC HEALTH ACTION: The Profiles data are used by state and local education officials to improve school health education.     

Preventing AIDS Through Education: Concepts, Strategies, and Research Priorities

Concepts related to the design and implementation of AIDS education programs in schools are presented. For each concept, the rationale and implications for curricular planning are described and health education research priorities are outlined. Teachers can make a major contribution in preventing HIV transmission among youth, perhaps the single largest contribution of any professional group. To do so, however, may require letting go of familiar roles and assuming a redefined and expanded role. Improvements in the theory base for school health education provide guidelines that can be used by teachers to clarify and reinforce curriculum efforts and to adapt to this new role.     

Challenges in teacher preparation for school health education and promotion

The health education and promotion profession is facing a series of teacher preparation challenges related to the delivery of quality school health education/promotion programmes. The challenges occurring in the United States are also present in a variety of other regions as the education structure attempts to ensure that students receive a sound preparation in health education and promotion during their school experience. The challenges can be categorised into the following areas: Quality and quantity of professional preparation for teachers during their pre-service university training; Need for in-service of teachers already in the K-12 workforce (in the USA grades K-12 are broadly equivalent to ages five to 17 years); University faculty workforce professional development needs; Research to provide baseline data for future standards development. Because there is a direct connection between community and school and parents and teachers at the K-12 level of education, the demand for highly skilled teachers and professional development is playing out at that level much more rapidly than at the university level. The relative isolation of some university faculty and programmes has developed an interesting situation in which many administrators and master teachers at the K-12 level of education have a better grasp and understanding of new teaching and learning strategies and tools than professors at the university level. This has happened at the same time when there is also a shortage of university professors entering school health education/promotion teacher education. This confluence of realities may predicate the need for a radical change in university based teacher preparation in health education/promotion. The overwhelming challenge for many countries including the United States remains the large number of teachers in the current workforce who must be provided professional development experiences. Currently both the National Health Education Standards for K-12 students and teacher preparation standards in health education reflect best practice theory only. There is no national data to support the standards. During the next ten years it is imperative that nationwide data be collected, compiled and analysed on actual learning outcomes for both K-12 students and health education teacher candidates. This will allow the next set of standards at both of the above-mentioned levels to reflect the knowledge and skills that have been actually attained and demonstrated. It will also be a basis for creating revisions and expansions in such a way that national standards can be an actual measure by which student performance can be judged. It is hoped that the rising tide of both national and international interest in having an increasingly health literate population will inspire members of the profession to be creative in the development of educational approaches, strategic partnerships, and funding to put strong systems of teacher preparation in place for the future.     

The relationship between professional preparation and class structure on health instruction in the secondary classroom

BACKGROUND: The aim of the present study was to examine the impact of professional preparation and class structure on health content delivery and time spent delivering content among required health education classes in the United States. METHODS: Data from the classroom‐level file of the 2006 School Health Policies and Programs Study were utilized. A series of multivariable logistic regression models were employed to determine if instruction of content was dependent on professional preparation and/or class structure. Years of teaching health topics and size of the school district were included as covariates in the multivariable logistic models. We also conducted a multivariable logistic regression model to examine if time spent teaching each topic area was dependent upon professional preparation and/or class structure. RESULTS: Findings indicated that professionally prepared teachers were significantly more likely to deliver content in 6 of 12 health topic areas when compared to untrained teachers. Class structure was also an important predictor of content delivery among many topic areas. Teachers who taught classes that were devoted to health instruction were significantly more likely to deliver content in the following topic areas: alcohol/drug prevention, tobacco prevention, sexuality, pregnancy, human immuno virus and sexually transmitted disease prevention, emotional/mental health and suicide, and violence prevention. CONCLUSIONS: Research concerning the relationship between professional preparation and teaching outcomes is scant. The present study indicates that health content coverage and time spent on instruction are associated with both professional preparation and class structure for many health content areas.     

Teacher beliefs, professional preparation, and practices regarding exceptional students and sexuality education

Sexuality education, part of the comprehensive school health education component of a Coordinated School Health Program, interests many health educators as well as special education teachers. In this study, Florida special educators reported their beliefs about teaching sexuality education to educable mentally disabled students, the range of sexuality topics they teach, and their professional preparation in sexuality education. Respondents (n = 494) completed a mailed instrument that included the 36 sexuality content areas identified by the Sexuality Information and Education Council of the United States. Respondents believed strongly that many of the sexuality topics and content areas should be taught to educable mentally disabled students. However, most reported delivering only a modest amount of sexuality education, and they rated their professional preparation as inadequate. Regression analyses documented that respondents' beliefs predicted the topics they actually taught within 5 of the 6 key concepts. This study supports collaboration between health educators and special education teachers to adapt existing sexuality curricula for students with special needs, improve professional preparation of special education teachers to teach sexuality education, and to more effectively implement comprehensive school health education through the Coordinated School Health Program model to special education students.     

Protect or Enable? Teachers’ Beliefs and Practices Regarding Provision of Sexuality Education to Learners with Disability in KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa

Literature argues that people with disabilities have heightened risk of exposure to sexually transmitted infections, including HIV due to lack of HIV knowledge, access to health services, and increased risk of sexual abuse and poverty. People with disabilities lack access to sexuality education. Teachers should be at the forefront to address this; however there is little understanding of the knowledge, attitudes, practices and needs of teachers of learners with disabilities in regards to sexuality/HIV education in Africa. A pilot study was conducted in ten special schools (eight urban, two rural) representing four types of disabilities in South Africa. Data was collected from 99 teachers using scales investigating beliefs and practice in teaching sexuality education, perceived subjective norms, self-efficacy, and materials/professional preparation. Frequencies, means, standard deviations and Cronbach’s alphas were calculated for all scales. The data shows that overall teachers have positive attitudes towards teaching all elements of comprehensive sexuality education. However, they find it easier to discuss “soft topics” around relationships and personal skills (e.g., hygiene) than to talk about sexual behavior and functions. Teachers expressed confidence in their ability to teach sexuality education but indicated that their professional preparation and materials are not adequate to provide accessible sexuality education to their learners. The study highlights the need to develop appropriate materials and to build teachers’ capacity to deliver sexuality and HIV education to learners with disabilities.     

Secondary school health education related to nutrition and physical activity--selected sites, United States, 2004

Eating a healthful diet and engaging in physical activity have important health benefits for youths, such as reducing overweight, a condition that affected 17% of those aged 12-19 years during 2003-2004. School health education that includes information about nutrition and physical activity is an important component of a comprehensive approach to improving dietary behavior, reducing sedentary behavior, and increasing physical activity among youths. A previous study suggested that professional development for health education teachers helps ensure the quality of health education instruction. To identify which nutrition and physical activity topics are being taught in school health education courses and what percentage of lead health education teachers have received professional development on nutrition and physical activity, CDC analyzed data from the 2004 School Health Profiles for public secondary schools (i.e., middle, junior high, and senior high schools) serving students in grades 6-12 in 25 states and 10 large urban school districts. This report summarizes the results of that analysis, which indicated that in 2004, approximately one half to three fourths of schools in the participating states and school districts taught all 15 nutrition and dietary behavior topics listed in the School Health Profiles questionnaire in a required health education course, and approximately one third to two thirds taught all 12 physical activity and fitness topics. State and local education agencies should continue to encourage schools to provide education on nutrition and physical activity as part of a coordinated school health program and promote staff development for health education teachers.     

Head Start Classrooms and Children’s School Readiness Benefit from Teachers’ Qualifications and Ongoing Training

Background

Teacher qualifications have been emphasized as a basis of professional development to improve classroom practices for at-risk children’s school readiness. However, teacher qualifications have often not been compared to another form of professional development, in-service training.

Objective

The current study attempts to investigate contributions of multiple types of professional development to school readiness skills of low-income preschoolers. Specifically, we examined the significance of teachers’ education level, degree, teaching certificate, teaching experiences as well as specialized in-service training and coaching support as these teacher trainings are linked to preschoolers’ school readiness through proximal classroom practices.

Method

We used a multi-level path analysis to examine multiple pathways from teachers’ professional development to classroom environments and school readiness with Head Start Family and Child Experiences Survey 2003 (N = 2,159).

Results

Teachers with an early childhood education major provided higher-quality provision for learning and social-emotional practices in the classroom; teachers who received coaching provided higher-quality social-emotional and parent involvement practices. Further, children in higher-quality social-emotional classrooms had better math skills, social skills and learning behaviors; children in the classrooms with higher-quality parent involvement practices had higher receptive vocabulary and parent-reported social skills and positive approaches to learning.

Conclusions

Along with early childhood education degree, ongoing coaching support would work effectively, improving classroom environments and a broad array of school readiness skills of at-risk children.     

Nutrition Education in Missouri Schools

ABSTRACT: This survey examined the status of nutrition education in Missouri schools, profiled teacher preparation in nutrition, and identified teacher preferences for additional nutrition education resources. Questionnaires were mailed to a systematic sample of 1,664 teachers representing different grade levels K-12 and subject areas including biological science, health, home economics, and physical education. Responses from 793 teachers indicated most integrated nutrition into other subjects such as health and science. Almost all taught the concept of food groups. Teachers expressed a need for materials on a range of concepts and preferred the videotape format. About one-third of elementary teachers reported completing a college-level nutrition course: 70% of secondary teachers had completed such a course. Results indicate the need for materials to integrate nutrition into various subjects and encourage teaching on concepts beyond the food groups.     

Urban health educators' perspectives and practices regarding school nutrition education policies

Although nutrition-related health education policies exist at national, state and local levels, the degree to which those policies affect the everyday practices of health education teachers who are charged with executing them in schools is often unclear. The purpose of this study was to examine the nutrition-related health education policy matrix that affected one urban school district, the health education teachers' awareness of those policies, the impact of nutrition policies on teachers' instruction and challenges teachers perceived in executing comprehensive nutrition education. The study used interpretive ethnography to examine the educational contexts and perspectives of 27 health educators from 24 middle schools in one urban district in the Midwestern United States. Data were collected through school observations, interviews with key personnel and document collection. We found that a network of nutrition-related education policies governed health education teachers' instruction, but that teachers were uniformly unaware of those policies. Without institutional coherence and clear directives, health education teachers taught little nutrition content, primarily due to poor training, professional development, instructional resources and administrative accountability. The results are discussed in light of the enormous challenges in many urban schools and the need for nutrition education professional development.     

Family and community involvement in schools: results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006

BACKGROUND: Family and community involvement in schools is linked strongly to improvements in the academic achievement of students, better school attendance, and improved school programs and quality. METHODS: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts the School Health Policies and Programs Study every 6 years. In 2006, computer-assisted telephone interviews or self-administered mail questionnaires were completed by state education agency personnel in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and among a nationally representative sample of school districts (n=461). Computer-assisted personal interviews were conducted with personnel in a nationally representative sample of elementary, middle, and high schools (n=1029) and with a nationally representative sample of teachers of required health education classes and courses (n=912) and required physical education classes and courses (n=1194). RESULTS: Although family and community involvement in states, districts, and schools was limited, many states, districts, and schools collaborated with community groups and agencies to promote and support school health programs. More than half of districts and schools communicated information to families on school health program components. Teachers in 55.5% of required health education classes and courses and 30.8% of required physical education classes and courses gave students homework or projects that involved family members. CONCLUSIONS: Although family and community involvement occurred at all levels, many schools are not doing some of the fundamental things schools could do to increase family involvement. Improvements in family and community involvement can support school health programs in states, districts, schools, and classrooms nationwide.     

学校卫生保健教师专业能力标准的构建

构建适合学校卫生保健教师岗位任务需要的专业能力标准及其评价模型,为中小学校卫生保健教师队伍的专业化建设提供依据.方法 采用岗位任务分析、质性访谈、专家咨询法筛选75项能力标准条目,对上海市16个行政区教育局卫生专干、教研员、中小学校校长、卫生保健教师及我国首届卫生教育专业本科毕业生共计282人进行问卷调研;采用项目分析确定各能力条目的适当性,探索性因子分析构建学校卫生保健教师专业能力标准的指标维度和结构特征.结果 所构建的学校卫生保健教师能力标准体系由四大领域(基本素养、学校健康教育、学校基本卫生保健服务、学校卫生管理)、9个能力维度、70项具体的能力指标组成.9个维度包括“师德修养”“专业通识素养”“协助应对紧急/意外健康事件和管理常见病/慢性病”“辅助预防接种和学生健康评估”“监测/沟通学生健康状况”“具备健康教育知识和教学技能”“有效实施健康教育活动并持续改进效果”“管理校园传染病和环境/饮水/食品安全”“监测学校卫生状况并持续优化学校卫生管理策略”.能力标准总体系Cronbach α系数为0.98,各维度Cronbachα系数为0.86~0.96;总体系折半信度系数0.93,各维度折半信度0.83~0.95.结论 构建的学校卫生保健教师专业能力标准具有良好的内容效度和可靠性,可为“医教结合”特色的学校卫生保健教师的培养、使用和评价提供理论依据.     

Educación para la salud en la escuela primaria: opinión del profesorado de la ciudad de Alicante

ObjectiveThis study explores the opinions of primary school teachers about health activities carried out in schools in Alicante city (Spain).MethodsAn exploratory study was conducted through qualitative content analysis. Three focus groups were conducted with 25 primary school teachers (14 women and 11 men) working in 14 public and 7 private schools in the city of Alicante. Participants were asked about the health activities carried on in their schools.ResultsTeachers distinguished between health education activities promoted by the school and those included in external programmes promoted by public and private institutions. External programmes were considered as impositions, lacking continuity and chosen according to passing fads. Although teachers demonstrated a more positive attitude towards activities arising from their own initiative, they identified health education as a secondary task. Teachers considered that improving their own health education training and promoting the involvement of parents, health professionals and public institutions were the most appropriate ways to promote health education in the school.ConclusionTeachers showed a more positive opinion and greater commitment towards health activities that complement and facilitate their teaching tasks. Their didactic programme and opinion should be taken into account to maximise the efficiency of the health promotion and education activities promoted by external organisations.     

中学教师职业倦怠状况调查

目的了解中学教师职业倦怠现状,为开展中学教师心理健康教育提供依据。方法采用职业倦怠量表,整群随机抽样,对西安和渭南10所中学390名中学教师进行现状调查。结果中学教师职业倦怠在性别上没有显著差异,在婚姻状况、职称上存在显著差异,初中教师比高中教师体验到更高的工作成就感,已婚教师的情绪衰竭和去人性化程度高于未婚教师,高级教师的去人性化程度高于二级教师。在每个维度上偏离一个标准差的人数比例均衡,在14.86%～15.95%之间;3个维度中,只在1个维度上偏离的人数为128,占34.59%;同时在两个维度上偏离的人数为27人,占7.3%;同时在3个维度偏离的人数有4人,占1.08%。结论当前中学教师的确存在一定的职业倦怠现象,但其表现有所不同,有较大比例的教师经历不同程度和层次的职业倦怠。     

Health educators' role in promoting health literacy and advocacy for the 21st century

This article discusses the relationship between health literacy and advocacy for health and health education, cites achievement of advocacy as a critical outcome of health education, and identifies health advocacy competencies for both students and health educators. The paper also delineates a role for health education in developing health-literate citizens and in training health educators to advocate for health and health education. The article draws on recent initiatives in comprehensive school health education and coordinated school health programs to identify content and strategies for developing health advocacy skills among elementary, middle, and senior high school students. The article provides a variety of approaches and strategies for developing advocacy skills among preservice and inservice health educators.     

初中生与教师对心理健康教育内容态度比较

目的调查初中生及教师对心理健康教育内容的态度,为确定初中生心理健康教育的重点提供依据。方法采用自行编制的初中心理健康教育主题调查问卷,调查了372名初中生和80名初中教师。结果教师和学生一致认为学习指导、人际交往指导是初中生最需要帮助的内容;在情绪控制和升学择业方面,二者观点不完全一致。结论学校设计心理健康教育内容时,应重点加强对学生学习方法和策略、人际交往技能、异性交往方法、乐观态度养成、升学择业等方面的教育和指导。     

Necessary school readiness skills for kindergarten success according to Jordanian teachers

The purpose of this study was to examine the necessity levels of children's school readiness skills held by Jordanian kindergarten teachers. The sample consisted of 347 teachers drawn from the public and private kindergarten education sectors. The school readiness data collection instrument included seven readiness domains with a total of 39 skills. Teachers evaluated the necessity level of each readiness skill for children to succeed in kindergarten. The results of this study indicated that teachers expected children to have average levels of readiness skills upon entering kindergarten. Among the domains, teachers expected the physical skills domain as the most necessary for kindergarten success, while the reading skills domain was perceived as the least necessary. Analysis also revealed significant differences between public and private kindergarten teachers in their level of expectations for school readiness skills.     

Enriching Professional Preparation in School Health through International Study

This article describes how to develop, market, implement, and evaluate an international health education travel study course. The experiences described reflect an international travel study tour of England and Scotland conducted by the authors with 25 undergraduate and graduate students. The trip enhanced both the appreciation and professional knowledge of the students of a variety of perspectives in the health area. International study provides unique opportunities for student development and contributes significantly to the quality of professional preparation of school health personnel. These experiences complement traditional professional preparation programs and can result in improved health instruction and health services in schools.     

Health education: results from the School Health Policies and Programs Study 2006

BACKGROUND: School health education can effectively help reduce the prevalence of health-risk behaviors among students and have a positive influence on students' academic performance. This article describes the characteristics of school health education policies and programs in the United States at the state, district, school, and classroom levels. METHODS: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conducts the School Health Policies and Programs Study every 6 years. In 2006, computer-assisted telephone interviews or self-administered mail questionnaires were completed by state education agency personnel in all 50 states plus the District of Columbia and among a nationally representative sample of districts (n=459). Computer-assisted personal interviews were conducted with personnel in a nationally representative sample of elementary, middle, and high schools (n=920) and with a nationally representative sample of teachers of classes covering required health instruction in elementary schools and required health education courses in middle and high schools (n=912). RESULTS: Most states and districts had adopted a policy stating that schools will teach at least 1 of the 14 health topics, and nearly all schools required students to receive instruction on at least 1 of these topics. However, only 6.4% of elementary schools, 20.6% of middle schools, and 35.8% of high schools required instruction on all 14 topics. In support of schools, most states and districts offered staff development for those who teach health education, although the percentage of teachers of required health instruction receiving staff development was low. CONCLUSIONS: Health education has the potential to help students maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and reduce health-related risk behaviors. However, despite signs of progress, this potential is not being fully realized, particularly at the school level.     

A potential new front in health communication to encourage vaccination: Health education teachers

ObjectiveTo assess the potential for a new channel for effective vaccine health communication in the United States: the nation’s health education teachers.MethodsContent analysis of current curricular standards governing health education in the fifty states and the District of Columbia, and a 2019 nationally representative survey of middle and high school health education teachers in the United States.ResultsOnly 12 states require any discussion of vaccines or immunization, and none provide detailed guidance to teachers on critical knowledge that might help young adults make wise immunization decisions. Only 42% of teachers discuss benefits of vaccination and immunization in their classes. In contrast to the teaching of evolution and climate change, only a small minority (2.4%) are classified as vaccine skeptics.ConclusionsPublic school health education classes are an under-utilized health communication channel with the unrealized potential to convey medically accurate information to millions of young Americans. Low levels of vaccine skepticism among teachers suggest that this channel can be effectively utilized to improve vaccination uptake and thereby improve collective health outcomes.