Evaluating health-promoting schools in Hong Kong: development of a framework

Health-promoting schools (HPS)/healthy schools have existed internationally for about 15 years. Yet there are few comprehensive evaluation frameworks available which enable the outcomes of HPS initiatives to be assessed. This paper identifies an evaluation framework developed in Hong Kong. The framework uses a range of approaches to explore what schools actually do in their health promotion and health education initiatives. The framework, which is based on the WHO (Western Pacific Regional Office) Guidelines for HPS, is described in detail. The appropriate instruments for data collection are described and their origins identified. The evaluation plan and protocol, which underpinned the very comprehensive evaluation in Hong Kong, are explained. Finally, a case is argued for evaluation of HPS to be more in line with the educational dynamics of schools and the research literature on effective schooling, rather than focusing primarily on health-related measures.     

Daughter praising, mother bashing: a case study from Hong Kong

In this paper, we present the case of a mother and daughter in family therapy. We call for a critical examination of Western literature that describes how a mother praises her child. I illustrate how one observer (the first author) perceives the issue of maternal praise differently from other observers. To illustrate the interaction between this family and the family therapist (the second author), some representative vignettes of the sixth session have been extracted for discussion. Ten observers from the Chinese University of Hong Kong, 7 of whom were master's students and 3 were doctoral students, observed the therapy sessions from the adjoining room. The article is composed of four parts: (a) parental styles and relationships in families with an anorectic daughter literature review; (b) vignettes of the sixth family therapy session; (c) the observers' comments about the therapist; and (d) discussion. The paper concludes with a question of whether the impact of praise on a child's development in Western society functions in the same way and produces the same effects on a child's development as it does in Chinese society.     

Maintenance of a health promotion program in elementary schools: results from the CATCH-ON study key informant interviews.

To better understand the institutionalization process in Child and Adolescent Trial for Cardiovascular Health (CATCH) intervention and control schools, 199 key informant interviews were conducted with school food service staff, physical education teachers, classroom teachers, and administrators at the four CATCH-ON field centers. School personnel were asked to talk about the degree of CATCH program implementation, who at the school or school district was instrumental in promoting CATCH, and the conditions that facilitated or impeded the institutionalization of CATCH activities and philosophies. The CATCH Physical Education (PE) component appeared to have the highest level of institutionalization, and the CATCH classroom curriculum and family components appeared to have the lowest levels of institutionalization. The primary barriers expressed included the low priority for health promotion activities and time constraints of schools: lack of mechanisms for training of school staff; and lack of sufficient funds for materials, equipment, and lower fat vendor products.     

Revitalizing health promotion: a case study from Serbia

The last two decades of the twentieth century were difficult ones for health promotion in Serbia. The political, economic and social upheaval resulting from the civil conflict in the former Republic of Yugoslavia put enormous pressure on the health system overall and undermined a previously strong and effective health education and promotion service. In recent years the government, supported by external donors, has refocused attention on the need for high quality public health, including preventive activities as a central goal of the health reform process. This process is reviewed through a case study of a high profile health promotion campaign recently completed within the country. The potential for Serbia to regain its position as an innovator in community-based health care as well as the obstacles to be overcome are analysed.     

Helping schools to become health-promoting environments--an evaluation of the Wessex Healthy Schools Award

The concept of the health-promoting school embodies a holistic,whole school approach to personal and community health promotion.Healthy school award schemes, which are increasing, are seenas one way of helping schools to become health promoting. Manyare based on the Wessex Healthy Schools Award scheme (WHSA)which was established in 1993. This paper outlines a 3-yearevaluation study of the effectiveness of the WHSA interventionin changing health promotion policy and practice in school,and in influencing health-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviourof pupils. The study design was quasi-experimental, and wasconducted in 11 intervention secondary and five control schools.It involved pupils, teachers, support staff, parents, schoolgovernors, health promotion officers and education advisers,using a range of quantitative and qualitative tools. The Awardprocess, which is linked to nine key areas of health, lasted15 months. Changes in school health promotion were assessedby audit; pupils' health-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviourthrough self-administered questionnaires; and attitudes andperceptions of staff, parents and governors from semi-structuredinterviews. The results showed that audit scores for all areas,except physical activity and taking responsibility for health,increased in intervention schools, indicating positive Award-relatedchanges. There was little improvement in healthy food choices,smoke-free environment and developing community links. Pupils'knowledge, high at the baseline, remained unchanged. Positiveeffects on smoking uptake and drug use were seen, but littlechange in healthy eating and physical activity. Older girlsmade greater progress in all areas. Parents and non-teachingstaff strongly supported school health promotion, perceivedmany benefits of the Award, and wished to be more actively involved.The Award positively influenced the development of a health-promotingschool, perceived as an important component of education. Furtherresearch is needed into ways of improving pupils' diet and activitylevels, how schools can implement a smoke-free environment,the development of community links, and ways in which a wholeschool approach can be achieved.     

A comprehensive "Healthy Schools Programme" to promote school health: the Hong Kong experience in joining the efforts of health and education sectors

Both health and education are linked to economic performance. The success of education depends on good health, and vice versa. Modern education should help young people to determine values, and accept responsibility for their health and social behaviour. The success of health promotion in schools requires the joint efforts of both the health and education sectors. A comprehensive programme is needed to include teachers' training, curriculum development, community participation, changing policies and practices, and research. All these components are needed to build up a successful model of a health promoting school. The "Healthy Schools Programme" in Hong Kong gives a good example of close partnership between the health and education sectors, and moves towards a multidisciplinary approach and active learning towards health promotion.     

当代青年婚恋价值观及其教育引导 —— 基于1185份调查问卷的实证分析

  目的  了解上海在校大学生性行为和避孕措施认知状况,为保障中国大学生群体的生殖健康和人口可持续发展提供依据。  方法  于2019年6 — 11月,对上海市62所专科及本科院校的大学一年级到博士四年级共计14 612名在校学生发放调查问卷,对性态度、性行为、避孕措施和风险性行为补救措施相关认知情况进行调查分析。  结果  上海在校大学生性行为发生率为24.93 %,66.80 %的被访者表示每次都采取避孕措施,3.46 %的被访者表示从不采取避孕措施,意外怀孕发生率为7.24 %;安全套整体知晓率（82.90 %）和使用率（96.13 %）在避孕措施中最高,外用避孕药（26.51 %）、避孕针（17.72 %）、皮下埋植（15.30 %）等其他避孕措施知晓率较低,女生对人工流产的认知优于男生;47.16 %的在校大学生对性病和艾滋病认知不足,男生认知优于女生。  结论  上海在校大学生性态度开放、性行为活跃,但避孕措施和风险性行为补救措施认知不够准确,高校应关注在校大学生安全性行为意识的培养并做好相关生殖健康服务工作。     

Using research results as a health promotion strategy: a five-year case study in Canada

Researchers in the field of health tend to share the resultsof their studies with colleagues by presenting papers and publishingin professional Journals. This practice is no longer adequateto promote major changes, as the infhiencers or agents of changesuch as senior administrators, elected officials and even thevoting public remain ignorant of the studies and their results.This article presents a case study of an effective, practicalhealth promotion strategy aimed at these agents of change. Itdescribes the planned, systematic dissemination of the resultsof two national surveys of the health knowledge, attitudes andbehaviour of schoolchildren in Canada. As a result, major influencesand changes have been documented in the development of programmes,resources and policies relevant to improved health educationin schools across Canada.     

A journey into school health promotion: district implementation of the health promoting schools approach

The health-promoting schools approach has gained momentum in the last decade with many jurisdictions providing guidelines and frameworks for general implementation. Although general agreement exists as to the broad strokes needed for effectiveness, less apparent are local implementation designs and models. The Battle River Project was designed to explore one such local implementation strategy for a provincial (Alberta, Canada) health promoting schools program. Located in the Battle River School Division, the project featured a partnership between Ever Active Schools, the school division and the local health authority. Case study was used to come to a greater understanding of how the health promoting schools approach worked in this particular school authority and model. Three themes emerged: participation, coordination and, integration.     

Organizational capacity and implementation change: a comparative case study of heart health promotion in Ontario public health agencies

This paper reports the results of a comparative case study that examines factors influencing changes in implementation of heart health promotion activities in Ontario public health units. The study compared two cases that experienced large changes in implementation from 1994 to 1996, but in opposite directions. Multiple data sources were used, with an emphasis on secondary analyses of quantitative surveys of health units and other community agencies, and in-depth interviews of public health staff, collected as part of the Canadian Heart Health Initiative Ontario Project. Guided by social ecological and organizational theories, changes in implementation were explained by examining changes in (1) organizational predisposition to undertake heart health promotion activities, (2) organizational practices to undertake these activities, (3) other internal organizational factors and (4) external system factors. Findings show that in communities with diverse characteristics, implementation change was most strongly influenced by an interplay of changes in internal features of public health agencies; notably, leadership, structure and staff skills. Findings support a social ecological approach to health promotion by demonstrating the importance of the institutional context in the implementation change process, the interaction of individual (skills) and organizational (structure) levels in explaining implementation change, and community context in shaping the change process. Findings also reinforce the value of strengthening capacity within public health agencies and suggest further research on the implementation change process, especially in different systems and over longer periods of time.     

Consumers' perceptions of health care: the case of Hong Kong

The health care industry in Hong Kong has undergone major changes in organization as well as philosophy of operation since the 1970s. During this period, the Hong Kong government has also experienced a political transition from colonial status to a special administrative region of Mainland China. Because of the economic downturn in East Asia, including Hong Kong, contraction of public spending has compelled the government to reconsider the alternatives for health care provision in Hong Kong. A number of multinational health care providers have entered this market and operate mainly in the private sector, including solely-owned clinics and alliances with existing hospitals. This paper provides an understanding of the evolution and development of the health care industry in Hong Kong and, on that basis, suggests elements of quality health care from the findings of a survey of patients.     

珠港澳健康教育与健康促进区域合作模式的探讨

当今国家之间、地区之间的政治、经济、文化、卫生等领域的依存度日益加深,通过区域之间全方位、宽领域、多层次的广泛合作,取得共同发展已成为趋势。随着人口流动速度的加快以     

Paid celebrity endorsement in health promotion: a case study from Australia.

In late 1998, Australian cricketer Shane Warne was allegedly paid A$200 000 ( pound78 060, US$123 000) by a pharmaceutical company to publicize his attempt to stop smoking. Warne failed to stop, and his continuing smoking remained newsworthy more than a year later. The arrangement caused considerable media controversy about the ethics of payment for charitable or socially worthy actions. This paper explores the community's reaction to payment for modelling a healthy behaviour, discussing the values that Warne transgressed and whether these mattered, given that the campaign caused an unprecedented rise in the use of nicotine replacement therapy.