A Survey of Elementary School Health Education in West Virginia

The Elementary School Health Education Survey was conducted to determine the health knowledge, health practices, and awareness of the consequences of health behavior of selected elementary school students in West Virginia. An 80-item, multiple-choice inventory was developed to collect student data, and a questionnaire-checklist was employed for each classroom teacher whose students participated in the survey. The survey involved 1,441 students from 85 classrooms in 35 schools. The results indicated a need for mandated health instruction as part of the elementary school curriculum and a need for graduate course work in Health Education for elementary school teachers.     

Secondary Health Educators' Perceived Self-Efficacy in Teaching Mainstreamed Mentally Disabled Students

ABSTRACT: This study examined secondary school health education teachers perceived adequacy of professional training and perceived self-efficacy in teaching mainstreamed mentally disabled students (MMDS). Subjects included a stratified random sample (N = 333; response rate = 63%) of secondary school health education teachers in nine states which require that health education be taught in the schools. Subjects were 44% female, 92% White, had a mean age of 40.6 years (SD = 8.6) and a mean of 12.1 years (SD = 7.5) of teaching experience. One in four received no training on teaching MMDS. Efficacy expectation (EE) scores were significantly higher in teachers with some training in teaching MMDS (p < .001) but outcome expectation (OE) scores were not significantly different based on training. Also, EE and OE scores were higher in teachers who perceived the need for health knowledge and skills (outcome value) as greater in this population (p < .001). A significant correlation existed between the degree of reward in teaching MMDS and EE and OE (p < .01). Fifty-four percent believed materials available for teaching this group were inadequate; however, 77% reported that there special education department was supportive in material development. ( J Sch Health. 1994;64(6):261–265 )     

A Proposal for Certification of School Nurses The West Virginia Model

The need for school nurse certification has been a longstanding concern of school health providers and citizens interested in school health. The West Virginia School Health Association formed a task force to study this need in West Virginia and to formulate a proposal for submission to the West Virginia Department of Education. The proposal addresses the need for school nurse certification, supplies supportive information regarding scope of problem, relates this problem to West Virginia's educational goals and provides information for potential improvement for education. A committee of educators and nurses are in the process of formulating educational and competency requirements for certification of school nurses in West Virginia.     

Emerging Trends in Professional Preparation: Implications for the Future of Health Education

During the 1982-1983 academic year, 115 academic institutions were surveyed concerning trends in professional preparation in Health Education. Findings indicate that 13,225 students are currently majoring in Health Education with 4,810 specializing in school health education and 8,415 specializing in public health education. A marked increase in the number of students specializing in public health education within the past five years was reported by 78 institutions and 13 of the 78 institutions reported a corresponding decrease in the number of students specializing in school health education. Recent enrollment trends at teacher preparation institutions suggest that significant changes in professional preparation in Health Education are under way.     

The AHEC contribution to social work education

The Area Health Education Center (AHEC) Program is a Federal initiative funded by the Public Health Service. The goal of the program is to improve the distribution and quality of training for health professionals. Funds are awarded to schools of medicine or osteopathy which in turn subcontract with at least two other health professional schools. Each project recipient must establish an AHEC center to plan and coordinate community-based educational experiences for health professions students in designated health shortage areas. The AHEC program fosters interdisciplinary training among health professionals. As part of the basic program thrust, some AHECs have included the social work profession in their program design. The Massachusetts AHEC, through Boston University's School of Social Work, established a health care concentration and interdisciplinary rotation that included students from social work, psychology, nursing, and medicine. Other examples of AHEC-sponsored training are presented from Baltimore, the eastern shore of Virginia, and several centers in Massachusetts. Through the AHEC training mechanism, social work students as well as practitioners in the field have the opportunity to encounter the most current and urgent issues in health care practice.     

无锡市创建健康促进学校工作经验

目的改善学生的学校和生活环境,提高学生的身心健康水平,并通过学校向家长、社区传播健康信息,促进全社区成员的健康。方法取得市级铜牌的学校若申报省级"健康促进铜牌学校",由市卫生局会同市教育局对创建学校的申报材料进行审核后,集中上报省健康促进学校工作指导委员会办公室,由省健康促进学校工作指导委员组织专家对申报学校进行抽查评审。结果无锡市省级"健康促进铜牌学校"13所。结论健康促进学校比学校促进健康的内容要广泛得多,实施力度要大得多。从而使学校不仅仅是一个传授知识的地方,而且也是学生获得健康的一个场所。     

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.     

Evaluation of the Florida coordinated school health program pilot schools project

ABSTRACT: The Florida Department of Education, with CDC funding, designed the Florida Coordinated School Health Program Pilot Schools Project (PSP) to encourage innovative approaches to promote coordinated school health programs (CSHP) in Florida schools. Each of eight pilot schools received $15,000 in project funding, three years of technical assistance including on-site and off-site assistance, a project office resource center, mailings of resource materials, needs assessment and evaluation assistance, and three PSP Summer Institutes. Project evaluators created a context evaluation, approaching each school independently as a “case study” to measure the school's progress in meeting goals established at baseline. Data were collected using the How Healthy is Your School? needs assessment instrument, a School Health Portfolio constructed by each school team, a Pilot Schools Project Team Member Survey instrument, midcourse team interviews, final team interviews, and performance indicator data obtained from pilot and control schools. The PSP posed two fundamental questions: “Can financial resources, professional training, and technical assistance enable individual schools to create and sustain a coordinated school health program?” and “What outcomes reasonably can one expect from a coordinated school health program, assuming programs receive adequate support over time?” First, activities at the eight schools confirmed that a coordinated school health programs can be established and sustained. Program strength and sustainability depend on long-term resources, qualified personnel, and administrative support. Second, though coordinated school health programs may improve school performance indicators, the PSP yielded insufficient evidence to support that belief. Future projects should include robust measurement and evaluation designs, thereby producing conclusive evidence about the influence of a coordinated school health program on such outcomes.     

农村在校留守儿童心理健康及影响因素

目的 了解农村在校留守儿童心理健康状况及影响因素。方法 于2012年11月采用方便抽样方法,抽取麻城2个乡镇,每个乡镇随机抽取小学（只6年级）、初中（1~3年级）、高中（1~3年级）各1所学校共1 925名学生进行心理健康及其影响因素调查。结果 留守儿童725人（37.66%）,心理健康得分为（128.58±39.25）分,非留守儿童1 200人（62.34%）,心理健康得分为（127.76±37.29）分,差异无统计学意义（P=0.648）;有心理问题留守儿童的心理弹性除社会能力、目标与志向因子外,其他因子及总分均明显低于无心理问题留守儿童（P<0.05）;不想念父母的留守儿童MMHI-60心理健康得分最高（153.58±44.88）分,心理健康状况较差;对父母外出务工持支持态度的留守儿童MMHI-60心理健康得分最低（121.18±38.04）分,心理健康状况较好;不同每月零用钱留守儿童心理健康得分差异有统计学意义（P<0.05）,其中每月零用钱<50元的留守儿童MMHI-60心理健康得分最低（125.53±41.19）分,心理健康状况较好;多元线性回归分析显示,年级、对父母外出务工的态度及心理弹性是心理健康的影响因素。结论 心理弹性是留守儿童心理健康的保护因素,高年级及对父母外出务工的态度淡漠是心理健康的危险因素。     

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.     

Scholarship support for Indian students in the health sciences: an alternative method to address shortages in the underserved area

The University of New Mexico Area Health Education Center was established in conjunction with the Navajo Health Authority to begin health manpower development immediately in the Navajo Nation and surrounding areas (a territory approximately the size of West Virginia). To this end, a student support program was established at the Navajo Health Agency to recruit and support Indian students with scholarships, to provide them with culturally based counseling, and to reinforce the students'' intentions of ultimately returning to serve Indian people. No payback penalties or other forms of coercion were used in this program to encourage students to return to the underserved Indian areas.From October 1973 through September 1977, 124 students graduated with 125 degrees or certificates in all aspects of health care. Of these 124 students, 76 were employed. The remaining were continuing their education, unemployed, untraceable, or deceased. Of the 76 employed, 61 were from tribes within the Navajo Nation; of these 61, 56 returned to their area to serve Indians. This return rate to an underserved area is substantially better than anticipated from a review of programs that employ a variety of coercive methods to encourage recipients of loans to settle in specific underserved areas after the necessary training.     

Evaluation of the West Australian School Development in Health Education Project

ABSTRACT: In December 1990, the National Centre for Research into the Prevention of Drug Abuse was invited to evaluate the School Development in Health Education Project (SDHE), a national program tested in Western Australia (WA) in 1991. A formative evaluation indicated the project was moderately successful in achieving the objectives in the operational plan. Schools involved reported the project was successful, and they agreed to continue health planning meetings during 1992. The evaluation also indicated that while most schools achieved macro-level change, they achieved little at the micro level. A significant outcome for SDHE WA was the successful application for three-year funding to continue and expand the project as the West Australian School Health program (WASH). Recommendations generated from the SDHE evaluation produced a shift in emphasis for the WASH program from the "action research" orientation of the national program to more content-based professional development. This study highlights the important role formative evaluation can play in developing and refining health education programs.     

贵阳市中学生健康素养现况及影响因素分析

目的 了解贵阳市中学生健康素养现况及其影响因素。方法 采用多阶段分层整群抽样方法,根据"2014年中国居民健康素养问卷"编制的问卷,2015年5月对3 295名中学生进行问卷调查,采用SPSS 20.0软件对资料进行统计分析。结果 贵阳市中学生具备健康素养的比例为5.5%,三个方面中健康素养水平最高的是基本技能30.0%,最低的是基本健康知识和理念4.6%;6类健康问题中素养水平最高的是安全与急救47.8%,最低为慢性病防治10.4%;单因素χ²分析显示,不同地区、本地户籍、独生子女、学校是否开设健康教育课、父母文化程度、学习成绩自评和不同年级中学生具备健康素养水平的差异均有统计学意义（P<0.01）;多因素logistic回归分析显示,不同地区、父亲文化程度、学习成绩自评、学校是否开设健康教育课和不同年级是中学生健康素养水平的主要影响因素。结论 贵阳市中学生健康素养水平总体偏低,与父亲文化程度、学习成绩、年级和学校开设健康教育课等因素有关。     

Promoting health literacy through the health education assessment project

BACKGROUND: The Council of Chief State School Officers' State Collaborative on Assessment and Student Standards Health Education Assessment Project (SCASS-HEAP) allows states to pool financial and human resources to develop effective ready-to-use health education assessment resources through a collaborative process. The purpose of this article is to describe the extensive ongoing development of the SCASS-HEAP and its benefits for important stakeholders in health and education. METHODS: A review of the products from the first decade of the SCASS-HEAP was undertaken. RESULTS: The SCASS-HEAP supports a comprehensive systems approach to helping educators focus effectively on the most important skills and issues in child and adolescent health and gives health education a place at the school reform table, providing visibility and credibility and promoting the essential links between health and learning. CONCLUSION: State education agencies and school districts can use SCASS-HEAP materials for assessment and, perhaps more importantly, to help teachers modify and improve instruction at the classroom level for increased student learning.     

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.     

Roles of Community Organizations in Improving Cancer Prevention Instruction in Schools

Health education can be an important factor in the development of appropriate health behaviors in children. Community agencies that have not traditionally supported school health education can be of significant influence in improving school health education. This study examined the relationships between the involvement of the American Cancer Society (ACS) in schools and the degree of implementation of cancer prevention curricula. School health specialists from 41 metropolitan school districts in Texas were surveyed regarding the coverage of topical areas related to cancer prevention, health instructional patterns in districts, and collaborative efforts with the ACS. Tobacco use was widely covered in all levels of schools (elementary, middle, and high school), as was nutrition. Cancer detection and the concepts of cancer as a disease received most extensive coverage in high schools, and there were no significant grade level differences regarding coverage of the risks of sun exposure. School personnel had little training and felt little district support for school health education. Most respondents felt that teachers saw the ACS primarily as a resource for cancer information and resources than as a collaborative partner in health education efforts. Community organizations can play three roles in supporting school health education. First, the organizations must certainly provide diseasespecific information (in this case, cancer). They must also promote comprehensive school health education in general. Lastly, the study illustrates that community organizations must act as advocates for broader change in schools by supporting the development of organizational capacity within schools and districts to implement quality school health education, enlisting community support for quality school health education, and supporting policy initiatives that strengthen school health education activities.     

A study of the impact of health education inparted to school children on their knowledge, attitude and practice in regard to personal hygiene

Education concerning prevailing health problems and the method of preventing and controlling them was considered to be one of the first eight essential activities in primary health care. Hence this study was attempted to assess the impact of health education on the knowledge, attitude and practices of school children aged 10-14 years in two secondary schools situated in Burdwan District of West Bengal. For this purpose health education was imparted by a team consisting of Medical Officer and Paramedical staff. Education was given on personnel hygiene. The entire education programme was arranged in such a way that the course could be completed in six months time. The knowledge, attitude and practice status of the students was assessed before imparting training, twice during the training period at an interval of three months and finally after 9 months from the start of training. The evaluation was done with the help of scoring. The results indicated that the health knowledge of the student significantly improved after education. Attitude of the students towards personal hygiene also improved significantly after education. The practice of personal hygiene improved significantly as well. The present study also revealed that the improvement in health practice was not commensurating with the improvement of knowledge and attitude after education.     

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。     

Bridging the gap between community health and K-12 schools

The topic of this article is program planning for K-12 school health programs collaborating with community agencies, businesses, colleges, and organizations. Community involvement was listed as one of the weakest areas of school health efforts in a national coordinated school health study [1]. This article presents the 5-year results demonstrating the outcomes of K-12 schools program planning aimed at community involvement in the coordinated school health model. Directors of the Departments of Education and Health in South Dakota initiated training for school personnel in the coordinated school health model through development of councils in the schools starting in 2000. The expectations of the councils were to design a program plan to support the health of students and staff in their school. The short-term results of a 5-year evaluation indicated the greatest area of gain was in community health involvement to improve student and staff health.     

湖南省中小学校卫生保健能力现状及改善策略

目的 为分析湖南省中小学校卫生保健能力配置现状,改善中小学卫生保健能力提供依据。 方法 开展学校卫生保健能力建设问卷调查,利用学校卫生工作体系和能力建设调查工作数据采集平台直报数据,对湖南省中小学校卫生保健机构设立以及卫生保健人员配备现状进行分析。 结果 湖南省12 614所中小学校中,3 599所寄宿制学校和1 704所600人以上非寄宿制学校,至少需配备专职校医9 967名,实际仅898名,7 311所不足600人非寄宿制学校,专职保健老师仅197名;调查学校中7.3%设置了卫生室,29.6%设置了保健室;7.5%配备了校医,5.3%配备了专职校医,专职校医配备合格率为1.3%;45.6%配备了保健老师,6.6%配备了专职保健老师;90.0%开展了卫生健康相关课程;5.7%的校医和26.5%的保健老师参加过卫生专业技术培训;设置卫生室或保健室、配备(专职)保健老师、配备(专职)校医、开展卫生健康教育、保健老师或校医参加过学校卫生专业知识培训的学校比例,随学龄阶段的上升、经济水平的提高、学校规模的变大,呈逐渐增加趋势(均P<0.001)。 结论 湖南省中小学校卫生保健机构以及卫生保健人员缺口较大,小于600人的小学卫生保健力量需重视;保健老师和校医学校卫生专业知识培训不足;经济水平仍是影响学校卫生保健机构以及人员配置的关键因素之一。建议通过增加学校卫生工作经费投入,不断完善学校卫生保健机构建立,合理增配学校卫生保健人员,并通过卫生保健人员专业技术培训来提升中小学校卫生保健工作能力。