A Proposed Role for Physicians in School Health

Abstract

It has been estimated that more than half of the world's population is below the age of 25 years. At the end of the year 2001, there were 2 billion teenagers on the planet, more than there have ever been in the history of mankind.1 In an era of increasing technological access and rapid innovation, the potential of this population is unbounded. However, if we fail to nurture their health, education, hopes and skills, their destabilizing effects on the political, social and economic systems could be immense.Childrens' health has improved steadily over the past several decades. Children who in the past would have died in infancy are surviving into childhood, adolescence, and adulthood. However, the changing social, economic and political conditions both locally and globally, impose multiple threats and impairments to their physical, mental and social health.The interaction between health and education has a major impact on the development and well-being of children. School achievement is affected by children's health, and health is affected by what children learn and do at school. Healthy habits can be taught in the classroom, modeled by teachers, and learned from peers. In addition, the child's health can be adversely affected by the negative physical and emotional environment of the school, and by the lack of nutritional and physical education programs. 2,3More children than ever before are attending schools, and for longer periods of their lives. Since the school years are a formative period in the child's development, the school is responsible for providing efficient means of improving the child's health, self esteem, behavior, and life skills (abilities related to effective decision-making, communication, understanding emotions, critical thinking, coping with stress, etc). Schools also provide a place where interventions of many specific diseases can efficiently and economically be implemented. Therefore, in every nation, schools could do more than perhaps any other single institution to improve the well-being and competence of the young generation. In addition, schools can also provide the setting to introduce health information to the community and, can lead the community by advocating policies and activities that promote health.

Knowledge, attitude and performance study of secondary school teachers of Yazd city regarding skin cancer

“…Also, one of the strategies of the World Health Organization (May 2005) for controlling cancers is increasing the knowledge of the people regarding cancer 2 . The role of teachers in health education of children in addition to other trainings and education is very clear and such studies can help increase the knowledge, attitude and performance of teachers 12,13 …”

“…2 The role of teachers in health education of children in addition to other trainings and education is very clear and such studies can help increase the knowledge, attitude and performance of teachers. 12,13…”

Improving the effectiveness of noncommunicable disease prevention training based on health and education experts' opinions

“…Some researchers consider health education for the community and the at-risk group and he group that play an important role in disease control, as one of the most important axes of control and prevention of noncommunicable diseases. [ 9 ]…”