An examination of Health Promoting Schools in Ireland

Abstract

Purpose: This paper reports the results of a national survey that examined the extent of implementation of health promoting schools (HPS) in Ireland.Design/methodology/approach: A quantitative research design was adopted. A questionnaire was administered to all post primary schools in the country (n=704). Data were analysed with the support of the software packages, SPSS and MaxQDA.Findings: A response rate of 56% (n=394) was achieved. Over half of these schools (56%) selfidentified as health promoting. Schools reported success in the areas of environment and curriculum and learning, however, partnerships and policy and planning required more attention. Some models of good practice emerged from the data but these were in the minority. Many schools, when asked to describe health promotion in their school, placed emphasis on physical health (diet and exercise) and curriculum predominately rather than the broader whole school conceptualisation. Only 35% of HPS schools had a team supporting HPS developments. Only 36% identified the existence of a school policy to support HPS. This suggests that further coherence for sustained and comprehensive implementation of HPS is necessary. Research limitations:The research was conducted with school staff, in the first instance who self-reported their school's level of HPS engagement.Originality/value: This paper offers the first national baseline data available in relation to engagement in HPS in Ireland. It provides a valuable starting point from which further research with schools in this field can be conducted.Keywords: Health Promoting Schools, School, Environment, Curriculum, Policy, Partnership Article Classification: Research paper Introduction Defining health promoting schoolsSchools are recognised as important settings for health promotion (Mukoma and Flisher, 2004;St. Leger et al., 2010). Behaviours that have a profound effect on health status, such as physical activity and diet are established during the school years (Mohammadi et al., 2010). The foundation of health promoting schools has its origins in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (WHO 1986), where schools were identified as an important health promoting setting. The principles outlined in the charter were adopted for schools by the World Health Organisation (WHO) and became known as the Health Promoting School (HPS) concept (Whitman and Aldinger, 2009). A HPS is defined as a school that is "constantly strengthening its capacity to be a healthy setting for living, learning and working by focusing on all the conditions that effect health" (WHO 1998, p.2).In HPS the didactic approach to teaching health is replaced by a more holistic model of health education, in the hope that an all-encompassing approach will help to promote health gain. Indeed, "school health programmes that co-ordinate the delivery of education and health services and promote a healthy environment could become one of the most efficient means available for almost every nation in the world to improve significantly the well-being of its peo...

Clusters of health behaviours among young adults in Ireland

“…Schools have immense potential as an arena for health promotion (WHO, 1999) and the increasing emphasis on wellbeing as an area of learning and a basis for school self-evaluation is likely to enhance this role. Previous research (see, for example, Nic Gabhainn et al, 2010;Moynihan et al, 2016) has suggested challenges in adopting whole-school approaches to health promotion, with teacher professional development emerging as a key factor. Nonetheless, measures to promote school engagement and promote a more positive school climate are likely to have positive spill-overs for health behaviour.…”

Health Promoting Schools in Poland: an Evaluation of Health Promotion Implementation at Schools with a National Certificate

“…Similar issues were pointed out in the Irish research -the respondents there outlined a range of individual themes implemented in schools such as substance use, anti-bullying, healthy eating, but the existence of a coherent HPS policy under which these themes could be addressed was lacking. Parents were visible in only 2% of the responses concerning school activities and descriptions of more meaningful partnerships with the local community were limited and were clearly an area requiring more support (Moynihan et al, 2016).…”

“…For more eff ective implementation of health promotion from the whole school perspective, national educational policies need to conceptualise the whole school approach more clearly. Taking into consideration the diversity of health promotion practices among schools, outlining specifi c indicators for each HPS component would be helpful (Moynihan et al, 2016). Moreover, schools need strong organizational and material support in their endeavours to become health promoting schools.…”

“…Th e researchers used a diagnostic survey. It was conducted by the questionnaire: "National Questionnaire on SPHE and Health Promoting Schools", developed by the staff of the University of Limerick (Moynihan et al, 2016) and adapted to Polish conditions. Th e questionnaires were sent to schools in Poland holding the national HPS certifi cate, one hundred and three questionnaires were completed and returned and then analysed with respect to quantity and quality.…”

Health Promoting Schools: An Update

“…There are also numbers of papers analysing the data from the HKHSA as comprehensive system of monitoring and evaluation of performance of HPS [24][25][26][27][28]. Cochrane Review of WHO HPS framework for improving the health and well-being of students and their academic achievement has been conducted [29].…”