Factors influencing teachers’ views of health and health education: A study in 15 countries

Abstract

Objective: To analyse teachers' health views in order to obtain general trends in factors influencing health and health education and to fit them into the negative-positive model of health proposed by Downie and collaborators. Method: This large international study involved 15 countries from Western and Eastern Europe, North and Sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and South America, with high socioeconomic and cultural diversity. The questionnaire constructed and validated by the European FP6 project BIOHEAD-CITIZEN was applied in each country to a balanced sample of pre-service teachers (Pre) and in-service teachers (In) of primary schools (P) and secondary schools, teaching biology (B) or national language (L). Results: Women, older persons, those having longer higher university education, primary school teachers (compared to secondary teachers) and language teachers (compared to biology teachers) have a more positive view of health. The major difference was found between countries, rather than religion, where five groups emerged from cluster analysis. Conclusion: The study does not lead to a comprehensive view of factors influencing teachers' perceptions of health but results showed that there is a variety of variables associated with health and health education views. These findings can contribute to facilitate developing appropriate specific health education teachers' training courses.

La formación en educación para la salud del alumnado universitario del grado de educación infantil en España

“…Thus, some authors 50,51 affirm that the purpose of the EpS in childhood should be to increase well-being and reduce health risks, marking as its primary objective the promotion of health based on the improved balance of physical, mental and social aspects related to healthy lifestyle habits.…”

Teachers as health promoters: Factors that influence early career teachers to engage with health and wellbeing education

“…However, regardless of the school ethos, some new teachers may be advocates of health and wellbeing education. Influences beyond school including life experience such as being a parent, having a positive experience of health and wellbeing education as a pupil, or having a strong sense of personal morality can increase novice teachers' self-efficacy and affect how they approach their professional duties, including promoting health and wellbeing as part of their wider pastoral role (Connelly & Clandinin, 1999;Hecimovich & Volet, 2011;Jourdan, Pironon, Berger, & Carvalho, 2012;McNamara et al, 2012;Mead, 2011).…”

“…Paradoxically, as the global focus on academic achievement and the vertical discourse in schools is likely to reduce attention on health and wellbeing education, there is increasing INFLUENCES ON NOVICE TEACHERS AS HEALTH PROMOTERS 7 evidence of the connections between positive health outcomes and good educational attainment (Aggleton, Dennison, & Warwick, 2010;Brooks, 2014;Jourdan et al, 2012;Suhrcke & de Paz Nieves, 2011). It seems increasingly necessary to explore the factors that influence teachers to become promoters of health and wellbeing, as they transition from preservice training to becoming qualified teachers.…”

Teachers’ Practices Related to Health Education in Moroccan Schools

“…Attention is given to diseases (pathogens, modes of contamination, symptoms, treatments, prognosis, prevention), especially in secondary school textbooks. On the other hand, primary school textbooks are more closely associated with the health promotion approach; thus, they focus on good health and healthy habits and behaviours of students [11,[29][30][31][32].…”