Health-promoting school in India: Approaches and challenges

Abstract

Interventions early in life are the need of the hour when it comes to controlling the rising incidence of communicable and non-communicable diseases (NCDs) globally. WHO has issued guidelines towards health promotional initiatives at schools as a part of Global School Health Initiative, and the Government of India has directed many policies and programs to integrate health deep within the school activities. School Health Promotion is an international need with programmes implementing across continents due to numerous documented benefits, to not just the individuals but to the community and country as a whole. Simple teachings like hand hygiene have shown to reduce the incidence diarrhea by more than 50% amongst children (a major cause of mortality in India), thus raising an urgent need of developing a model for health promotion at schools that is replicable, sustainable, and can be modified to the local needs as well. Though the existent programmes have a few documented challenges, a multisectorial involvement of government agencies, educational boards, and health sector along with the school is the way forward to address those challenges and covert the theory of health promoting schools (HPS) into a well-established fact. It presents a scope for the various established and newly emerging Schools of Public Health in the country to come forward and collaborate with these multiple sectors. These collaborations can be the only way to ensure sustainability and incorporation of health promotion into the core academic structure of schools in a diverse and highly populous country like India.

Developing a health-promoting school using knowledge to action framework

“…The process of development of tools for data collection or tailored interventions follows knowledge inquiry, knowledge synthesis, and tailoring to develop specific tools for each phase of the action cycle. Knowledge inquiry was made to gather basic information regarding the topic, using peer-reviewed articles,[ 5 14 15 ] and WHO guidelines. [ 13 16 17 ] Knowledge synthesis was done by studying other implementation studies across the globe to narrow down the specific interventions, considering the practical aspects and the local issues of concern.…”

“…The knowledge synthesis phase was carried out using the baseline thus gathered and correlating with available literature. [ 5 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 ] Finally, tailor-made tools were created for problem identification, adaptation, assessment of existing barriers, development of interventions, tools for monitoring, and outcome evaluation and to ensure sustainability. The tools were piloted and opinions were sought from experts in relevant fields.…”

“…Although the concept of School Health Promotion has been documented time and again, and the demarcation between healthy and unhealthy practices are known to some extent, but there remains a lack of an organized effort for health promotion at schools. [ 4 5 ] Thus, there is an urgent need of a comprehensive framework that is both replicable and modifiable in accordance with the distinct local and state health issues and can bring about an organized effort toward school health promotion. [ 5 ]…”

“…[ 4 5 ] Thus, there is an urgent need of a comprehensive framework that is both replicable and modifiable in accordance with the distinct local and state health issues and can bring about an organized effort toward school health promotion. [ 5 ]…”

Non-communicable diseases risk factors among government school teachers in Jodhpur, Rajasthan

“…Teachers serve as role models for pupils, and kids pay close attention to their behaviour and lifestyle [7]. Moreover, if the school teachers have proper awareness of risk factors and are able to take control over determinants of NCDs, only than this positive role modelling may be transmitted to the students which will further help to prevent NCDs at primordial level [8].…”