Health Promoting Schools in Iran: Features and Challenges

Khorasani, Elham Charoghchian; Peyman, Nooshin; Yaghobi, Fatemeh

doi:10.29252/jech.6.3.127

Cited by 3 publications

(5 citation statements)

References 2 publications

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“…The results of studies examining the effectiveness of HPS in the food environment of Iranian schools have not been consistent [ 41 , 48 , 49 , 50 , 51 , 54 ]. Two studies, one in Urmia [ 48 ] and another in Babol [ 49 ], showed a significant increase in scores of healthy physical environment and nutrition improvement after implementing the program in schools.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Easy accessibility of unhealthy snacks in HPSs similar to non-HSPs is a factor that probably affected their consumption [ 25 ]. In addition, poor infrastructure and limited equipment, e.g., lack of refrigerators in canteens and sub-standard physical environments, and limited human resources (i.e., nutrition/health officer) has made the full implementation of the program almost impossible [ 42 , 54 ]. Additionally, the quick expansion of the program might have damaged the monitoring and audit mechanism(s) [ 41 ].…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Enabling Food Environment in Kindergartens and Schools in Iran for Promoting Healthy Diet: Is It on the Right Track?

Omidvar

Babashahi

Abdollahi

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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Enabling policies related to kindergarten and school food environments can be effective approaches in preventing childhood obesity. This study investigated policies and/or programs with direct or indirect effects on the food environment in kindergartens and schools in Iran. In this scoping review, we systematically searched PubMed, Scopus, and Web of science, as well as Iranian scientific search engines, including Scientific Information Database and Magiran from January 1990 to October 2020, to identify literature on policies/programs affecting the food environment in kindergartens and schools in Iran. A total of 30 studies and policy documents were included in this review relevant to eight policies/programs. These programs have helped to control food availability in schools, increase nutritional awareness, positively influence physical function and school performances, and reduce malnutrition in rural kindergartens. However, improving the food environment in schools and kindergartens requires proper revisions and local adaptation of many of these policies, strengthening of cross-sectoral collaborations, provision of necessary financial and human resources, and ensuring regular monitoring and evaluation. Reflecting on Iran’s health policies and interventions provides insight into the progress achieved and challenges faced. Lessons can benefit the country itself, as well as other countries with similar contexts.

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Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Enabling Food Environment in Kindergartens and Schools in Iran for Promoting Healthy Diet: Is It on the Right Track?

Omidvar

Babashahi

Abdollahi

et al. 2021

IJERPH

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show abstract

“…Obviously, staff health is an important factor in the measurement of school health. It is plausible that since this factor has been neglected in Iran ( Charoghchian Khorasani, Peyman & Yaghobi, 2019 ) along with the strict criteria for validity testing, resulted in the omission of this important factor in the SHAT-PS. Indeed, Kaldi & Asgari ’s ( 2003 ) research indicated that the majority of primary schools’ teachers are not satisfied with their jobs.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Development and primary validation of the School Health Assessment Tool for Primary Schools (SHAT-PS)

Kazemitabar

Garcia

Chukwuorji

et al. 2021

PeerJ

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Background School health programs need to target all aspects of physical, psychological, and social well-being. Using a slightly modified version of the COSMIN Risk of Bias checklist, we developed and conducted the first validation of the School Health Assessment Tool for Primary Schools (SHAT-PS). Method The exploratory sequential mixed method was used in this study. In the first phase, scientific databases were systematically searched to find school health models and instruments and 65 interviews were conducted with school stakeholders. The Colaizzi’s method was used to code the qualitative data into themes. Then, a pool of items was created for each theme, rechecked by psychometric experts and then validated for content (i.e., relevance, clarity, and comprehensiveness) by psychometric experts and individuals of the target population (i.e., school personnel). In the second phase, classical test theory was utilized to analyze the validity and reliability of the resulting items from phase 1 among 400 individuals working at primary schools. Results The coding of the interviews resulted in ten themes that we labeled based on the theoretical literature: school health policies, community connections, health education, physical activity, health services, nutrition, psychological services, physical environment, equipment and facilities, and school staff’s health. The items created for each theme ended up in an initial pool of 76 items. In the final stage of phase 1, 69 items remained after the content validity assessment by experts and school personnel. In phase 2, the SHAT-PS items were tested using maximum likelihood exploratory factor analysis and confirmatory factor analysis. Of the 69 items from phase 1, 22 items were removed due to low factor loadings. The results showed that the 8-factor model was the best solution (chi-square/df = 2.41, CFI = .98, TLI = .97, RMSEA = .06). The discriminant and convergent validity of the SHAT-PS were evaluated as satisfactory and the scale had high internal consistency (Cronbach’s alpha for all subscales > .93). The test-retest reliability was satisfactory—the intraclass correlation coefficient pooled was .95 (99% CI [.91–.98]). Moreover, the standard error of measurement resulted in an SEM pooled equal to 4.4. No discrepancy was found between subgroups of gender and subgroups of staffs’ positions at schools. Conclusion The SHAT-PS is a valid and reliable tool that may facilitate school staff, stakeholders and researchers to evaluate the presence of the factors that promote health at primary schools. Nevertheless, in the process of validation, many of the items related to staff’s health were eliminated due to poor factor loadings. Obviously, staff health is an important factor in the measurement of school health. Hence, we recommend that the validity and reliability of the SHAT-PS in other cultures should be done using the original 76-item version.

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“…Therefore, given that students with a population of more than 12 million people make up a significant part of the population of Iran [ 10 ], they are affected by multiple risk factors in schools [ 11 ]. Overall, schools are one of the appropriate environments for the organization and execution of health promotion programs [ 12 ]. On the other hand, participation can be one of the basic components involved in the successful implementation of health promotion interventions.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In this regard, the PRECEDE model is a population-based epidemiological planning framework that has various ecological aspects and systematically enables planners to identify health issue features [ 22 ]. This model analyzes and describes the health problem and evaluates predisposing, reinforcing, and enabling constructs as factors affecting disease prevention and control [ 12 , 23 ].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Components Affecting the Promotion of COVID‐19 Disease Prevention Behaviors among Iranian Students: A Qualitative Study by Using the PRECEDE Model

Layeghiasl

Kaveh

Karimi

et al. 2022

BioMed Research International

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Background. COVID-19 is a social health problem. Several risk factors threaten students, and schools can provide a suitable environment for managing and performing health promotion programs. Given the extensive spread of the disease and the existence of multilevel components affecting the adoption of preventive behaviors, understanding the views and opinions of the audience about the barriers and facilitators affecting the behavior using qualitative studies can be one of the ways to have a successful intervention. Materials and Methods. This was a qualitative study performed by a directed content analysis method while using the PRECEDE model (predisposing, reinforcing, enabling constructs in educational diagnosis and evaluation). In total, 38 individuals (teachers, parents, and students) were entered into the study using the purposive sampling method. Data were collected by semistructured interviews, and the implemented data were systematically classified into five stages (condensed meaning units, code, subcategory, category, and theme) and were arranged and analyzed. Results. The findings are classified into three themes of predisposing, enabling, and reinforcing factors. In addition, perceived sensitivity, perceived intensity, mental beliefs, behavior outcome evaluation, and perceived power were considered as subcategories of predisposing factors, whereas normative beliefs and motivation for adherence to protocols were subcategories of reinforcing factors, and control beliefs were subcategories of enabling factors. Conclusion. Our findings could be used as a guide to design educational interventions aiming at promoting COVID-19 prevention behaviors in schools.

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Health Promoting Schools in Iran: Features and Challenges

Cited by 3 publications

References 2 publications

Enabling Food Environment in Kindergartens and Schools in Iran for Promoting Healthy Diet: Is It on the Right Track?

Enabling Food Environment in Kindergartens and Schools in Iran for Promoting Healthy Diet: Is It on the Right Track?

Development and primary validation of the School Health Assessment Tool for Primary Schools (SHAT-PS)

Components Affecting the Promotion of COVID‐19 Disease Prevention Behaviors among Iranian Students: A Qualitative Study by Using the PRECEDE Model

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