(This item is among the 5-10 highlights posted for ISHN members each week from the ISHN Member information service. Click on the web link to join this service and to support ISHN)
A health impact study done in the United States shows that The Every Student Succeeds Act Creates Opportunities to Improve Health and Education at Low-Performing Schools. In the health sector, health impact studies of different policies and laws in an increasing practice. This study shows that the new education act in the US, by making it easier to implement a healthy schools approach, would benefit student learning in schools in disadvantaged communities. "Studies consistently show a strong correlation between educational level and health over a lifetime, even after controlling for demographic characteristics such as income. Those with more education live longer and have a lower risk of chronic diseases, such as diabetes. However, about 1 in 6 U.S. public schools—more than 16,000—did not meet state standards for student achievement in the 2014-15 school year. The Health Impact Project, a collaboration of the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation and The Pew Charitable Trusts, conducted a health impact assessment (HIA) of how needs assessments and improvement plan strategies, including expanded family and community involvement, might affect achievement and related health outcomes across diverse student populations.he research reviewed by the HIA team suggests that several steps could be taken to improve needs assessments in low-performing schools. These steps are all consistent with approaches such as healthy schools, community schools and safe schools. Read more....
(This item is among the 5-10 highlights posted for ISHN members each week from the ISHN Member information service. Click on the web link to join this service and to support ISHN)
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Data from the 2015 National Youth Risk Behavior Survey (YRBS) show that students with higher grades are less likely than their peers with lower grades to participate in certain risk behaviors. Compared to students with lower grades (mostly D’s/F’s), students with higher grades (mostly A’s) are; Less likely to be currently sexually active, Less likely to drink alcohol before the age of 13 and Less likely to have ever used marijuana. While these results do not prove a causal link between academics and health, these associations are important because they confirm that across nearly all 30 health risk behaviors examined, students who reported engaging in unhealthy behaviors struggle academically. ISHN Comment: The caution in the report stating that higher grades and healthier behaviours is a correlation is a good one. A more convincing argument has been presented in the recent New Zealand study which shows that better academic scores are correlated with schools that have introduced a health promoting approach. Read more...
(This item is among the 5-10 highlights posted for ISHN members each week from the ISHN Member information service. Click on the web link to join this service and to support ISHN) An analysis of Health Promoting Schools program in New Zealand shows clear educational benefits. According to a new release from the NZ government, "Independent analysis has found that the Health Promoting Schools service is having a hugely positive impact on student outcomes, Health Minister Jonathan Coleman says.Key findings in the analysis released today include that students in Health Promoting Schools have 29 per cent better reading performance, 60 per cent increased attendance and 42 per cent fewer stand-downs and or suspensions when compared to schools not participating." The full report notes that "To model the impact of the HPS approach on these outcome variables, the following indicators were used: HPS facilitator performance, HPS health and wellbeing rubric performance, degree of school involvement in the HPS service, school engagement and relationship with whānau, Educational Review Office (ERO) cycle category, and school decile." Using various multivariate modelling techniques, data was analysed and tested in relation to its structure (Structural Equation Modelling: SEM) Read More
(This item is among the 5-10 highlights posted for ISHN members each week from the ISHN Member information service. Click on the web link to join this service and to support ISHN) There are several initiatives underway around the world that are developing broader, more holistic sets of Indicators of the school's role in promoting academic achievement by also providing in-school conditions, adapted instruction and supports, as well as referrals to other services to support learning and overcome barriers to learning. A recent paper from the UCLA School Mental Health Project is one example of this trend. The rationale is presented succinctly. "School accountability is a policy tool with extraordinary power to reshape schools – for good and for bad. Systems are driven by accountability measures. This is particularly so under “reform” conditions. As everyone involved in school reform knows, the only measure that really counts is achievement test scores. These tests drive school accountability, and what such tests measure has become the be-all and end-all of what is attended to by many decision makers. This produces a growing disconnect between the realities of what it takes to improve academic performance and the direction in which many policy makers and school reformers are leading the public . "As illustrated (in the UCLA framework), there is no intent to deflect from the laser-like focus on meeting high academic standards. Debate will continue about how best to measure academic outcomes, but clearly schools must demonstrate they effectively teach academics. At the same time, policy must acknowledge that schools also are expected to pursue high standards in promoting positive social and personal functioning, including enhancing civility, teaching safe and healthy behavior, and some form of “character education.” Read more>> (An item from the ISHN Member information service)
Commission on Ferguson USA Racism/Unrest Calls for Whole Child, Safe, Healthy, Community Schools9/30/2015 This week saw several news stories on the report of the Commission investigating the shooting of black teenager Michael Brown. The report of the commission, which includes the word "unflinching", recommends that a whole child approach and a revamped school system be included in a focus on youth at the center of the reforms. The school-related actions include; reforming school discipline, providing support services to disadvantaged youth, ending childhood hunger, and several other measures to promote wellness and personal development. Note: In 2010 ISHN worked with the Community Schools movement to develop a consensus statement/adapted approach to schools in disadvantaged communities in high resource countries. Racism and other forms of discrimination were included as one of the many challenges but we also worked from a strength-based viewpoint and identified over 20 programs that can be part of these efforts. We released it at the 2010 School Health Symposium in Geneva. Read more >> (An item from the ISHN Member information service)
(An item from the ISHN Member information service) University-school district partnerships in the implementation of comprehensive school health programs proved to be effective in Taiwan. An article in Issue #4, 2015 of Health Education Research examined whether expanding the support for this initiative was effective in advancing HPS implementation, perceived HPS impact and perceived HPS efficacy. "In 2011, the Taiwan government expanded its support of school–district/university partnership programs that promote the implementation of the evidenced-based Health Promoting Schools (HPS) program. In 2011 and 2013, a total of 647 and 1195 schools, respectively, complemented the questionnaire. Univariate analysis results indicated that the HPS implementation levels for six components were significantly increased from 2011 to 2013. These components included school health policies, physical environment, social environment, teaching activities and school–community relationships. Participant teachers also reported significantly greater levels of perceived HPS impact and HPS efficacy after the expansion of support for school–district/university partnership programs. Multivariate analysis results indicated that after controlling for school level, HPS funding and HPS action research approach variables, the expansion had a positive impact on increasing the levels of HPS implementation, perceived HPS impact and perceived HPS efficacy." Read more>>
(An item from the ISHN Member information service) With debates about the purposes of schooling now underway in several countries such as England, the US and others, we note that several blogs are adding useful commentaries suggesting that a holistic education, aimed at developing the whole child, are also adding to those debates. Watch these pages for ongoing reporting of the education reform paper in England and the renewal of the Education Act in the US. Both countries are deciding whether health education will be part of their core subjects. Read more>>
(An item from the ISHN Member information service) A global overview of School Health Services is provided, with data from 102 countries, in Issue #4, 2015 of Health Behaviour & Policy Review. The report was led by a staff person at the WHO global office in Geneva. "The literature in PubMed and other sources were reviewed using an explicit methodology. Results : School health services exist in at least 102 countries. Usually services are provided within school premises (97 countries), by dedicated school health personnel (59 countries). Services are provided in 16 areas; the top 5 interventions include vaccinations, sexual and reproductive health education, vision screening, nutrition screening, and nutrition health education. Conclusions : Important areas such as mental health, injury and violence prevention may not be given sufficient consideration in routine service provision. We advance several recommendations for research, policy, and practice." Read more>>
(An item from the ISHN Member information service) An analysis of coordination the Dutch Healthy School Approach (HSA) is reported in the July 2015 Issue of BMC Public Health. "HSA targets demand-driven practices based on the epidemiological data, a prioritization of needs, an assessment of important/modifiable determinants, the drafting and implementation of a multi-year plan, and its evaluation. All this is done jointly with multiple stakeholders. At school level, implementation is assisted by a ‘HPS advisor’, who represents various public services and providers in individual contacts with schools. At local and regional levels, the public health services (PHSs) function as a coordinator between the education, health and other services stakeholders. Their coordinating role derives from a legal responsibility for the implementation of local public health policy and youth health care financed by the municipality". The study "reports on the longitudinal quantitative and qualitative data resulting from a two-year trajectory (2008–2011) based on the DIagnosis of Sustainable Collaboration (DISC) model. This trajectory aimed to support regional coordinators of comprehensive school health promotion (CSHP) in systematically developing change management and project management to establish intersectoral collaboration. Multilevel analyses of quantitative data on the determinants of collaborations according to the DISC model were done, with 90 respondents (response 57 %) at pretest and 69 respondents (52 %) at posttest. Quantitative data showed major improvements in change management and project management. There were also improvements in consensus development, commitment formation, formalization of the CSHP, and alignment of policies, although organizational problems within the collaboration increased. Content analyses of qualitative data identified five main management styles. Read more>>
(An item from the ISHN Member information service) An article in Volume 76, 2015 of Preventive Medicine reports on a review of studies using the Reach, Efficacy/Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation, and Maintenance (RE-AIM) framework to evaluate physical activity interventions aimed at youth. "A systematic search for controlled interventions conducted within the last ten years identified 50 studies that met the selection criteria. Based on Reach, Efficacy/Effectiveness, Adoption, Implementation and Maintenance criteria, most of these studies focused on statistically significant findings and internal validity rather than on issues of external validity. Due to this lack of information, it is difficult to determine whether or not reportedly successful interventions are feasible and sustainable in an uncontrolled, real-world setting. Areas requiring further research include costs associated with recruitment and implementation, adoption rate, and representativeness of participants and settings. This review adds data to support recommendations that interventions promoting physical activity in youth should include assessment of adoption and implementation issues". Read more>>
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