Evidence of the Effectiveness of School Health Promotion - implications for policy, practice and research Lawrence St.Leger Vancouver 2007

Acknowledgements Teachers, students, parents Teachers, students, parents Researchers and evaluators Researchers and evaluators Health and education officials Health and education officials NGO’s NGO’s

Important Basic Facts and Claims Pre requisites for health Pre requisites for health Determinants of health Determinants of health Purpose of Schools Purpose of Schools

Prerequisites for Health Peace Peace Shelter Shelter Education Education Food Food Income Income Stable ecosystem Stable ecosystem Sustainable resources Sustainable resources Social justice Social justice Equity Equity

Determinants of Health Biological Biological Behavioural Behavioural Environmental Environmental Social Social

Purposes of School Health To build health knowledge, skills and behaviours in the cognitive, emotional, social and behavioural domains To build health knowledge, skills and behaviours in the cognitive, emotional, social and behavioural domains HPS build generic competencies in knowledge and understanding, analysing and synthesising information and creating ideas about, and solutions for, personal, local and global health issues HPS build generic competencies in knowledge and understanding, analysing and synthesising information and creating ideas about, and solutions for, personal, local and global health issues To enhance educational outcomes To enhance educational outcomes Healthy students learn better. The core business of a school is maximising learning outcomes. Quality HPS’s make a major contribution to achieving this outcome Healthy students learn better. The core business of a school is maximising learning outcomes. Quality HPS’s make a major contribution to achieving this outcome

The Type of Evidence WHO Expert Committee……. WHO Expert Committee……. “The HPS is an investment in education, health and democracy” “The HPS is an investment in education, health and democracy” (WHO 1997) (WHO 1997)

The Type of Evidence WHO Expert Committee…… WHO Expert Committee…… Five categories of indicators

Categories of Indicators 1. Children's health status 2. Learning ability, attendance and learning achievement 3. Behaviours affecting health 4. Quality of the physical and psychosocial environments 5. School health program implementation (WHO, 1995) (WHO, 1995)

What is School Health? What is the HPS? Outcome? Outcome? Approach? Approach? Set of values? Set of values? Issue specific program? Issue specific program? Common set of programs and services? Common set of programs and services?