OutcomeBased HealthPromoting School Policy

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Outcome-Based Health-Promoting School Policy

• W. William Chen, PH.D., CHES
• Professor
• Department of Health Science Education
• University of Florida

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Outcome-Based Health-Promoting School Policy

• Introduction
• The Role of Policy in Health-Promoting School
• Key Factors in Changing Policy and Practice
  Related to Health-Promoting Schools
• Outcomes of Health-Promoting Schools and Its
  Measurements
• Strategies for the Development of Outcome-Based
  Health-Promoting School Policy
• Summary and Conclusion

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Introduction

• Good health supports successful learning.
  Successful learning supports health. Education
  and health are inseparable. Worldwide, as we
  promote health, we can see our significant
  investment in education yield the greatest
  benefits (WHO, 1999).
• Limited information is available concerning
  whether education and health outcomes are better
  from schools with health-promoting school policy
  and program than others without the policy and
  program.

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Role of Policy in Health-Promoting Schools

• Policies are needed to provide an essential
  framework that guides schools in planning,
  implementing, and evaluating efforts to promote
  HPS.
• Policies also provide guidelines to establish
  authority, tasks, and responsibilities for
  officials and professionals responsible for HPS.
• To support a HPS program, policies must be
  developed to ensure the identification,
  allocation, mobilization, and coordination of
  resources at the local and national levels.

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Role of Policy

• Improve the understanding and acceptance of HPS
  program.
• Enhance collaboration and coordination among
  responsible parties for HPS.
• Create a sense of ownership, responsibility and
  accountability for actions to improve HPS.
• Improve resources (financial human resources),
  materials, organizational infrastructure needed
  for HPS.

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Key Factors in Changing Policy and Practices
Related to HPS

• Vision and Big Ideas
• National Guidelines and Creation of a Movement
• Critical Mass and Supportive Norms.
• Data-Driven Planning and Decision-Making
• Leadership Skills
• Administrative and Management Support

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Keys Factors

• Dedicated Time and Resources
• Team Training and Ongoing Coaching
• Attention to External Forces
• Attention to Local Concerns
• The more you can address these factors, the
  greater chance you can produce the desired
  results in implementing new policies and
  practices related to HPS program (EDC, 1999).

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Outcomes of HPS and Its Measurements

• One of the key issues emerged from evaluation of
  policies and practices of comprehensive school
  health education in the 1980s and 1990s was a
  more definitive documentation of outcomes.
• An important key to successful HPS campaigns is
  having a good outcome data to support the policy
  and practices.
• Discussion and research are needed to identify
  achievable outcomes, so proponents,
  professionals, and stakeholders in HPS can have a
  clearer understanding of the results of their
  efforts.

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Outcome-Based HPS

• The most effective outcome indicators tell a
  compelling story, illustrate a key argument, and
  underline strong public support.
• Both education and health indicators need to be
  included as outcome measures to communicate the
  benefits of HPS.
• Giving the fact that health is not easily
  testable, and the pressure on schools is to help
  students make academic progress and achieve
  higher test scores, it is important that HPS
  include the benefits of education and learning as
  outcomes resulted from implementing the program.

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Strategies for the Development of Outcome-Based
HPS

• Policy development requires input from all
  stakeholders of HPS including teachers,
  administrators, students, parents, and all other
  relevant members of the school community.
• Policy development should take into consideration
  needs, priorities, and cultural practices of
  groups represented in the school community.
• Policies that support collaboration and
  coordination between health, education, social,
  and other sectors of the government and between
  the school and the community are highly
  encouraged.

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Strategies

• Both education and health sectors should take the
  leading role in making policy decisions. They can
  lead the way by
• Providing nation-wide evidence-based advocacy on
  the education, health, social and economic
  outcomes of HPS,
• Developing action-oriented networks with other
  relevant sectors and stakeholders of HPS,
• Promoting an integrated, multisectorial public
  policy,
• Formulating relevant legislation,
• Preparing teachers and professionals for HPS,

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Strategies

• Organizing health services and education programs
  to support HPS,
• Advocating HPS in family and community,
• Securing seed investment and mobilizing resources
  for HPS,
• Encouraging private sectors to invest in HPS,
• Participating in global actions to promote HPS.

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A Logical Framework for the Development of
Outcome-Based HPS

• See Figure

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Summary Conclusion

• It is clear that policy and policy development
  are a critical component of the HPS movement.
  Schools, in partnership with parents and
  communities, can be powerful agents to promote
  health and prevent disease. In doing so, they
  also improve learning in schools and social
  benefits of communities.
• Both short- and long-term education and health
  outcomes need to be identified and documented to
  further strengthen the case for HPS.

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Conclusion

• Research comparing education and health outcomes
  in schools which have HPS with others that do not
  have the program needs to be conducted to enhance
  the policy and practice of HPS.

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Vision Big Ideas
Health
Socio-Economic Condition
HPS
Learning