SCHOOL-HEALTH PROMOTION PROGRAMS OVER THE PAST DECADE - A REVIEW OF THE SMOKING, ALCOHOL AND SOLAR PROTECTION LITERATURE

Schools have a great influence on the health status of young people an d health education programs have existed in schools for many years. A lack of evidence for positive long-term impact of these programs has l ed to the development of a new approach to school-based health promoti on-Health Promoting Schools. This is a comprehensive whole-school appr oach which incorporates the principles of the Ottawa Charter and has a ttracted a great degree of interest and commitment at international, n ational and state levels. However, it is not clear whether or how this approach is being adopted and implemented at the school level and wha t the current state of research in the field is. This paper reviews th e current state of research and the nature of past and present school health promotion programs targeting three health risk behaviours-smoki ng, alcohol consumption and skin protection. A series of computer data base searches were conducted for January 1983 to March 1995, identifyi ng 600 relevant citations. These were, firstly, classified into types of publications using the framework of the Staged Approach, the majori ty of publications focusing on descriptive research of smoking and alc ohol use. Secondly, those articles classified as intervention trials w ere examined for incorporation of the principles of the Health Promoti ng Schools concept. Most programs utilised only a curriculum/social sk ills approach. No programs were identified which had attempted to impl ement and evaluate the Health Promoting Schools approach in its entire ty for any of the three health risk behaviours. Given the increasing i nterest and investment in the approach, this review highlights a need for well-designed intervention trials which implement and evaluate the Health Promoting Schools approach.