Globally there is a serious need to equip children and young people with knowledge, attitudes, skills and values to assist them in making healthy lifestyle choices. Life skills education is possibly among the most important answers to the problems and challenges many young people are faced with. Life skills programs are being developed to address the alarming increase in high risk health behaviours among adolescents. According to international research, Health promotion is a critical life skill to acquire, since health impacts on almost every facet of a person and their society. The South African Department of Education introduced Life Orientation as a Learning Area as part of Outcomes Based Education. The paramount role of Life Orientation within the context of the Health Promoting School is increasingly being recognised by educational planners, policy makers, school managers, teachers, parents and even learners themselves. Health promotion as part of Life Orientation aspires to promote a healthy lifestyle and equip learners with the knowledge and skills to attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It further aims to reduce risk behaviours and equip learners with social skills. Empirical research was done in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. In order to give voice to teachers and health co-ordinators in terms of their views and comments on Life Orientation, questionnaires and focus group interviews were utilised. Based on the evidence gathered in questionnaires, discussions and observations in the selected Health Promoting Schools, it emerged that Life Orientation has a major role to play in instilling knowledge and skills to promote health and well-being. However, even though Health promotion is included in the Life Orientation curriculum, there seems to be a lack of energy and motivation to progress to Health Promoting Schools. It emerged that Life Orientation teachers viewed a healthy lifestyle as the link between Life Orientation and Health promotion, which is a positive indication that schools are making progress towards becoming Health Promoting Schools. Furthermore, the quantitative research revealed key issues that need be dealt with, especially proper water and sanitation, policies on tobacco and substance use, the enhancement of physical well-being of the learners and an integrated nutrition program. Schools need an effective safety and security plan to ensure a safe school environment conducive to teaching-and-learning. Learners should receive basic health screening with appropriate referrals from school nurses. Also, trained health promoters should oversee and manage the health promoting program in the Health Promoting School. The qualitative research indicated that healthy lifestyles are promoted, with particular focus on balanced diets, clean and hygienic environments and adequate physical activity. It emerged that stakeholders play an important role, including the community, school nurses, private companies and governmental departments. Community involvement is particularly important, since community members assist the school by cleaning, cooking, gardening and participating in health promoting awareness. It can be concluded that Life Orientation has a prominent role to play in the Health Promoting School. A successful initiative requires the involvement of the entire school, changes to the schools’ psychosocial environment and participation from the parents and wider community. / Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

Globally there is a serious need to equip children and young people with knowledge, attitudes, skills and values to assist them in making healthy lifestyle choices. Life skills education is possibly among the most important answers to the problems and challenges many young people are faced with. Life skills programs are being developed to address the alarming increase in high risk health behaviours among adolescents. According to international research, Health promotion is a critical life skill to acquire, since health impacts on almost every facet of a person and their society. The South African Department of Education introduced Life Orientation as a Learning Area as part of Outcomes Based Education. The paramount role of Life Orientation within the context of the Health Promoting School is increasingly being recognised by educational planners, policy makers, school managers, teachers, parents and even learners themselves. Health promotion as part of Life Orientation aspires to promote a healthy lifestyle and equip learners with the knowledge and skills to attain and maintain a healthy lifestyle. It further aims to reduce risk behaviours and equip learners with social skills. Empirical research was done in the Gauteng Province of South Africa. In order to give voice to teachers and health co-ordinators in terms of their views and comments on Life Orientation, questionnaires and focus group interviews were utilised. Based on the evidence gathered in questionnaires, discussions and observations in the selected Health Promoting Schools, it emerged that Life Orientation has a major role to play in instilling knowledge and skills to promote health and well-being. However, even though Health promotion is included in the Life Orientation curriculum, there seems to be a lack of energy and motivation to progress to Health Promoting Schools. It emerged that Life Orientation teachers viewed a healthy lifestyle as the link between Life Orientation and Health promotion, which is a positive indication that schools are making progress towards becoming Health Promoting Schools. Furthermore, the quantitative research revealed key issues that need be dealt with, especially proper water and sanitation, policies on tobacco and substance use, the enhancement of physical well-being of the learners and an integrated nutrition program. Schools need an effective safety and security plan to ensure a safe school environment conducive to teaching-and-learning. Learners should receive basic health screening with appropriate referrals from school nurses. Also, trained health promoters should oversee and manage the health promoting program in the Health Promoting School. The qualitative research indicated that healthy lifestyles are promoted, with particular focus on balanced diets, clean and hygienic environments and adequate physical activity. It emerged that stakeholders play an important role, including the community, school nurses, private companies and governmental departments. Community involvement is particularly important, since community members assist the school by cleaning, cooking, gardening and participating in health promoting awareness. It can be concluded that Life Orientation has a prominent role to play in the Health Promoting School. A successful initiative requires the involvement of the entire school, changes to the schools’ psychosocial environment and participation from the parents and wider community. / Thesis (PhD (Educational Psychology))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2013.

SAMMANFATTNING   Verksamhetsförlagd utbildning (VFU) har stor betydelse för studenternas lärande och kräver samordning mellan universitet och vårdenheter. Förklaringsgrunder och problematisering av praktiskt lärande är inte lika vanligt förekommande som att studera teoretisk förståelse . Det finns behov av pedagogisk utveckling av VFU. Syfte: Syftet med denna studie var att studera sjuksköterskestudenters uppfattning om måluppfyllelse gällande hälsofrämjande arbete, vid VFU i primärvården. Metod: En deskriptiv, kvalitativ design användes med fenomenografisk ansats. Tio sjuksköterskestudenter intervjuades. Resultat: Den fenomenografiska analysen resulterade i sju kvalitativt skilda beskrivningskategorier hierarkiskt ordnade underifrån;  universitetets betydelse och handledarens betydelse därefter komplex roll som student, otydligt mål för hälsofrämjande arbete och reflektion underlättade att förstå hälsofrämjande arbete. Två beskrivningskategorier låg högst upp bristande förutsättningar för aktivt deltagande och passivt deltagande gav helhet över exempel på hälsofrämjande arbete. Slutsats: Kunskap om sjuksköterskestudenters uppfattningar, i synnerhet gällande bristande förutsättningar för aktivt deltagande i hälsofrämjande arbete samt att passivt deltagande gav helhet över att kunna ge exempel på hälsofrämjande arbete, kan vägleda universitet och yrkeshandledare i utveckling av handledning vid VFU i primärvården. / ABSTRACT   Clinical education is important for student learning and requires coordination between universities and healthcare clinics. Fundamental explanations of clinical education are not as common as the study of theoretical understanding. There is a need for pedagogical development of clinical education. Aim: The aim of this study was to explore nursing students' perception of fulfillment of objective outcomes regarding health promotion, during clinical education in primary care. Method: A descriptive, qualitative design was used with phenomenographic approach. Ten nursing students were interviewed. Results: The phenomenographic analysis resulted in seven qualitatively different categories of description hierarchically ordered from below; importance of university and importance of the nursing supervisor then complex role as a student, unclear objectives for health promotion and reflection facilitated the understanding of health promotion. Two categories of description were on the top of the hierarchy lack of opportunities for active participation and passive participation gave wholeness of examples of health promotion. Conclusion: Knowledge of nursing students' perceptions, especially regarding lack of opportunities for active participation in health promotion and that passive participation gave wholeness of examples of  health promotion, can guide universities and nursing supervisors in their development of clinical education in primary care.

Bakgrund: Övervikt ökar idag bland svenska barn och skolsköterskor inom elevhälsan har en viktig del i arbetet för att få ner barns övervikt.   Syfte: Beskriva skolsköterskors erfarenheter av hälsofrämjande arbete med övervikt hos elever i högstadiet och gymnasiet. Metod: Nio skolsköterskor har intervjuats individuellt med hjälp av semistrukturerade intervjuer. Intervjuerna analyserades utifrån en innehållsanalys. Kategorier och subkategorier utformades sedan för att få en överblick av skolsköterskornas erfarenheter. Resultat: Skolsköterskorna möter vanligtvis eleverna vid hälsosamtalet och detta samtal är ofta grunden till hälsoarbetet när de har identifierat övervikt hos eleven. Skolsköterskorna eftersträvar att individualisera hjälpen eleverna får och de använder sig ofta av metoden motiverande samtal för att motivera eleverna till att genomföra en förändring.  De utgör även en rådgivande funktion då de kan bistå med olika kost- och motionsråd.  Skolsköterskorna förklarar att det även behövs ett samarbete för att få eleverna att bli aktiva och gå ner i vikt. Dels inom den egna professionen men framförallt interprofessionellt samarbete i skolmiljön. Föräldrarna involveras i detta arbete av några skolsköterskor samtidigt som andra anser att eleven måste få känna sig självständig i detta arbete. Konklusion: Skolsköterskornas arbetssätt har både likheter och skillnader. Att utveckla gemensamma strategier och riktlinjer för deras arbete kan därför vara en del av att förbättra det hälsofrämjande arbetet med övervikt hos elever. / Background: Overweight increases among Swedish children and school nurses have an important part to reduce overweight among children. Aim: Describe school nurses experiences of their health promotion for overweight in students. Method: Nine school nurses were interviewed individually by semi-structured interviews. The interviews were analyzed based on a content analysis, categories and subcategories were designed to provide an overview of the school nurses experiences. Results: School nurses usually meet students during a health conversation, this meeting is usually the foundation of their health work. The school nurses strive to individualize the support they give the students and they often use the method of motivational interviewing to motivate students to make a change. They can also assist with various diet and exercise advice. The school nurses explain that there is often a need for collaboration in order to get students to become active and lose weight. Both within their own profession but especially inter professional collaboration in the school environment. The parents get involved in this work by some of the school nurses while others believe that the student needs to feel independent. Conclusion: This study thus suggests both differences and similarities in health promotion for overweight among student. To develop a united strategy and guidelines for their work can therefore be a part of the improvement of their health promotion against overweight among students.

SAMMANFATTNING Titel: Skolsköterskors upplevelser av att tillgodose elevers behov. Författare: Fahlén Hanna, Lindell Katja Institution: Institution för hälsa och lärande, Högskolan i Skövde Program/Kurs: Examensarbete i omvårdnad, OM780A, 15 hp Handledare: Thorstensson Stina Examinator: Browall, Maria Sidor: 29 Nyckelord: skolsköterska, elever, omvårdnad, upplevelser, förebyggande hälsoarbete     Bakgrund: Skolsköterskorna har ett omfattande omvårdnadsarbete med att främja elevers hälsa och kan göra skillnad för elever i skolan, när det gäller deras hälsa och prestation. Förutsättningarna för hur skolsköterskor har möjlighet att utföra sitt hälsofrämjande omvårdnadsarbete varierar. Syfte: Syftet med studien var att undersöka skolsköterskors upplevelser av att kunna tillgodose elevernas behov av skolsköterskans tjänster.     Metod: En kvalitativ metod med induktiv ansats valdes för denna studie. Nio skolsköterskor från olika kommuner i Skåne intervjuades. Datamaterialet analyserades med kvalitativ innehållsanalys.    Resultat: Skolsköterskorna upplevde att eleverna har behov av deras hälsofrämjande omvårdnadsarbete. Genom detta kan de bidra till god hälsa för eleven som i sin tur kan generera goda studieresultat. Skolsköterskorna belyste att ett samarbete med elevhälsoteamet och övrig personal på skolan är viktigt för att kunna tillgodose elevernas behov. Skolsköterskorna upplevde att eleverna har behov av att känna trygghet i att kunna besöka skolsköterskan spontant vilket i nuläget inte alltid kan tillgodoses på grund av bristande resurser.                       Konklusion: Skolsköterskorna upplevde att de kan tillgodose elevernas behov om tillräckligt med resurser finns. Om skolsköterskan inte har möjlighet till att utföra ett hälsofrämjande arbete, föreligger det en risk för att elevernas välbefinnande och hälsa minskar vilket i sin tur kan medföra sämre studieresultat. / ABSTRACT Title: School nurses experiences to meet students’ needs. Author: Fahlén Hanna, Lindell Katja Department: School of Health and Education, University of Skövde. Course: Master Degree Project in Nursing, 15 ECTS Supervisor: Thorstensson Stina Examiner: Browall, Maria Pages: 29 Keywords: school nurse, students´, nursing, experiences, health promotion     Background: The school   nurses have an extensive nursing effort to promote student health and they   can make a difference for the students in the school when it comes to their   health and performance.  Aim: The aim of the study was to   investigate the school nurses ‘experiences of being able to meet students’   needs for school nurse services.  Method: An inductive approach was selected for this study. Nine school   nurses from various municipalities in Skåne were interviewed. The data were   analyzed using a qualitative analysis.  Results: The school nurses experience that the students need their health   care work. Through this, they can contribute to the good health of the   student which in turn can generate good academic results. The school nurses   highlights that working with student health team and other staff at the   school is important to meet students' needs. The school nurses experience   that students need to feel confident in being able to visit the school nurse   spontaneously which at present cannot always be met due to lack of resources.   Conclusion: The school   nurses experience that they can meet the needs of the students if sufficient   resources are available. If the school nurse is not able to perform a health   promotion, there is a risk that students’ well-being and health decline,   which in turn may affect academic performance negatively

The Sachigo Lake Wilderness Emergency Response Education Initiative represented a partnership between Sachigo Lake First Nation in northern Ontario Canada, and medical professionals and university researchers from outside the community. This study was one component of a larger community-based participatory research program to develop locally relevant first response training to address the isolation from emergency healthcare in Sachigo Lake. The aim of this qualitative study was to complete a formative evaluation to understand how a five-day comprehensive training course implemented in May 2012: (a) met the local needs of Sachigo Lake; and (b) fostered resilience and community capacity. The results of this study describe the unique features of delivering first aid training in a remote context and illustrate the intrapersonal and interpersonal impacts of the program. Health promotion through community based first aid education is a model with potential to improve emergency care in the absence of formal emergency medical services.

Vi möts allt oftare av ett ökat intresse för hälsa och en förväntan att leva sunt och hälsosamt. Detta för att vi ska hålla oss friska, orka mer och prestera bättre. I motsats till detta ökar ohälsotalen. Fler och fler blir sjukskrivna samtidigt som sjuknärvaron på arbetsplatser sägs öka. Ett intresse för detta motsatsförhållande var ursprunget till min studie. Den organisation jag undersökt har ett uttalat hälsofrämjande perspektiv, med ett salutogent fokus. Det salutogena perspektivet kopplas ofta ihop med känsla av sammanhang – KASAM. En stark känsla av KASAM kopplas ihop med bättre egen-upplevd hälsa. Deltagarna i min undersökning har gått en kurs i hälsofrämjande livsstilsfaktorer anordnad av arbetsgivaren. Syftet med undersökningen var att undersöka deltagarnas känsla av sammanhang och deras upplevelse av lärande samt om kursen haft någon påverkan på deras KASAM. Studien hade en kvalitativ ansats och jag har genomfört intervjuer med sex av sju deltagare från kursen. Som komplement till intervjuerna har deltagarna även besvarat ett KASAM-livsfrågeformulär. Resultatet från intervjuerna kopplades till de i KASAM ingående begreppen begriplighet, hanterbarhet och meningsfullhet, samt till lärande. Resultatet visade att deltagarna överlag hade relativt höga värden på KASAM-livsfrågeformuläret, med ett undantag. Det motsvarade den uppfattning jag fick under intervjuerna. Analysen kopplar ihop resultatet med tidigare forskning och teori och visar att det hälsofrämjande arbetet lönar sig. Undersökningen visade att deltagarnas KASAM har stärkts av kursen. Undersökningen visade också att återkopplingen av deltagarnas förändrade kunskap tillbaka till arbetsplatsen var liten. Ytterligare forskning om hur ökad kompetens kring hälsofrämjande faktorer på chefsnivå har effekt för medarbetare och verksamhet är önskvärt.

Folkhälsa berör många samhällsområden och det är mycket viktigt att alla människor tar del av information och kunskap om hälsa. Rökning är en stor fara för folkhälsan som ständigt är aktuell och många projekt påbörjas just för att få en minskning av tobaksanvändning och förhindra ohälsa på grund av rökning. Särskilt viktigt är det att studera rökning bland unga. Syftet med den här uppsatsen är studera hur rökvanor ser ut och förändras bland ungdomar vid 11 och 15 års ålder och hur rökvanorna kan relateras till alkoholvanor, socioekonomi och fysisk aktivitet. Metoden innebar användning av enkätdata från Statens folkhälsoinstituts färdigställda enkäter. Undersökningen handlar om Skolbarns hälsovanor och genomförs vart fjärde år sedan 1985/1986. De utvalda ungdomarna i studien var de som var födda år 1994 och det var 3465 som svarade. De var då 11 respektive 15 år när de svarade på enkäterna. Resultatet efter bearbetning i programmet SPSS visade att fler flickor än pojkar röker men att pojkarna hade en tidigare rökdebut. De som röker trivdes i mindre grad med livet än icke rökare. Även minskat intresse från föräldrar, brist på fysisk aktivitet och ökad stress var faktorer som gick hand i hand med barnens rökning.  Resultatet påpekar att det är viktigt att börja med insatser i tidiga tonåren då det kan förhindra början på tonåringarnas rökvanor. Även att koppla ihop denna insats mot rökning med alkohol då faktorerna tycks hänga samman. En viktig faktor för som relaterar till lägre andel rökande tonåringar är föräldraengagemang.  Att arbeta för en ökad fysisk aktivitet på fritiden kan också vara en faktor som kan medföra en minskning av rökning. / Public health touches many areas of society and it is vital that all people are taking note of the information and knowledge about health. Smoking is a major public health hazard that constantly exists and many projects are launched just to get a decrease in tobacco use and prevent ill health due to smoking. It is particularly important to study smoking among young people. The purpose of this paper is to study how smoking behavior change among young people between 11 and 15 years of age and  how smoking behavior can be related to alcohol consumption, socioeconomic and physical activity. The method implicated the usage of survey data from the Public health Agency of Sweden completed questionnaires. The survey is about schoolchildren’s health habits and is conducted every four years since 1985 / 1986. The selected youth in the study were those who were born in 1994 and there were 3465 respondents. They were then 11 and 15 years old when they responded to the questionnaires. The result after processing in the SPSS program showed that there were more girls than boys that smoke but the boys had an earlier smoking debut. Those who smoke thrived in lesser degree in life than non-smokers. Also decreased interest from parents, lack of physical activity and increased stress were factors that went hand in hand with children's smoking. It is important to start with interventions in early adolescence as it can prevent the start of the teenagers' smoking habits. Also linking this effort against smoking with alcohol as the factors seems to be connected. A key factor for the teens is parental involvement. Working for an increased physical activity in leisure time may also be a factor that could lead to a decrease in smoking.

In many countries the focus of the employer's health policy has shifted from the emphasis of treating the disease to the preventative paradigm, which focuses more on the promotion of employees' health. Literature indicates that health promotion programmes have various positive consequences. The aim of this research is therefore to establish some physical, physiological and bio-chemical health profiles of colliery executives in South Africa as well as to determine the effect of a physical and a combined physical and health promotion intervention programme on the parameters mentioned above. Finally, this study aims to determine the effect of a physical and a combined physical and health promotion intervention programme on coronary prone South African colliery executives. In this study an availability, non-randomized sample of 143 white male executives from five collieries, aged 26-58 (x 41.7, ± 7.98 years), was used. These collieries are spread over two South African provinces namely Mpumalanga and Gauteng. Subjects who were on medication that could affect their cholesterol, blood pressure and aerobic fitness values were excluded from the study. The following parameters were used in this study: aerobic fitness, shoulder/arm, strength/endurance (push-ups) abdominal strength/endurance (sit-ups), flexibility, fat percentage, waist-and-hip circumference, body mass index, blood pressure, cholesterol, smoking and leisure-time physical activity participation. ANOVA was used for statistical data analysis - providing descriptive and summarising statistics. One-way analysis of variance was used to determine relationships between variables. The Tukey post-hoc test was used to determine whether certain groups differed statistically significant from each other. It is clear from the descriptive data that flexibility (56.7%), sit-ups (39.7%), aerobic fitness (44.8%), fat percentage (31.4%), BMI (35.7%) and WHR (44.7%) fall into the undesired health zone. Regarding the physiological parameter blood pressure, 16.8% (systolic blood pressure) and 21.7% (diastolic blood pressure) fall into the undesired health zone; regarding the bio-chemical parameter cholesterol, 53.2% falls into the undesired health zone. With regard to some parameters, it appears that the experimental group showed statistically significant changes from Test 1 to Test 3, while the control group showed no statistically significant changes. The reason for this may vary from respondent to respondent already showing "normal" baseline values, probably due to their relative young age (Z=41 years) as to programme preferences and programme adherence. It must, however, be kept in mind that only physical, physiological and bio-chemical parameters were assessed. The health promotion activities focused more on the participants' knowledge empowerment. If these parameters were also included in the assessments the "enriched" programme might have provided some advantages that may have led to long term commitment and behaviour change. Physical fdness intervention (control group) is equally effective in addressing the primary coronary risk factors compared to a programme enriched with health promotion activities (experimental group). However, it seems that the experimental group showed a better response as far as lifestyle change (smoking) and physical activity were concerned. Assessment of other psycho-emotional parameters might indicate a different picture. Respectively 11.7% and 7.6% of the experimental and control group stopped smoking while 20.8% and 16.3% of the experimental and control group respectively reported a higher leisure-time physical activity participation. Regarding aerobic fitness and blood pressure, the average baseline values moved from the high risk category to the "normal" category, while the total cholesterol concentration in the post training values decreased with 12.5% and 14.8% in the experimental and control group respectively. / Thesis (Ph.D. (Human Movement Science))--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.

A series of acts which were passed during the apartheid era have undoubtedly deprived the marginalized groups, namely, the so called Coloureds, Indians and the black majority their political rights. Apartheid policies enshrined in the then constitution, ill-considered the wellbeing and wellness of these groups, while at the same time, a white minority was solely privileged. Being the victims of segregation, the deprived groups continuously suffered from the political, and socio-economic setbacks, which disabled them to lead healthy lifestyles. Racial division which was prevalent in many workplaces, particularly in the mining sector, disadvantaged many of them, blacks in particular, to perform skilled labour. They were therefore destined to perform unskilled labour which classified them as cheap labourers, hence meagre wages. The results of segregation bore the fruits of abject poverty which impacted negatively on many. Problems of housing and infrastructure are still confronting many households to date since scores of them are 'shack dwellers' nationwide, living in squalid conditions which are a threat to their health. Overcrowding and poor teaching and learning were prime causes of learners to discontinue their education prematurely. High dropout rates became prevalent mostly in rural areas, where schooling accommodation was limited. Schools can only be safe places of teaching and learning when all horrifying acts of violence such as sexual abuse, rape, intimidation, assaults, bullying and murder are urgently eliminated. All the stakeholders in education should collectively work together to ensure that health promotion in schools is maintained. Against the abovementioned background the primary aim of this research was to determine what health promotion entails within the context of a selected group of 10 primary schools in the Southern Region of the North West Province. A qualitative research methodology was selected to achieve this outcome. Data was gathered by means of focus group interviews. The transcriptions were analysed generating items that were labeled as main categories and subcategories. Pertaining the main categories it was evident that are several aspects that can determine the health and well-being in a school. These include: the leadership of the school, the role of the parents, the duties of the educators, the existence of plans and the policy concerning HIV/Aids. / Thesis (M.Ed.)--North-West University, Potchefstroom Campus, 2007.