Background: The healthy settings approach is well-established in health promotion, yet the concept of a healthy university has been slow to be adopted. Universities are large workplaces, they have an important role in enabling students to develop and flourish and their impact extends to wider society. Aims: This study explored and clarified the meaning of the concept of a healthy university and investigated the concept from the perspective of those who will be affected by it. Methods: A two stage study design was used. The first stage used a theoretical and colloquial concept analysis to describe the characteristics of a healthy university. The second stage explored these characteristics through two instrumental case studies of universities in England. These were identified as potential exemplar or contrary cases. Data collection was through 48 interviews with staff and students to understand how the university operationalises and manifests the characteristics of a healthy university and how a university either produces or inhibits health and wellbeing. Findings: Staff and students understood the characteristics of a healthy university to pertain to management processes relating to communication and to a respectful organisational ethos. Enhancers of health and wellbeing were feeling valued, being listened to, having skilled and supportive line managers and having a positive physical environment. Inhibitors of health and wellbeing were having a sense of powerlessness and a lack of care and concern. Discussion: A healthy university is a widely used concept within the field of health promotion but this is the first time that the concept has been subject to a concept analysis and the first time that the perceptions of staff and students have been explored.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:646864 |
| Date | January 2014 |
| Creators | Newton, Joanne |
| Publisher | London South Bank University |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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