Personal health documents in school health education: A feasibility study

Abstract

Aims: To examine the feasibility of a school intervention using a personal health document adapted for adolescents. Methods: The health document was developed in close cooperation with groups of adolescents and tested among seventh-grade students at two junior high schools (n=339). The document was presented to the students by their regular teachers. For evaluation, an adolescent questionnaire was used at baseline and after one year. Results: After one year, 87% of adolescents reported having written in the health document, and 77% reported having had classes with discussions on subjects in the document. The health document was perceived as useful by 35% of the adolescents. Factors significantly related to personal usefulness were being born outside Sweden, experiencing fair treatment by teachers, being a non-smoker, and having a positive school experience. Conclusions: Implementation of a personal health document in junior high-school health education was feasible and well accepted.