Attitudes to health promotion among teaching staff in South West England: a qualitative study

Abstract

AbstractBackgroundYoung people spend much of their formative years in education, making schools appealing environments for health promotion. The World Health Organisation’s Health Promoting Schools framework has been proposed as a useful model. We sought to explore secondary school teachers’ experiences of implementing this model and their attitudes to health promotion.ObjectivesTo explore teachers’ experiences and perceptions of health promotion and compare practice with the HPS framework for school health.DesignQualitative study with semi-structured interviewsSettingNine state comprehensive schools in Bristol and surrounding areas.Participants25 teaching staff from school senior leadership teams, those working in health education and other subject teachers.AnalysisThematic analysis using NVivo 10.ResultsTeachers largely described educational approaches with less emphasis on school ethos or environment. Staff supported a role for schools in promoting health but felt restrained by limited family engagement, contradictory school practices, resource constraints and conflicting government policies.ConclusionsFuture reforms should ensure health is mainstreamed across school strategies, if we are to create the conditions that promote future generations’ health. Public health must build alliances with educationalists to support the priority-setting of health in school inspections, policy and practice.Strengths and limitations of the studyIn-depth exploration with teachers from different schools, levels of seniority and with varying experience of health promotionPurposive sampling to ensure representation from schools of different geography, Ofsted rating and proportions of students from disadvantaged backgroundsPossibility that schools with greater enthusiasm for health promotion disproportionately participatedTrend towards schools in more affluent areas participating