Status of the Health Promoting University (HPU) globally and its relevance for emerging African HPUs: an integrative review and bibliometric analysis

Abstract

Background: The Health Promoting Universities (HPU) concept is undertheorized, with no African university belonging to the International Network of Health Promoting Universities (IHPU). Aim: The study aimed to investigate the status of the HPU concept globally to inform emerging HPUs, more specifically in Africa, regarding its implementation. Methods: An integrative literature review of studies conducted between 1 January 2013 and 5 November 2023 was conducted from online databases (PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, Lilacs, CINAHL and Medline). A VOS bibliometric analysis viewer was used to extract and analyze further relevant information that could have been missed in the review. Results: From 1128 records, 22 ( N = 22) articles including two reports met the inclusion criteria. The main findings were that: (1) the HPU network is growing as a global network though undertheorized and less reported on, (2) the implementation of the HPU depends on a plethora of underpinning philosophies such as salutogenic and whole systems approach, and diverse programs and initiatives, 3) the terms HPU and healthy universities are often used interchangeably but the whole systems approach appears to be consistent in many HPU interventions. However, five contextual challenges that emanated from this review were discussed, including the definition of the HPU concept, theories for the HPU concept, measurement of the HPU concept, coordination and methods for measuring the HPU concept status. These challenges present obstacles to measuring the status of the HPU concept beyond the number of affiliated universities and HPU initiatives. Conclusion: Despite the challenges, the HPU concept is gaining momentum globally, as evidenced by the growing list of universities (HPU network) involved and the proliferation of interventions/initiatives targeting university students.