Exploring The Strengths, Challenges and Improvement Strategy For Health-Promoting Schools From School Health Experts

Abstract

Background and Objective: Schools provide an important setting to promote health, especially in Iran with about 12 million children, moreover for school staff, families, and communities. The health-promoting schools approach has been implemented in Iranian schools. This qualitative study aimed to explore the perspectives of school health experts towards the strengths, challenges, and improvement strategy for health promoting schools. Methods: In This qualitative study, data was collected using semi-structured interviews with 14 health schools, professionals and 3 school headmasters in seven provinces of Iran. We recruited interviewers through purposeful sampling. Thematic analysis was conducted to analyze the data by using MAXQDA ver 10. Results: The results were categorized into eight themes. The main strength, perceived in " based on participatory program "," feedback-driven program"," training- driven program"," a systematic program". The main perceived weakness was ''inefficient executive structural mechanism "and" inefficient property of the program "Improve the supporting infrastructure," and" Reload executive structures were suggested as a corrective mechanism from participants’ view point. Conclusion: The effectiveness of the health promoting school program, as well as all successful programs in health system requires revision and localization.

Keywords

• health promotion
• health-promoting schools
• qualitative study