Towards Health Promoting Schools: Pilot Training and Evaluation of the Updated Urbani School Health Kit (USHK) among School Teachers in Manila

Abstract

Background and Objective. Committed to enhancing healthy living, learning, and working conditions, a health-promoting school is a potent influencer of behaviors and habits, reaching families and communities effectively. In the Western Pacific region, the Urbani School Health Kit (USHK) is one of the tools developed to integrate health promotion in schools; however, it needs to be updated to adapt to the evolving health challenges of lifestyle-related diseases. Hence, this study aimed to conduct a pilot training and evaluation of the updated USHK among school teachers in Manila. Methods. The USHK was updated with new materials on (1) health-enhancing physical activity; (2) healthynutrition; and (3) family and community engagement. A two-day training-workshop with 30 school teachers wasthen conducted to facilitate the integration of the updated USHK in their class activities. We used a multi method evaluation design to assess the implementation of the USHK. Particularly, quantitative data were obtained from the participants’ feedback on the toolkit and their knowledge of health-related practices. One month later, field visits were conducted to assess the participants’ abilities in utilizing the toolkit into their classes or school activities. Qualitative interviews and classroom observations were also collected post-implementation to determine potential facilitators and barriers to program delivery,and suggestions for improvement. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize participant feedback, whileWilcoxon signed rank test was utilized to determine changes in participant knowledge pre- and post-training.Qualitative data were synthesized through content analysis. Results. Participants provided high satisfaction ratings for the training they received, as well as high scores forthe updated USHK, in terms of its appropriateness and acceptability. Significant improvements in participants’overall health promotion knowledge were also noted (Z = -4.456, p <0.001), particularly involving the domainsof nutrition (Z = -2.972, p = 0.003), physical activity (Z = -3.564, p <0.001), and family/community engagement(Z = -2.531, p = 0.011). Meanwhile, participants also suggested further improvements in the toolkit to enhance its utilization in the local context. Administrative support was a crucial facilitator for implementing the USHK, while resource limitations were identified as significant barriers. Conclusion. The updated USHK, which provides a more comprehensive health promotion approach for schools,is potentially feasible for implementation in educational institutions in Manila. The toolkit can be utilized by teachers and school nurses to integrate health promotion activities into the school environment and classroom activities. To facilitate its wider uptake and implementation in other schools, government support and resource availability are crucial.