Improving Primary School Students’ Capacities as Health Promoting Actors

Abstract

This study was aimed at strengthening primary school children’s capacities as ‘health-promoting actors’. A participatory action research (PAR) design was implemented in five semi-rural primary schools in Mahasarakham Province. Selected students were identified as health promoting targets and planned for changing themselves by following a health promoting plan with the participatory action of their families and their schools. Quantitative data and qualitative data were collected and analyzed. The qualitative results indicated that to attain the goals of HPS it is important that using student capabilities to generate ways to solve their health-related problems becomes a fundamental strategy such as students communicating with health promotion strategies from the school through the families, building a stronger relationship between teachers-families-students, and students’ capability as ‘health promoting actors’. The possible roles for school teachers and health personnel assisting HPS program can revealed in quantitative analysis. Results showed that the student’s knowledge of health promoting school significantly decreased from before the training course (P < 0.001) The mean score of HPS knowledge after experiment was higher than before the experiment which are the HPS training scores (M = 9.5319, SD = 1.62) was significantly higher than before attending (M = 8.4681, SD = 1.52; t = - 6.173, p = < 0.001) HPS course. The result of this study using Home Visit can increase the participatory actions among Primary School students, teachers, family members. It can lead to more benefits in individual self efficacy and the development of healthcare among societies. Key words : Capacity building; Health promoting actors; Health promoting schools; Participatory action research; Primary school; Mahasarakham