How can school systems improve health and wellbeing?
Website: https://www.who.int/activities/investing-in-school-health
Series leads: Prof Susan Sawyer and Dr Monika Raniti (MCRI)
To further support school systems, a series of Topic Briefs have been developed on key health and wellbeing issues impacting adolescents. These evidence-informed resources are intended for national education, health and associated sectors to support the strengthening of national school health programs. Each brief articulates what is meant by “whole-school approaches” and adopt a common framework, including an “ideas bank” of recommended actions across each of the eight Global Standards for Health-Promoting Schools. While this body of work is globally oriented, it is locally applicable.
A message from the WHO:
“This series of briefs on How school systems can improve health and well-being accompanies the guidance package on Making every school a Health-Promoting School. Each brief illustrates how to apply a whole-school and systems approach to strengthen specific health concerns. Commissioned by WHO, these briefs were put together with the expertise and support of the Centre for Adolescent Health, Murdoch Children’s Research Institute at The Royal Children’s Hospital in close collaboration with WHO and other UN agencies including UNESCO, UNICEF, WFP and UNODC.”
Topic brief: mental health
Overview
This topic brief highlights how promoting mental health and well-being supports the achievement of education and learning objectives, and explains how intervention benefits can be amplified with a whole-school and systems approach. The recommended actions are informed by the Global Standards for health-promoting schools. This evidence-informed resource is intended for national education, health and associated sectors to support the strengthening of national school health programmes.
Lead writer: Dr Monika Raniti (MCRI)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240064751
Topic brie
f: substance use
Overview
This topic brief highlights how addressing substance use supports the achievement of education and learning objectives, and explains how intervention benefits can be amplified with a whole-school and systems approach. The recommended actions are informed by the Global Standards for health-promoting schools. This evidence-informed resource is intended for national education, health and associated sectors to support the strengthening of national school health programmes.
Lead writer: Dr Wing See Yuen (NDARC, UNSW) & Associate Professor Amy Peacock (NDARC, UNSW)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240064812
Topic brief: nutrition
Overview
This topic brief highlights how nutrition and healthy diets support the achievement of education and learning objectives, and explains how intervention benefits can be amplified with a whole-school and systems approach. The recommended actions are informed by the Global Standards for health-promoting schools. This evidence-informed resource is intended for national education, health and associated sectors to support the strengthening of national school health programmes.
Lead writer: Dr Natalie Evans (was a MCRI Global Health Fellow)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240064713
Topic brief: physical activity
Overview
This topic brief highlights how physical activity supports the achievement of education and learning objectives, and explains how intervention benefits can be amplified with a whole-school and systems approach. The recommended actions are informed by the Global Standards for health-promoting schools. This evidence-informed resource is intended for national education, health and associated sectors to support the strengthening of national school health programmes.
Lead writers: Dr Dot Dumuid (MCRI honorary; UniSA) and Associate Professor Carol Maher (UniSA)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240064775
Topic brief: water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH)
Overview
This topic brief highlights how improved water, sanitation and hygiene support the achievement of education and learning objectives, and explains how intervention benefits can be amplified with a whole-school and systems approach. The recommended actions are informed by the Global Standards for health-promoting schools. This evidence-informed resource is intended for national education, health and associated sectors to support the strengthening of national school health programmes.
Lead writer: Dr Natalie Evans (was a MCRI Global Health Fellow)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240064799
Topic brief: sexual reproductive health and gender
Overview
This topic brief highlights how promoting sexual and reproductive health supports the achievement of education and learning objectives, and explains how intervention benefits can be amplified with a whole-school and systems approach. The recommended actions are informed by the Global Standards for health-promoting schools. This evidence-informed resource is intended for national education, health and associated sectors to support the strengthening of national school health programmes.
Lead writer: Dr Kajal Hirani (Telethon Kids Institute)
https://www.who.int/publications/i/item/9789240094567
For more information about the Health Promoting Schools work visit https://www.rch.org.au/cah/research/Health_Promoting_Schools/
Disclaimer: The authors alone are responsible for the views expressed in this article and they do not necessarily represent the views, decisions or policies of the institutions with which they are affiliated.