RHP&EO is the electronic journal of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education

Policy Development For Health Promotion In Schools. An Analysis Of School Plans In Four Swedish Countries

Marie-Louise Taylor, MPH., Bo J A Haglund, MD, PhD, Per Tillgren, MPH, PhD, Bo Burstrom, MD, MPH

Institution of Public Health, Department of Socialmedicine, Karolinska Institute, 172 83, Sundbyberg, Sweden

Abstract

Policy development is an important strategy for creating supportive environments for health, and health-supportive political documents can facilitate health promotion actions. In Sweden policies for schools were previously issued by the central government. Since 1991 local municipalities (284 in total) are responsible for running schools. Each municipality must produce a politically decided school plan, which should indicate the overall academic aims and objectives, the moral an political values of schools in the municipality, and guide local schools in formulating their local work plans.

Using content analysis, a study was done regarding the emphasis given to health and environment in school plans of 62 municipalities. Twelve broad themes were identified under the headlines of health and environment. Results indicate that the school plans analysed put emphasis more on environment issues and less on health and health promotion in schools. Our conclusion is that in order to facilitate health promotion in schools, it is necessary in Sweden to pay more attention to health promotion issues in future revisions of municipal school plans.

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