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

Health Education In Schools - From Information To Empowerment Models

Curt Hagquist & Bengt Starrin

Centre for public health research, P.O. Box 9104, S-650 09 Karlstad, Sweden

School is considered to be a very important "arena" for health promotion among children and adolescents. Within the field of health education in school there are nowadays a manifoldness of methods, models and directions. Seen in a historical perspective, health education in school seems to have undergone great changes. It appears that these changes have mainly followed two parallel, but partly overlapping lines of development: one that has implied that the perspective regarding health education has been broadened and that the individual has been placed in a social context; and another that has implied that pupil participation and pupil influence have started to attract serious attention. A typology of different models for health education in school is accounted for below. The typology can be seen as a model of analysis and is an attempt to summarize and join together the main lines within health education in school. The typology is built up partly from the attitude towards pupils - object or subject - which is characterized by health education, and partly from the contextual frame - part or whole - within which health education is carried on. In this way, four different main types of models can be perceived:

Traditional education models which are mainly practised in the classroom and where pupils for the most part are passive receivers of information. These models are characterized by individualization and focusing on health-related behaviours.

Modern education models in which the pupils take an active part, but which are located mainly in the classroom. These models are characterized by centering on the individual as well as by (peer) group focusing. Attention is paid to social skills and "resistance skills", but also to general skills.

Planning models in which the entire school, and sometimes also the community outside, is included in health education. The models are often characterized by being health work for rather than with pupils, even if pupil participation is sometimes focused. The models are directed towards the individual as well as towards the environment.

Empowerment models in which participant-orientation is essential and where school environment and social conditions are considered to be important prerequisites for health education.

Even if the empowerment models have become more common in recent years, they seem to be represented less than planning models. Empowerment models can partly be seen as an answer to the criticism of principle that health education is traditionally being subjected to as regards aim, direction and contents. The empowerment strategies can through their participant-orientation be important contributions to the development of local health work in school.

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