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

Learning Health Promotion And Health Protection Through Health Dialogues With The School Nurse

Ina K. Borup RN, HV, MPH.

Mailing address: Damhusdalen 15 C, 2610 Rodovre, Denmark Doctoral student NHV, Box 12133, S-402 42 Goteborg, Sverige Affiliated University of Copenhagen, Dep. of Social Medicine, Panum, Blegsamsvej 3, 2200 Copenhagen N, Danmark

Health promotion is an important school nursing function. In Denmark an annual health dialogue with the school children is one of the practical measures to promote health.

The purpose of the study is to analyse the associations between learning from the health dialogue and socio-demo-graphic and psyco-social variables; to analyse which factors influenced the school childrens' learning and which effort the children wanted from the school nurse.

The study is the Danish contribution to the WHO-collaborative study Health Behaviour in school Children. A nationwide random sample of students 11, 13, 15 years old (n=1860) answered a standardised questionnaire about perceived health, health behaviours, social situation and the health dialogue with the school nurse.

Pupils from lower social classes reported a high level of learning. Connections between some health needs, symptoms, psychosocial factors and learning were found.

Factors influencing school childrens' learning were satisfaction with school, frequent symptoms and being a girl.

The most common reason for spontaneous contacts was pain and sickness.

More time was an essential expectation to the role of the school nurse. More health education including sexuality, relationships, and health matters was wanted.

This study demonstrated that one of the strategies for meeting the nedds of pupils from lower social classes was a health dialogue. The concept of health dialogues proved that children from lower social groups wee interested in changing health problems when offered in consideration to their needs and interests.

Key words: Health dialogue, school nurse, learning, health promotion, spontaneous contacts, expectations to the school nurse, survey, Denmark.

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