BRITISH MEDICAL JOURNAL - Improving the institutional culture of schools
in the UK may help reduce substance abuse and teenage pregnancies, says
an article in this week's BMJ. Researchers from the London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Centre for Research on Drugs and Health
Behavior say that substance misuse and teenage pregnancy are major
public health challenges and argue that existing responses to these
issues seem to have brought about only limited benefits.
Previous surveys show that a third of 15 year olds in England have taken
illegal drugs in the past year and a quarter of 15 year old girls smoke.
Rates of illegal drug use and drinking continue to rise, whilst teenage
pregnancy rates in the UK are the highest in western Europe.
So the authors reviewed evidence suggesting that interventions aiming to
promote positive school ethos might provide an effective complement to
existing approaches.
A study carried out in Scotland found that in some secondary schools
'risky' health behaviors (e.g. substance misuse, alcohol and tobacco
use) couldn't be explained by student, family or neighborhood factors,
but did seem to be explained by large school size and independently
rated poor school ethos.
And trials in both Australia and the United States showed that projects
which aimed to improve school ethos helped improve the health behaviors
of their students. Both projects involved a range of activities
including improving teacher-student communication, increasing parent and
student involvement in school policy-making and better training for
teachers.
The US study reported a 34% reduction in a combined measure of alcohol,
tobacco and cannabis use among boys, plus significant benefits regarding
condom use, frequency of sex, violence and truancy. However, similar
benefits were not reported among girls.
The Australian research found that students at schools taking part in
the project were slightly less likely to report a range of risky health
behaviors (such as regular smoking and drinking and marijuana use).
Follow-up research suggested impacts might increase over time as the
changes 'bedded down' in schools.
This evidence makes sense, say the authors. After the family, and
alongside the media and peers, the most important institution in the
lives of most children and young people is their school.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7593/547
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in the UK may help reduce substance abuse and teenage pregnancies, says
an article in this week's BMJ. Researchers from the London School of
Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Centre for Research on Drugs and Health
Behavior say that substance misuse and teenage pregnancy are major
public health challenges and argue that existing responses to these
issues seem to have brought about only limited benefits.
Previous surveys show that a third of 15 year olds in England have taken
illegal drugs in the past year and a quarter of 15 year old girls smoke.
Rates of illegal drug use and drinking continue to rise, whilst teenage
pregnancy rates in the UK are the highest in western Europe.
So the authors reviewed evidence suggesting that interventions aiming to
promote positive school ethos might provide an effective complement to
existing approaches.
A study carried out in Scotland found that in some secondary schools
'risky' health behaviors (e.g. substance misuse, alcohol and tobacco
use) couldn't be explained by student, family or neighborhood factors,
but did seem to be explained by large school size and independently
rated poor school ethos.
And trials in both Australia and the United States showed that projects
which aimed to improve school ethos helped improve the health behaviors
of their students. Both projects involved a range of activities
including improving teacher-student communication, increasing parent and
student involvement in school policy-making and better training for
teachers.
The US study reported a 34% reduction in a combined measure of alcohol,
tobacco and cannabis use among boys, plus significant benefits regarding
condom use, frequency of sex, violence and truancy. However, similar
benefits were not reported among girls.
The Australian research found that students at schools taking part in
the project were slightly less likely to report a range of risky health
behaviors (such as regular smoking and drinking and marijuana use).
Follow-up research suggested impacts might increase over time as the
changes 'bedded down' in schools.
This evidence makes sense, say the authors. After the family, and
alongside the media and peers, the most important institution in the
lives of most children and young people is their school.
http://www.bmj.com/cgi/content/full/334/7593/547
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