Comiskey, Catherine M. and O'Sullivan, Karin and Quirke, Mary B. and Wynne, Ciara and Hollywood, Eleanor and McGilloway, Sinéad (2012) Baseline Results of the First Healthy Schools Evaluation Among a Community of Young, Irish, Urban Disadvantaged Children and a Comparison of Outcomes With International Norms. Journal of School Health, 82 (11). pp. 508-513. ISSN 0022-4391

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Abstract

BACKGROUND: In 2008, the Irish Government initiated a pilot Healthy Schools Programme based on the World Health Organization Health Promoting Schools Model among children attending schools officially designated as urban and disadvantaged. We present here the first results on physical and emotional health and the relationship between childhood depression and demographic and socioeconomic factors. METHODS: The Healthy Schools Programme evaluation was a 3-year longitudinal outcome study among urban disadvantaged children aged 4 to 12 years. Physical and psychological health outcomes were measured using validated, international instruments at baseline. Outcomes at baseline were compared with international norms and where differences were found, results were statistically modeled to determine factors predicting poor outcomes. RESULTS: A total of 552 children responded at baseline, representing over 50% of all eligible children available to participate from 7 schools. Findings at baseline revealed that in general, children did not differ significantly from international norms. However, detailed analysis of the childhood depression scores revealed that in order of importance, psychological well-being, the school environment, social support, and peer relations and age were statistically significant predictors of increased childhood depression in children under 12 years of age. CONCLUSION: Future health and well-being studies in schools among urban disadvantaged children need to broaden their scope to include measures of depression in children under 12 years of age and be cognisant of the impact of the school environment on the mental and emotional health of the very young.

Item Type:	Article
Additional Information:	The definitive version of this article is available at DOI: 10.1111/j.1746-1561.2012.00730.x.
Keywords:	child and adolescent health; emotional health; evaluation; mental health; research; school health instruction;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Science and Engineering > Psychology
Item ID:	6206
Identification Number:	https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1746-1561.2012.00730.x.
Depositing User:	Dr. Sinéad McGilloway
Date Deposited:	17 Jun 2015 15:06
Journal or Publication Title:	Journal of School Health
Publisher:	American School Health Association
Refereed:	Yes
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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