The effects on student health of interventions modifying the school environment: systematic review

Bonell, Chris, Wells, H., Harden, A., Jamal, F., Fletcher, Adam ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6705-7659, Thomas, J., Campbell, R., Petticrew, M., Whitehead, M., Murphy, Simon ORCID: https://orcid.org/0000-0003-3589-3681 and Moore, L. 2013. The effects on student health of interventions modifying the school environment: systematic review. Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health 67 (8) , pp. 677-681. 10.1136/jech-2012-202247

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Abstract

Background: Owing to the limited effectiveness of traditional health education curricula in schools, there is increasing interest in interventions aiming to promote young people's health by modifying the school environment. Existing systematic reviews cannot determine whether environmental intervention is effective because they examine interventions combining environmental modifications and traditional health education. This gap is significant because school-environment interventions are complex to implement and may be sidelined in underfunded and attainment-focused school systems without evidence to support such an approach. This systematic review examined the effectiveness of school-environment interventions without health-education components on student health and inequalities. Methods: This was a systematic review of experimental/quasi-experimental studies of school-environment interventions. Sixteen databases were searched, eliciting 62 329 references which were screened, with included studies quality assessed, data extracted and narratively synthesised. Results: Sixteen reports of 10 studies were included, all from the USA and the UK. Five evaluations of interventions aiming to develop a stronger sense of community and/or improve relationships between staff and students suggested potential benefits particularly regarding violence and aggression. Two trials of interventions enabling students to advocate for changes in school catering and physical activity reported benefits for physical activity but not diet. Three evaluations of improvements to school playgrounds offered weak evidence of effects on physical activity. Conclusions: School environment interventions show the potential to improve young people's health particularly regarding violence, aggression and physical activity. Further trials are required to provide a stronger and more generalisable evidence base.

Item Type:	Article
Date Type:	Publication
Status:	Published
Schools:	Development and Evaluation of Complex Interventions for Public Health Improvement (DECIPHer) Social Sciences (Includes Criminology and Education)
Subjects:	L Education > LC Special aspects of education R Medicine > RA Public aspects of medicine > RA0421 Public health. Hygiene. Preventive Medicine
Publisher:	BMJ Publishing
ISSN:	0143-005x
Funders:	NIHR PHR
Last Modified:	25 Oct 2022 08:28
URI:	https://orca.cardiff.ac.uk/id/eprint/53140

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