2. School Interventions & Health Psychology.docx

CRITICAL READING: CORNELL NOTES School Interventions & Health Psychology Name: Date: 22 October 2023 Section: Lecture 2 Period: Questions/Main Ideas/Vocabulary Notes/Answers/Definitions/Examples/Sentences School Interventions Schools represent an ideal setting to implement program...

CRITICAL READING: CORNELL NOTES School Interventions & Health Psychology Name: Date: 22 October 2023 Section: Lecture 2 Period: Questions/Main Ideas/Vocabulary Notes/Answers/Definitions/Examples/Sentences School Interventions Schools represent an ideal setting to implement programmes that aim to reduce health risk behaviors and improve mental health and well-being. Why? Schools can reach a large number of this population who are going there to learn. Schools present an efficient method to obtain the attention of adolescents. WHO Health Promoting Schools Framework Is used often when creating school level interventions. Focuses on addressing three areas: School curriculum Ethos/environment Families/communities Research on these types of interventions highlight that the most difficult part is getting families/communities involved. Creating an Effective Intervention Schools represent an opportune time to intervene and interrupt the trajectory towards poor adult health. Pearson et al. (2015) conducted a systematic review to discern common factors of effective interventions: Found various factors that need to be considered in the pre implementation stage, when introducing the programme to the school, embedding it into routine practice and the fidelity of implementation and programme adaption. Pre-Implementation Stage The type of health promotion programme at the recent school history of delivering programmes on the topic can impact the extent and depth of pre delivery consultation. Student engagement interventions need to be developmentally appropriate and deemed relevant. Students respond well to interventions that offer transferable educational and life skills. Reciprocity: Teachers will devote time and energy if they get practical and educational support in return. Students prefer short term gains. Introducing a Programme Within a School Integrating a programme into the life of this school involves senior members doing more than creating policies. Teachers want support (specific training, resources or assistance with coordination). Having a named coordinator was more effective in initiating and running a programme than whether the programme was delivered by teachers, external professionals or peer educators. Engaging those who deliver and participate in the programmes: links with reciprocity. Both teachers and students are more likely to engage when they can see personal, social and developmental gains. Additional Factors to Consider E-health interventions: Offer increased student engagement, fidelity and scalability. Better in situations when experts or professionals aren’t available. Can overcome various obstacles: availability of intervention, teaching time availability, reduction in implementation cost once established, increased potential to reach a large audience. E-health interventions targeting one vs. multiple health risk behaviours: Meta analytic evidence that there may be significant immediate effects for interventions that simultaneously address risk behaviors. Follow up measures show that this isn't sustained. Those that address one behaviour show significant effects post intervention and that's follow-up measures. The name of the programme: Both staff and students have reported that the name of the programme can impact their willingness to participate. Can School Interventions Remain Effective into Adulthood? Interventions show effectiveness immediately post-intervention, with some remaining effective 6 – 12 months after the programme was implemented. Newton et al. (2022) examined the long-lasting effects of an Australian school-based alcohol use prevention programme. Method: Treatment group: 2,190 13-year-old students participated in an alcohol use prevention programme. Measurements: Alcohol consumption, binge drinking, alcohol-related harms, hazardous alcohol use. 7 years later: Participants from the treatment group, now aged 19 – 20, reported reduced odds of alcohol-related harms, binge drinking, hazardous alcohol use and weekly alcohol use compared to the control group. Why Did This Work? A possible reason as to why this programme remained effective 7 years later may be the fact that it was delivered before students were of drinking age. This highlights the importance of prevention efforts. May also be effective for drug/substance use and risky sexual behaviour. Raising Healthy Children A programme delivered to US students beginning in Grade 1 (6 – 7 years old) and continuing until Grade 6 (11 – 12 years old). Involves: Teachers undertaking various training sessions to develop their skills aiming to foster proactive classroom management and cognitive skills in students. Parent workshops are also offered that aim to increase their skills in child behaviour management, academic development, reducing child’s risk of problem behaviours. Raising Healthy Children – Treatment vs. Control Group Overtime 18 years old: Less heavy alcohol use, lifetime violence and sex risk behaviours, higher bonding to school and self-reported school achievement. 21 years old: Fewer criminal records and symptoms of mental health disorders, better functioning at school and work. 27 years old: Mental health was better and more educational and economic attainment. 30 years old: Less sexually transmitted infections. 39 years old: Higher levels of exercise, adequate sleep, and stress management skills and fewer depression and anxiety symptoms. What Should Be Taken into Consideration When Interpreting These Findings? People have a right to withdraw – are the ones dropping out, the ones that show no long-term positive effects? Self-report measures. Great for a low-cost, large-scale collection of data. Impacted by social desirability bias and participants being intentionally dishonest. Drawbacks to School Interventions ‘Side effects’ of interventions aren’t measured or considered. Interventions don’t necessarily measure the factors that aren’t directly related to the intervention. Despite the time and effort put into the intervention, it may just not be effective. Making a School Intervention Effective into Adulthood Prevention is key. Many researchers have looked into this and have identified common characteristics: Integrating the intervention into daily practice and school culture. Seeking to engage all staff. Reinforcing skills outside of the classroom such as hallways and playgrounds. Supporting parental engagement. Coordinating work with outside agencies. These findings represent a solid foundation of information for intervention designers, schools and policymakers to create and implement interventions that can be effective into adulthood. What is Health Psychology? Health psychology addresses factors that influence wellbeing and illness as well as measures to promote health and prevent illness. Healthy psychology specifically examines how biological, social and psychological factors influence health and illness. What do Health Psychologists do? Specialise in understanding the relationships between psychological factors, health and illness. Health psychologists practice in two main areas: Health promotion: Prevention of illness and promotion of healthy lifestyles. Clinical health: Application of psychology to illness assessment, treatment and rehabilitation. What do Health Psychologists do – Substance Use? Health promotion: Focuses on the prevention of substance use. Implementing and contributing to programmes or interventions in schools. Drink and drug driving campaigns. Clinical health: Focuses on interventions for individuals. Designing specific, individual interventions for specific substance use problems. Life Expectancy for Australians – Past & Present Australian life expectancy: 1900: 55 years. Now: Men – 82 years, women – 84 years. Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander life expectancy: Indigenous males born between 2015 to 2017: 71.6 years. Indigenous women born between 2015 to 2017: 75.6 years. Life expectancy is lower in remote areas. Indigenous people living in major cities are expected to live around six years longer than those living in rural, remote and very remote areas. Causes of Death in Australia – Past & Present 1907: Heart disease (mostly infections). Infections. Influenza/Pneumonia. Accidents. 2009: Cancer. Ischaemic heart disease. Stroke. Lung cancer. Accidents. Key Reasons for Change in Causes in Death Introduction and improvement in public health measures such as clean drinking water, sanitation (sewerage and waste disposal). Immunisations. Improved health services and treatments (antibiotics). Big reduction in infant mortality and diseases across the lifespan. Tuberculosis (TB): 7th leading cause of death in 1907, now it's far less common thanks to immunisations and better treatment options. Diabetes is now considered 7th leading cause of death. For Aboriginal and/or Torres Strait Islander individuals: Heart diseases, diabetes, chronic lower respiratory diseases, cancers of the lung, bronchus and trachea and intentional self-harm. Coronary Heart Disease (CHD) CHD occurs when fatty material (plaque) builds up in the arteries that supply blood to your heart. This fatty plaque gradually clogs your arteries, reducing the flow of blood. One of the leading causes of death in Australia. Why is this information relevant? Health psychologist can play a major role in the prevention of CHD (and many other preventable diseases) for people, at an individual and societal level. Behavioural Risk Factors for our Current Health Conditions Cause of death: Coronary heart disease. Cancer. Cerebrovascular disease (stroke). Chronic lung disease. Accidental injuries. Behavioural risk factors: Tobacco use, sedentary lifestyle. Tobacco use, poor diet, alcohol use, environmental exposes, sedentary lifestyle. Not using seatbelts, alcohol use, home hazards. How Important Are Behavioural Risk Factors? Common causes of death are all influenced by behaviours. Half of all cases of early death from the main causes of death are related to behaviours (tobacco use, alcohol use, not wearing seatbelts). Tobacco use: Contributes to heart disease, cancer, stroke, lung disease. Alcohol use: Contributes to heart disease, cancer, obesity, intimate partner violence, accidental death. Behaviours That Impact Health Health promoting behaviours: Physical activity. Not smoking. Low use of alcohol. Healthy diet. Health reducing behaviours: Risky sexual behaviours (STDs, unwanted pregnancy). Substance use (tobacco smoking, alcohol use, illicit drug use).