CDC Publishes School Health Education Profiles

A study in the recent issue of Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) published by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) presents results from the 1998 Surveillance for Characteristics of Health Education Among Secondary Schools-School Health Education Profiles.

This report summarizes results from the 1998 School Health Education Profiles, a school-based survey from a nationally representative sample of health education classes in grades 6-12. Data was collected between February and June 1998.

Researchers surveyed principals in 36 states and 10 cities. A second survey of lead health education teachers was conducted in 35 states and 10 cities.

The surveillance summary includes information on organization and content of required health education courses; coordination of health education programs; professional preparation of lead health education teachers; in-service trainings in health education topics; parent and community involvement in school health education; HIV/AIDS education; and policies on HIV-infected students and school staff.

The CDC study includes results from both cities and states. This article includes only data from states.

Results

Health Education Courses

• 75 to 100% of schools required health education for students in grades 6-12.
• Among schools with a required health education course:
• 77 to 100% taught at least one separate health education course.
• 48 to 98% required teachers to use a state health education curriculum, guideline, or framework.
• 56 to 97% required teachers to use a school district health education curriculum, guideline, or framework.
• 42 to 91% required teachers to use a school health education curriculum, guideline, or framework.
• 18 to 50% required teachers to use a commercially developed education curriculum, guideline, or framework.

Content of Courses

• Of required health education courses, 43 to 96% included information on pregnancy prevention, 73 to 100% on HIV prevention, and 67 to 100% on prevention of other sexually transmitted diseases (STDs).

HIV Infection / AIDS Education

• Among schools with a required HIV/AIDS prevention education course:
  • 72 to 100% taught how HIV is, and is not, transmitted.
  • 67 to 99% taught reasons for choosing sexual abstinence.
  • 57 to 87% taught statistics on adolescent death and disability related to HIV/AIDS infection.
  • 54 to 91% taught information on HIV testing and counseling.
  • 33 to 84% taught information on condom efficacy.
  • 13 to 72% taught how to use a condom correctly.

Coordination of Health Education

• A health education teacher was identified most often as the person responsible for coordinating health education (median response 39%), followed by school administrators (24%), school district administrators (21%), school nurses (2%), and no individual or position (4%).
• Among schools in which health education teachers planned or coordinated health-related projects or activities in collaboration with other professionals:
  • 41 to 87% collaborated with physical education teachers.
  • 41 to 72% collaborated with medical or public health professionals.
  • 30 to 67% collaborated with school counselors.
  • 22 to 68% collaborated with school health service staff members.

Professional Preparation of Educators

• 41% of lead health education teachers had professional preparation in health and physical education, compared with 16% in science, family life education, or elementary education, 15% only in physical education, 6% only in health education, and 3% in nursing or counseling.
• 21 to 45% of lead health education teachers had received more than four hours of in-service training on pregnancy prevention, 37 to 79% on HIV prevention, and 29 to 62% on prevention of other (STDs).
• 30 to 56% of lead health education teachers wanted more than four hours of in-service training on pregnancy prevention, 35 to 60% on HIV prevention, and 29 to 62% on prevention of other (STDs).

Parental and Community Involvement

• 7 to 57% of schools had an advisory council that involved parents and the community in conducting needs assessments, developing school policies, and coordinating school health programs and resources.
• 34 to 70% of schools reported receiving parental feedback on health education. Of the feedback received, 87% was positive.
• 13% of schools involved parents in school health education regarding HIV/AIDS. Among those schools, 19% involved parents by inviting them to attend a class on HIV/AIDS, 13% by sending educational materials on HIV/AIDS, 12% by sending newsletters on HIV/AIDS, and 8% by offering school programs on HIV/AIDS for parents.

Policies on HIV-Infected Students or Staff

• 49 to 88% of schools had a written school or district policy on HIV-infected students or staff members.
• Among those schools that had a written policy, 87 to 100% addressed maintenance of confidentiality for HIV-infected students and staff members, 81 to 100% addressed protection of HIV-infected students and staff members from discrimination, 46 to 84% addressed staff training on HIV infection, and 41 to 70% addressed confidential counseling for HIV-infected students.

Researchers compared 1998 data to that collected in 1996 to determine changes. This analysis showed an increase in the percentage of schools across states that required a health education course as well as an increase in the percentage of schools across states that had a health education coordinator. In contrast, the analysis showed a decrease in the percentage of schools across states that taught how HIV is transmitted and reasons for choosing sexual abstinence.

The 1998 Profiles data demonstrate that many schools have implemented programs and policies that have a positive influence on health education curriculum planning and development. For example, the data indicates that most schools taught skills to reduce HIV-risk behaviors with more than 95% of schools across cities and states teaching HIV prevention as part of a mandatory health education course.

The authors note that while more schools had a lead health education teacher with professional preparation in health and physical education, few schools had a lead health education teacher with professional preparation exclusively in health. Moreover, many schools had a lead health education teacher whose professional preparation was not in health education. They suggest that the number of lead health education teachers with specialized training and with opportunities for professional development needs to increase.

For more information:
J. A. Grunbaum, et al., "Surveillance for Characteristics of Health Education Among Secondary Schools -- School Health Education Profiles, 1998," Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report, August 18, 2000, vol. 49, no. SS-8.