[Research on health education and promotion in Spanish nursery and primary schools. A systematic review of studies published between 1995 and 2005].
OBJECTIVE
To identify the characteristics of health education and promotion interventions in Spanish nursery and primary schools, through the studies published in scientific journals.


METHODS
We performed a review of studies on health education and promotion interventions in Spanish nursery and primary schools, published from 1995 to 2005. The information sources were Medline (through Pubmed), Cinhal, Eric, Sociological Abstracts, Science Citation Index, and Isooc (CSIC). Studies performed in Spanish nursery and primary schools that incorporated health education and promotion interventions were selected. The studies' general features, main subject and aims, methodology, the kind of intervention described, and compliance with the criteria for Healthy Schools were analyzed.


RESULTS
Only 26 of the 346 articles identified met the inclusion criteria. Health education programs focussed more on disease prevention than on health promotion and only a few studies were performed in nursery and primary schools. The criteria for health promotion in schools were included in 5 articles (19.2%). The importance of health institutions (n = 7; 26.9%) and universities (n = 8; 30.8%) as promoters of programs was notable. The most frequent subject was smoking (n = 11; 42.3%).


CONCLUSIONS
Teachers play a lesser role in health promotion in schools than health institutions in the implementation and dissemination of health programs. Research into health promotion in nursery and primary schools is scarce.
Davó
Mari Carmen
MC
Area de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España. mdavo@ua.es
Gil-González
Diana
D
Vives-Cases
Carmen
C
Alvarez-Dardet
Carlos
C
La Parra
Daniel
D
D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D003627:Data Interpretation, Statistical; D006266:Health Education; D006293:Health Promotion; D006801:Humans; D012106:Research; D012574:Schools; D012578:Schools, Nursery; D000074606:Smoking Prevention; D013030:Spain