title: Forming ideas about health: a qualitative study of Ontario adolescents.
abstract: Adolescence is a crucial period of child development during which one's ideas about health are formed. However, little is known about the different contexts, experiences, and potential other factors that contribute to shaping the health ideas of adolescent populations, particularly when they are not seeking out the information for a particular purpose. In this Ontario-based qualitative study, grounded theory methods were used to explore ways that health knowledge is obtained in adolescents (age 10-16). A purposeful, criterion-based sampling strategy was used, and data were collected through seven focus groups (n=40). Findings indicate that while young people get their ideas about health through both didactic and organic learning contexts, the significant impact of organic learning is often overlooked. Categories of organic learning that emerged include self-reflective experience, the experience of close contacts, casually observing others, and common discourse. This study suggests that one central way that young people get their ideas about health is from living life: from the people they watch, the conversations that they have, and the experiences they live. Findings support the development of effective health promotion messages and also contribute to considering the place of some aspects of organic learning in the development of health-related resources that target adolescent populations.
authors.affiliation: School of Religion, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada; valerie.michaelson@queensu.ca.
authors.forename: Valerie
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Michaelson
authors.affiliation: Department of Theological Studies, Regent College, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada.
authors.forename: Margaret
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: McKerron
authors.affiliation: Department of Public Health Sciences, Queen's University, Kingston, Ontario, Canada.
authors.forename: Colleen
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Davison
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D003142:Communication; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006262:Health; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D057220:Health Literacy; D006801:Humans; D007858:Learning; D008297:Male; D009864:Ontario; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012931:Social Environment; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires
keywords: Adolescent health; didactic learning; health perceptions; organic learning; paediatric