title: [Health education in primary school: Alicante city (Spain) teachers' opinions].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  This study explores the opinions of primary school teachers about health activities carried out in schools in Alicante city (Spain).
  
  
  METHODS
  An exploratory study was conducted through qualitative content analysis. Three focus groups were conducted with 25 primary school teachers (14 women and 11 men) working in 14 public and 7 private schools in the city of Alicante. Participants were asked about the health activities carried on in their schools.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Teachers distinguished between health education activities promoted by the school and those included in external programmes promoted by public and private institutions. External programmes were considered as impositions, lacking continuity and chosen according to passing fads. Although teachers demonstrated a more positive attitude towards activities arising from their own initiative, they identified health education as a secondary task. Teachers considered that improving their own health education training and promoting the involvement of parents, health professionals and public institutions were the most appropriate ways to promote health education in the school.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Teachers showed a more positive opinion and greater commitment towards health activities that complement and facilitate their teaching tasks. Their didactic programme and opinion should be taken into account to maximise the efficiency of the health promotion and education activities promoted by external organisations.
authors.affiliation: Área de Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España. Electronic address: mdavo@ua.com.
authors.forename: M Carmen
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Davó-Blanes
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Salud Pública, Historia de la Ciencia y Ginecología, Campus de San Juan, Universidad Miguel Hernández, San Juan de Alicante, Alicante, España; CIBER de Epidemiología y Salud Pública (CIBERESP), España.
authors.forename: Manuela
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: García de la Hera
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Sociología II, Universidad de Alicante, Alicante, España.
authors.forename: Daniel
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: La Parra
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D017144:Focus Groups; D006266:Health Education / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000191:economics / Q000458:organization & administration; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D017149:Private Sector; D017150:Public Sector; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012572:School Health Services; D000070777:School Teachers / Q000523:psychology*; D012574:Schools / Q000191:economics; D013030:Spain
keywords: Educación para la salud; Escuela primaria; Health education; Health promotion; Primary schools; Profesorado; Promoción de salud; School teachers