title: Young students as participants in school health in promotion: An intervention study in a swedish elementary school.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The aim was to analyse if young students could be substantive participants in a healthpromoting school project. The specific aims were to analyse the changes the students proposed in their school environment, how these changes were prioritized by a school health committee and to discuss the students' proposals and the changes from a health and gender perspective.
  
  
  METHODS
  An intervention project was carried out in an elementary school with students (about 150) in Grades 1 through 6. The intervention included small-group discussions about health promoting factors, following a health education model referred to as 'It's your decision.' At the last of 6 discussions, the students made suggestions for health-promoting changes in their school environment. A health committee was established with students and staff for the purpose of initiating changes based on the proposals.
  
  
  METHODS
  A content analysis was used to analyse the proposals and the protocols developed by the health committee.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The analysis showed 6 categories of the students' proposals: social climate, influence on schoolwork, structure and orderliness, security, physical environment and food for well-being. Their priorities corresponded to the students' categories, but had an additional category regarding health education.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Principles that guide promoting good health in schools can be put into action among students as young as those in Grades 1 through 6. Future challenges include how to convey experiences and knowledge to other schools and how to evaluate if inequalities in health because of gender, class and ethnicity can be reduced through the focus on empowerment and participation.
authors.affiliation: a Department of Health Sciences, Mid Sweden University , Sundsvall , Sweden.
authors.forename: Katja Gillander
authors.initials: KG
authors.lastname: Gådin
authors.affiliation: b Centre for Educational Sociology, University of Edinburgh , Edinburgh , Scotland.
authors.forename: Gaby
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Weiner
authors.affiliation: c Department of Community Medicine and Rehabilitation, Umeå University , Umeå , Sweden.
authors.forename: Christina
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ahlgren
keywords: elementary school; empowerment; gender; participation