Supporting health monitoring in schools: Rarotongan student perceptions of needs, facilitators and barriers

Heimata Herman¹, Karen Tairea², Ina Herrmann³, Celeste Barrett-Watson⁴, Delaney Yaqona⁵, Mark Vickers¹ and Jacquie Bay¹

1. Liggins Institute, University of Auckland, New Zealand; 2. Te Marae Ora, Cook Islands Ministry of Health, Cook Islands; 3. Maraurau o te Pae Api’I, Cook Islands Ministry of Education, Cook Islands; 4. Tereora College, National College of the Cook Islands, Rarotonga, Cook Islands; 5. Nukutere College, Rarotonga, Cook Islands

Background: The Pacific Science for Health Literacy Project is a community-based participatory research collaboration involving the Cook Islands Ministries of Education and Health, and the Liggins Institute. Central to the project are action-oriented learning programmes exploring aspects of the NCD crisis by looking at community, science and health evidence. Early evaluation evidence, combined with student feedback indicating a desire to know more about their own health data, resulted in a decision to incorporate metabolic health profiles in on-going evaluation from 2016. The Ministry of Health’s regular school-based health assessments provided a cost-effective opportunity for this. A purpose-built learning resource supported ongoing student exploration of NCD risk factors, helped students understand what health-checks involved, and enabled students to have a personal record of their own data.

Aside from the monitoring potential, health-checks offer an empowerment opportunity. Access to individual health data combined with planned learning can promote health literacy. This can support informed decision-making that may promote positive health practices.

This study explored experiences, benefits, and barriers to supporting positive engagement in health-checks in Rarotongan schools.

Aim: To assess the health-check process from the perspective of students in order to identify potential benefits, issues, and improvements.

Methods: Implementation process records and data from student focus groups (n=50) were analysed to identify themes.

Results: Students reported heightened awareness of factors indicating their health, and viewed school-based health checks as having a primary role in improving health related knowledge, understanding and practice. Students also reported experiences associated with inadequate information about health-check processes, preconceived fears, poor explanation of results, and inadequate dietary advice.

Conclusion: Overall the students reported strong support for the health-checks. However, issues associated with process were identified that should be considered for implementation.

Herman, H., Tairea, K., Herrmann, U., Barrett-Watson, C., Yaqona, D., Vickers, M.H., & Bay, J.L. (2017). Supporting health monitoring in schools: Rarotongan students’ perceptions of needs, facilitators and barriers. The Annual Cook Islands Health Conference 2017, Rarotonga, Cook Islands.