Public Health Protection Department, Dubai Health Authority, Dubai, UAE.
Institute of Public Health, College of Medicine and Health Sciences, United Arab Emirates University, Al-Ain, UAE.
BMJ Open. 2024 Sep 28;14(9):e081653. doi: 10.1136/bmjopen-2023-081653.
Children's health has been linked with morbidities such as cardiovascular events, type 2 diabetes and obesity in adulthood. Further efforts are needed to understand the current and emerging challenges due to the potential changes in the social context among school-aged children and adolescents at schools.
The study aims to investigate the health needs of school-aged children and adolescents in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE).
9 semistructured focus groups and 1 in-depth interview among 10 entities and 5 schools were used to investigate current health needs for schools. The participants were selected using purposive sampling. Data were analysed using a content analysis approach.
The focus groups and the in-depth interviews were conducted face to face in Dubai, UAE, from February to May 2023.
52 participants representing different specialties and roles in school health, such as senior employees, managers, teachers, healthcare professionals, principals, social workers/counsellors and parents, participated in this study. Most participants were females, 41 (78.8%) compared with 11 males (21.2%).
The study identified six health themes that address the health needs in schools. The themes highlighted the importance of creating new school health services, programmes, health education sessions, policies, data quality measures and innovative technologies. The participants deemed developing and improving health services, programmes, health education sessions, policies in nutrition, social and mental health, physical activity, and health promotion necessary in schools. Training school staff to manage and handle data was also essential to improve data quality. Using innovative technologies such as applications and electronic student files linked to electronic medical systems may further support school health professionals in schools.
The health needs assessment identified the gaps and challenges that must be addressed to improve students' health. Policy-makers could use the key results from the six themes to develop effective school health strategies.
儿童健康与成年人心血管事件、2 型糖尿病和肥胖等疾病有关。由于学龄儿童和青少年在学校的社会环境可能发生变化，需要进一步努力了解当前和新出现的挑战。
本研究旨在调查阿联酋迪拜学龄儿童和青少年的健康需求。
使用 9 个半结构化焦点小组和 1 个对 10 个实体和 5 所学校的深入访谈，调查学校目前的健康需求。参与者采用目的性抽样选择。使用内容分析法分析数据。
2023 年 2 月至 5 月，在阿联酋迪拜进行了焦点小组和深入访谈。
52 名参与者代表学校卫生的不同专业和角色，如高级员工、经理、教师、医疗保健专业人员、校长、社会工作者/顾问和家长，参加了这项研究。大多数参与者是女性，41 名（78.8%），11 名男性（21.2%）。
本研究确定了六个卫生主题，这些主题涉及学校的健康需求。这些主题强调了创建新的学校卫生服务、方案、健康教育课程、政策、数据质量措施和创新技术的重要性。参与者认为，在学校中发展和改善营养、社会和心理健康、体育活动和健康促进方面的卫生服务、方案和健康教育课程、政策是必要的。培训学校工作人员管理和处理数据对于提高数据质量也是必不可少的。使用创新技术，如与电子医疗系统相关联的应用程序和电子学生档案，可能进一步支持学校卫生专业人员在学校的工作。
健康需求评估确定了必须解决的差距和挑战，以改善学生的健康。政策制定者可以使用这六个主题的关键结果制定有效的学校卫生战略。
