2018 Volume 26 Issue 3 Pages 248-260
Objective: We conducted a health literacy project for high school students in a city of the Aomori Prefecture in FY 2014-2016. During its process, we urged them to create their own ideas for health promotion and expected them to transmit the ideas to the community. This article evaluated the process of this project.
Project contents: We set up an occasion for high school students to present their own ideas for health promotion to the community, which we called the "Mini Mini Health Nurse Idea Contest." Specifically, three actions were taken to foster the creation of the students' own ideas: a workshop incorporating viewpoints on food, exercise, and rest; a "mini-mini health nurse stamp rally" (including a student health examination); and finally a bus tour (food exploration, exercise exploration tour) .
Project assessment: We carried out an anonymous self-written questionnaire survey for the high school students, their guardians, and contest voters. Of total participating students (N=118), 60% changed their thoughts and behaviors concerning health after the project. More than 30% of the students' parents noticed changes in the lifestyle of their children, and conveyed health information acquired from children to people, families and friends in the workplace.
Future challenges: Improvement of health literacy for high school students can be expected to have a ripple effect for parents and communities.However, it may take time to see the results in the community. Therefore, cooperation between schools and community health efforts is necessary, which could be achieved by developing a system outside the sectionalism typically seen in local government agencies.
