Development and implementation of a school-based health promotion intervention in a resource-constrained community

Abstract

The purpose of the study was to develop and implement a health promotion intervention with the aim to improve learners’ knowledge and skills on healthy eating habits by offering them an enriched curriculum. The Wellness in Lifestyle, Intake, Fitness and Environment (Win-LIFE) intervention focused on positive change in terms of healthy food choices, production, preparation and consumption. The intervention was developed after exploring parents’ and teachers’ perceptions and consulting experts in the field of education and nutrition-related research. The investigation was undertaken against the background of the national school curriculum, with the aim of enriching the Grade 4 to 6 content of the subjects Life Skills, Natural Sciences and Technology. I implemented qualitative research and utilised Interpretivism as the epistemological paradigm. I applied a multiple case study research design, while data was generated and documented through PRA-guided activities in a focus group, semi-structured interviews, observation, field notes, a reflective journal and audio-visual techniques. Through thematic analysis of the data, three main themes and related sub-themes emerged. The first theme relates to aspects that were to be considered during development of the Win-LIFE intervention. The second theme speaks to the goal-driven development of the Win-LIFE intervention and the third theme comprises the implementation of the Win-LIFE intervention. The findings of the study indicate that schools fulfil a critical role in health promotion initiatives. The community where the study was undertaken specifically required a health promotion intervention that could be facilitated by schools while accentuating healthy food consumption and nutrition-related practices to support learners, parents and the wider community. Based on the findings of my study, I can conclude that the Win-LIFE intervention was successful in enriching the CAPS and that the PRA approach that was followed supported the development and implementation of the intervention. It is important not only to tailor-make an intervention according to the needs of the target audience but also to consider the needs and preferences of the facilitators, and involve key role-players when implementing the intervention, such as parents in the case of a school-based intervention.