Marie-Claude Rivard

Engagement of educators and parents in students’ health education in a low socioeconomic school in Quebec: A case study

Objective: This qualitative study aimed to describe how educators and parents engage with students on health issues within the context of the Healthy School Approach in a disadvantaged Quebec school. Method: Individual interviews were conducted at the school setting with both educators (n = 5) and parents (n = 5) during the school year of 2010–2011. The interview protocol was based on Hoover-Dempsey, Walker and Ice’s (2010) revised theoretical model of the involvement process and more precisely on the mechanisms of influence, modelling, reinforcement, teaching and encouragements. Results: Findings indicate that educators’ and parents’ actions tend to involve modelling and encouragements in particular, with the main emphasis on physical activity and nutrition. Educators stress the importance of grounding their health actions in school activities related to the school project, whereas parents believe that their participation as volunteers in the various health-related activities organized at school significantly helps their efforts to support their child. Results highlight the parents’ undeniable contribution to children’s health within current educational systems. Conclusion: In their conclusion, the authors put into light the importance of two challenging denominators: (1) a shared vision of health; and (2) coherent health education actions in a disadvantaged environment.

Environments favorable to healthy lifestyles: A systematic review of initiatives in Canada

Background In recent years, a number of initiatives aimed at promoting healthy lifestyles in health-friendly environments have been implemented. The purpose of this review is to synthesize initiatives conducted in Canada and documented in publications for the period 1995–2015 in order to gain a better understanding of their objectives and impacts. Methods A systematic review of Canadian initiatives published over the past 20 years was conducted from multiple databases (i.e., Scopus, SPORTDiscus, PubMed, Academic search complete, Reseausante.com, Cairn, and Erudit). In total, 264 publications were identified and retained for the final analysis based on 5 criteria: (1) publication between 1995 and 2015, (2) online availability, (3) research conducted in Canada, (4) main topic related to environments favorable to healthy lifestyles (EFHL), and (5) publication in French or English. Results A sharp increase in the number of studies on EFHL was observed between 2010 and 2015 (57%). Two major lifestyle components—physical activity and nutrition—and 2 environmental aspects—neighborhood and built environment—were the elements most frequently examined regarding adults (48%), young people (34%), and seniors (9%), using quantitative (60%) and qualitative (18%) methods. Furthermore, the analysis reveals a greater focus on the municipal (53%) than the national or provincial levels (31%). Conclusion This work is a first map of Canadian studies related to EFHL. It clarifies the definition of EFHL and classifies its components. As well, it documents the issues raised, the research methods employed, and the role of stakeholders, while outlining a new research agenda that includes dimensions of EFHL formerly neglected by researchers, namely, political and sociocultural spheres of action.

L’Approche école en santé au primaire : points de vue des parents

Cette etude vise, d’une part, a examiner les perceptions des parents a l’egard de la sante a l’ecole et de leur role en matiere de promotion de la sante et, d’autre part, a identifier de quelles facons les parents s’engagent dans le deploiement de l’Approche ecoleen sante a travers les environnements scolaire et familial. Les donnees sont issues d’un questionnaire et d’un entretien de groupe. Selon les resultats, les parents se percoivent comme des acteurs cles et souhaitent plus d’activites parents / enfants reliees aux habitudes de vie. Enfin, le developpement vers une demarche de sante globale dans un contexte de collaboration ecole-famille doit se poursuivre.

L’Approche école en santé au primaire : points de vue des parents@@@The school health approach in primary education : what do parents think ?@@@El Enfoque Escuela sana a nivel de la primaria : punto de vista de los padres

Cette etude vise, d’une part, a examiner les perceptions des parents a l’egard de la sante a l’ecole et de leur role en matiere de promotion de la sante et, d’autre part, a identifier de quelles facons les parents s’engagent dans le deploiement de l’Approche ecoleen sante a travers les environnements scolaire et familial. Les donnees sont issues d’un questionnaire et d’un entretien de groupe. Selon les resultats, les parents se percoivent comme des acteurs cles et souhaitent plus d’activites parents / enfants reliees aux habitudes de vie. Enfin, le developpement vers une demarche de sante globale dans un contexte de collaboration ecole-famille doit se poursuivre.

L’approche école en santé au primaire : le point de vue des parents

Cette etude vise, d’une part, a examiner les perceptions des parents a l’egard de la sante a l’ecole et de leur role en matiere de promotion de la sante et, d’autre part, a identifier de quelles facons les parents s’engagent dans le deploiement de l’Approche ecoleen sante a travers les environnements scolaire et familial. Les donnees sont issues d’un questionnaire et d’un entretien de groupe. Selon les resultats, les parents se percoivent comme des acteurs cles et souhaitent plus d’activites parents / enfants reliees aux habitudes de vie. Enfin, le developpement vers une demarche de sante globale dans un contexte de collaboration ecole-famille doit se poursuivre.