SHEUNews - May 2003
SHEU provides research, publications and survey services for those concerned with the healthy development of young people including: LEAs, DHAs, PCTs, DATs, NHSS schemes, Children’s Fund projects, Community groups, Teachers, Health Professionals, Govt. and Univ. depts., and the media.


How fit are you?

A new online service from SHEU
As schools learn more and more about how to use the Internet, there is real opportunity for SHEU to offer our services to schools in an exciting, interactive pupil-friendly format. We are still learning ourselves but are confident in the results we are seeing from our new online activity questionnaire. The questionnaire has evolved from the paper questionnaire used as part of the Fit to Succeed project. This project is sponsored by Right Fit, a partnership between GlaxoSmithKline and Barnardo’s. The online survey offers immediate feedback to those using the instrument and can be used to support the work of other schools or groups interested in finding ways to gain an accurate picture of the levels of activity of the young people they are working with. It also provides insights into the opportunities available for activity locally and potential new developments. Thanks to this sponsorship an individual can take part in the Fit to Succeed (FTS) Survey and use the FTS Questionnaire to carry out a personal assessment of their own levels of activity. The FTS Questionnaire is easy and fun to fill in. It is designed for all ages starting from 8 years old. Once completed, the computer will provide a personal assessment based on the answers. There is additional information about the Fit to Succeed programme from the website.
Tour
One of the items on the website is a ‘tour’ for teachers, group leaders, tutors and those interested in the health education of young people. The tour is designed to describe the online survey and how to use it. It covers the survey facilities, the benefits of online surveys and an idea of what is involved in carrying out a survey.
Answers
Answers and assessments are confidential and there is nowhere to enter your name. Answers can only be viewed in a aggregated and anonymous format. Some data are presented as graphs, which can be useful in understanding the results as well as presenting to others e.g. teachers, parents and governors. Tutors can view the results of the surveys by signing into the survey account and running the survey report. The results will be fascinating and easily shared with the students surveyed. As the survey is Web-based, the results are available immediately. Results are available for each question and are displayed in tables of different types depending on the question. Once the survey is complete, a detailed report on the results and a comparison with local or nation-wide aggregate data will be prepared and returned in Microsoft Word format. This contains a lot of background information on the questions and hints on interpreting the results. This is particularly aimed at school teachers who are using the survey results to feed back into curriculum planning and classroom discussions.
Contact
If you are interested in using Web-based health-related surveys with young people SHEU can provide a unique service to meet your needs.
Please contact: Angela Balding at SHEU - Tel.01392 667272


Healthy FE?

 A new service development
SHEU has always been keen to develop the Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire (HRBQ). A new survey instrument is being developed for use in the Further Education sector. Those of you, who have surveyed with us over the years, will know that the HRBQ has a new version every year or so. This is in response to feedback from education and health professionals and to reflect the developments in young people’s behaviour. The new FE questionnaire is being developed by SHEU and a number of professionals working with young people in the FE sector. Currently a number of trials are taking place across the country and the resulting information is helping to mould the final set of questions. Dr David Regis, SHEU’s Research Manager, has had over 10 years of developing the HRBQ and some experience of working in the FE sector himself. His work with FE colleagues in Oxford and Exeter has provided a number of useful insights into the processes involved in moulding a new research instrument. "We are just seeing the first results emerge from this initiative and there is lots to talk about. Students tend to see health as being improved by quite a small list of influences including exercise and diet, while they are much better at listing negative influences including poor diet, smoking, alcohol, lack of sleep and, lecturers note, too much work." "A quarter of students think they do not get enough sleep for good health and good study." "Over 60% of female students would like to lose weight -- even more than we see among school children." "About 1/6 of students who have had sex, said that they did not use contraception on the last occasion they had intercourse."


Children’s Fund

 Partnerships & Baselines
Cheryl Lewis (Tel. 01392 667272) is SHEU’s contact who works with partnerships across the country. Currently SHEU is working with partnerships who have come together to plan and provide services under the Children’s Fund Programme. Typically the groups represent a range of professionals and voluntary organisations who are developing additional, coordinated services for children aged 5-13 funded by the Government’s Children and Young People’s Unit. SHEU’s role is to support partnerships in the provision of baseline data to assist programme development and in monitoring, reviewing and evaluating the impact of their work. The Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire (HRBQ) has been developed for use for Children’s Fund Partnerships consulting with young people. SHEU is working with the Rochdale Children’s Fund partnership who are currently surveying using the ‘Young People in Rochdale Say What They Think’ questionnaire. Cheryl says, "New and different ways of funding services are being developed by the Government and SHEU is in partnership with a number of groups. Our work with Rochdale uses existing HRBQ questions and develops issues about family relationships, friends and facilities in the Rochdale area. Around 4000 young people from 7 to 12 years of age have been involved in the consultation."


NHSS

PSHE curriculum and repeat surveys
The development of the National Healthy School Scheme has lead to a renewed interest in needs analysis and performance indicators. SHEU has been heartened by the desire for baseline data and the opportunities that are presented for long-term monitoring, reviewing and development of healthy school programmes and the PSHE curriculum. The schools that have used the HRBQ and committed to repeat surveys are beginning to see the return on their investment. Strategic plans are greatly enhanced when schools repeat HRBQ surveys. Further developments are possible when results are shared with other schools and partnerships in the local community. Strategic plans become based on the changes in health-related behaviour patterns of young people in the local area. A sampling strategy which anticipates a repeat survey after an interval of two years requires that alternative year groups are sampled, so that the repeat survey will catch the same groups at a later stage of their development. The survey data enables schools to review the content and timing of the current PSHE curriculum. Appropriate teaching is targeted according to need to correct age groups. Angela Balding is closely involved at SHEU with the needs that NHSS coordinators have for monitoring and evaluation. Angela comments that, "It is pleasing to see schools focus on the healthy development of young people by engaging in this type of discussion with pupils themselves."


Primary Care Trusts & Drug Action Teams
Local health needs assessments
We have all learned the language of identifying needs, looking at gaps in service and setting priorities and targets for development. The work of the SHEU continues to support the needs assessments that PCTs and DATs have to make in relation to young people. SHEU has been providing HRBQ survey services to a number of Health Authorities and Local Education Authorities that actively involve the local PCTs and DATs. The evolution of public organisations continues. Their different stages of development means that we are working hard to inform them about their colleagues who have found benefit from working in partnerships with each other and with SHEU.

Fit to Succeed

New developments
‘’ The results from the initial pilot project suggested that this scheme can have an effect on young people’s participation in physical activity and that there is a link between physical activity and academic achievement. The project started in 1999 in Exeter and brought together a number of different partners including Exeter City Council, DC Leisure Management, Devon Curriculum Services, Exeter Academic Council and SHEU. The project came about in response to teacher’s struggles to motivate ‘lethargic’ pupils to reach their academic potential, and growing evidence of children’s ‘couch potato’ lifestyles. There was also research evidence to suggest a relationship between physical exercise and pupil’s school performance. The pilot project began with SHEU school surveys which were repeated 6 and 12 months later to act as a monitoring tool. Data from the survey informed local decision-making on youth sports development priorities and programmes. The local Council and other sports providers established development programmes and pupils were offered free opportunities for sports activities. Sponsorship from ‘Right Fit’, a partnership between GlaxoSmithKline and Barnardo’s, enabled the project to be extended to middle and high schools in the area and the development of a Web-based activity questionnaire. Data from the surveys continue to be analysed and the potential for extending the project to other areas looks exciting. Angela Balding, SHEU Survey Manager, has been closely involved with the establishment of the project and developing the survey services. Angela comments that, "Perhaps the most exciting developments have been in the schools themselves. Staff have now found it legitimate to punctuate lessons with bouts of activity and pupils appear to be more focussed in the classroom. They have also seen the benefit of encouraging pupils and staff to drink more water."


Volume 20

Education and Health
This year the publication of ‘Education and Health’ has achieved Volume 20. First published in 1983 by SHEU, the journal has featured a broad range of topics and provided an invaluable resource. The journal is published four times a year and aimed at primary and secondary teachers, healthcare professionals, and others involved with young people’s healthy development. The focus is on providing articles on relevant research finds, health-related behaviour data, information to support teachers and professionals involved with the education and health of young people. The journal provides a unique contribution to the debates and issues surrounding young people's education and health. The ever-increasing opportunities for new and innovative ways to communicate ensure that the journal needs to be competitive and excellent value for money. The individual annual subscription for 2002 is £16 which equates to £4 per issue. Those wishing to purchase more than one subscription are offered special terms. For example, 2 subscriptions cost £19 or £2.37 per issue.
80 pence an issue
The costs for larger numbers of subscriptions reduce dramatically and particularly favour buying for distribution into schools or other similar settings. For example, 50 subscriptions cost the equivalent of 80p per issue. All prices include VAT and p&p. Our website provides an Author index and Keyword Subject index and photocopies of articles can be obtained from SHEU. Articles published in the recent past have included ‘Excessive Internet and computer use: Implications for education’ 2001, 19(2); ‘A comparison of English and Dutch Sex Education in the Classroom’ 2001, 19(4); and ‘Teenage pregnancy, better prevention and a sexual health game for young people’ 2002, 20(1).


Early Primary Questionnaire

A new service
SHEU has provided services for primary schools since 1977 and developed the Primary Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire in 1988. Since then a number of initiatives have evolved including ‘Travelwise’ -- safer journeys to school, and ‘Preparing for Life after Primary School’ a resource for primary teachers. Dr Carolyn Shelley worked at SHEU for a number of years beginning in 1980 and is currently a primary teacher. A part of her work at SHEU was to develop a Health Related Behaviour Questionnaire for younger school children aged 6 - 8. The ‘Early Primary Questionnaire’ followed the lengthy research and development stages needed to ensure reliability and validity for a survey instrument. SHEU has been asked for some time to offer an instrument to younger pupils. The result is a very simple tool that picks out some of the questions from the primary version so that schools can have a picture of their pupil population from Year 2 to Year 6. Trials of this new questionnaire have been successfully completed and the latest version has been used in Mid Devon, Ealing and Rochdale. Angela Balding, SHEU’s Survey Manager, has worked closely with Dr Shelley and comments, "I was impressed by the way these young children coped with the exercise and that they were excited to be involved in a health survey that older children did. One of the worrying things we discovered from our work with trial schools is that a significant number of these younger children are exposed to alcohol. I was surprised by the awareness and exposure of seven year olds with regard to Vodka based drinks like 'Vodka Blue', which one little girl asked me to spell for her. I had to go back to the supermarket shelves to check that it was a real drink as it was one that I hadn't come across at that time."


Dudley - more?

Health Promoting Schools Strategy
 SHEU have been working closely with members of the Dudley Health Promoting Schools Team. We have enjoyed a long relationship with Dudley and recent developments have seen 6 members of their team spending time with us in Exeter. They are developing their strategy for Health Promoting Schools and including an HRBQ survey of Dudley young people. In order to maximize the value of the data collected from the survey, the team members were at SHEU to develop their data-handling and analysis skills which included linking computer software packages: SPSS and Microsoft Access, Excel and Powerpoint. The attention to detail at all stages of the survey process is key to getting the most out of the questionnaire, resulting data and subsequent analysis. SHEU’s databanks provide a unique and additional aspect to the analysis of survey data. Previous surveys (some going back nearly 20 years) become a key indicator to the effectiveness of health intervention programmes. By comparing current with historical data, the programme planners are able to question assumptions and formulate plans based on reliable data. An exciting new aspect of SHEU’s relationship with Dudley was the prospect of health survey data being generated from Web-based questions. Dr David Regis has been closely involved with Dudley. David said, "The Dudley Health Promoting Schools Team have an enviable relationship with their local schools. The energy and commitment among the local authority, health authority and school staff is impressive and I’m sure everyone knows about the outstanding ICT provision in Dudley schools. We look forward to continuing our very productive working relationship with Dudley over the next months and years."


SHEU staff

Profile
Dr David Regis
David first came to SHEU in 1986 to study for a research degree after spending some years teaching biology. An evaluation of the Unit shortly after his arrival reported that "a student has attached himself to the Unit", which made him feel like a barnacle. 15 years on, his attachment to the Unit is clearly still strong, and he currently holds the post of Research Manager. David has responsibility for aggregating the data that SHEU holds, for keeping the unruly herd of computers that we own in order, and is increasingly in demand by the media for comments about SHEU's findings, although he wishes the media were more positive in their comments about young people. Outside the Unit, he battles with his garden, delights in the natural history of Devon and publishes the occasional booklet on chess.


and finally...
  • A selection of HRBQ facts and figures from the past 20 years
  • In 1993, boys and girls aged 12-16 were watching television for 2 hours each day (Young People in 1993 p.41)
  • Nearly 30% of 11-12 year old girls in 1986 were ‘very uneasy’ about meeting boys of their own age (Young People in 1986 p.182)
  • 51% of boys and 33% of girls, in the first year of a comprehensive school in 1981,did no homework on the night before the survey (Education and Health 1983 1:1:5-8)
  • Around 40% of 9-10 year old pupils in 1994 reported that their parents had talked to them about AIDS (Very Young People in 1993-95 p.52)
  • 13-14 year old smokers in 1987 who do not want to give up are found to have a higher self-esteem than those who do (Education and Health 1988 6:3:61-66)
  • The percentage of young people that eat fresh fruit and vegetables, on most days, has been moving slowly downward since 1990 (Young People in 1998 p.11)
  • 47% of 10-11 year old girls in 2000 reported enjoying physical activities ‘a lot’ (Young People in 2000)
  • In 1986 around 21% of boys, aged between 11-14 years old, were spending more than one hour playing computer games after school on the day before the survey (Young People in 1986 p.73)
  • 20% of 9-10 year old school children in 1994 ate brown bread three or more times a week (Very Young People in 1993-95 p.3)
  • About 25% of 11-12 year olds in 1990 had a regular paid job during term time, which rose to over 50% for 15 year olds (Education and Health 1991 9:1:4-6)
  • 52% of 11-12 year old girls in 1987 said they had tried to lose weight, a figure that rose to 68% for 15-16 year old girls (Young People in 1987 p.13)