Promoting social inclusion in schools: A group-randomized trial of effects on student health risk behavior and well-being

G.C. Patton, L. Bond, J.B. Carlin, L. Thomas, H. Butler, S. Glover, R. Catalano and G. Bowes

American Journal of Public Health, 2006, vol. 96, issue 9, 1582-1587

Abstract: Objectives. We sought to test the efficacy of an intervention that was designed to promote social inclusion and commitment to education, in reducing among students health risk behaviors and improving emotional well-being. Methods. The design was a cluster-randomized trial in 25 secondary schools in Victoria, Australia. The subjects were 8th-grade students (aged 13 to 14 y) in 1997 (n = 2545) and subsequent 8th-grade students in 1999 (n = 2586) and 2001 (n = 2463). The main outcomes were recent substance use, antisocial behavior, initiation of sexual intercourse, and depressive symptoms. Results. At 4-year follow-up, the prevalence of marked health risk behaviors was approximately 20% in schools in the comparison group and 15% in schools in the intervention group, an overall reduction of 25%. In ordinal logistic regression models a protective effect of intervention was found for a composite measure of health risk behaviors in unadjusted models (odds ratio [OR] = 0.69; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 0.50, 0.95) and adjusted models (OR = 0.71; CI = 0.52, 0.97) for potential confounders. There was no evidence of a reduction in depressive symptoms. Conclusion. The study provides support for prevention strategies in schools that move beyond health education to promoting positive social environments.

Date: 2006
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:10.2105/ajph.2004.047399_4

DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2004.047399

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