Research and Evaluation at the Chalk Face: Methods and Strategies for School-based Health Programs

Youth health is an important part of the total public health picture which attracts considerable interest from health practitioners and researchers. There is inadequate data to describe and monitor the health of young people. The reasons for this are difficult to define comprehensively, although some of the answers may lie in demystifying school systems and their idiosyncrasies with regard to research and evaluation. The paper is presented in two parts. The first part discusses methods of identifying collaborating agencies for health research in schools, with examples from a current study. Part two investigates four specific areas which need to be considered when starting a study or program with a school: (i) gaining approval; (ii) consent and ethics; (iii) involving teachers; and (iv) involving parents