Health promotion model for teachers in a secondary school in Thailand’s eastern region

Abstract

The purpose of this research and development was to create a model for health promotion for teachers, implement the model, and evaluate its effectiveness in a secondary school in the eastern region. The selected school was an extra-large school with 148 teachers. The research consisted of 5 steps, namely (1) study of the organization context; (2) survey of basic information including stress, self- management of diet and exercise, and health-related quality of life; (3) creation and development of the health promotion model; (4) implementation of the model; and (5) evaluation of the model effectiveness. The instruments used comprised questionnaires and focus group interviews. Data were analyzed using quantitative and qualitative methods. The results revealed that the teachers health promotion model consisted of (1) developing and implementing school health policy; (2) creating supportive environments; (3) strengthening organizational capacity for health promotion; (4) increasing teachers’ capabilities for health promotion; and (5) re-orienting health care services toward prevention of illness and promotion of health. The model was implemented for six months. The participants included 50 teachers, mostly female (96.00%), with the average age of 44 years old. The majority was married (54.00%). They had been in the career for 19.28 years (SD = 11.93), and had taught in this school for 11.10 years (SD = 9.53). Most of the teachers were senior professional level (46.00%). Forty percent had underlying health conditions. The evaluation of the effectiveness of the model indicated that the scores had changed significantly. The perceived stress score decreased, whereas the scores for self-management of diet and exercise and the health-related quality of life increased.