The role of school medicine doctors in health education in Croatia: past, present and future

Puharić, Zrinka and Pavleković, Gordana and Jureša, Vesna (2006) The role of school medicine doctors in health education in Croatia: past, present and future. Collegium Antropologicum, 30 (Suppl.). pp. 151-157. ISSN 0350-6134

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Abstract

Croatia never had a separate vocation (occupation) of a health educator. Health education is one of the main tasks in the long tradition of preventive work of doctors-school medicine specialists. Additionally, in the school curriculum in the Republic of Croatia the health-educational contents are integrated into various subjects, and are conducted by teachers. However, there are requests to introduce a new subject into schools called Health Education. We asked physicians of school medicine their opinion on the introduction of this new subject. 30% of the physicians were dissatisfied with the current condition, 10% were satisfied, while there were no very satisfied school medicine doctors. They believe that health education goals are oriented solely to passing on knowledge (facts), while efforts are not done to change habits and attitudes of young people. They recognize themselves as persons mostly involved in health education in schools. Half of the school medicine doctors believe that the school curriculum should contain both a separate subject as well as integration of health education into other subjects. Before introducing any changes into healthcare or education system, it is necessary to examine the attitudes of students and parents, to direct the changes towards the promotion of the cooperation between the healthcare system, education, civil society, school and community where investing into the health of young people is done through comprehensive and holistic programmes.

Abstract in Croatian

U Hrvatskoj nikada nije postojao poseban profil (zanimanje) zdravstveni odgajatelj. U dugoj tradiciji preventivnog rada liječnika-specijaliste školske medicine, zdravstveni odgoj je jedna od glavnih zadaća. Dodatno, u školskom kurikulumu u Hrvatskoj, zdravstveno odgojni sadržaji su integrirani u razne predmete, a provode ga učitelji. Danas, međutim, postoje zahtjevi da se u škole uvede poseban predmet Zdravstveni odgoj. Stoga smo pitali liječnike školske medicine što misle o uvođenju ovog novog predmeta. Sadašnjim stanjem je nezadovoljno 30%, 10% ih je zadovoljno, dok vrlo zadovoljnih nema. Liječnici školske medicine smatraju da su ciljevi zdravstvenog odgoja orijentirani samo na davanje znanja (činjenice), a ne radi se na promjenama navika i stavova mladih. Sebe prepoznaju kao osobe koje najviše rade na zdravstvenom odgoju u školi. Polovica liječnika školske medicine smatra da treba uvesti i poseban predmet i uklopiti zdravstveni odgoj u postojeće školske sadržaje. Prije bilo kakvih promjena u sustavu zdravstva i školstva, potrebno je ispitati mišljenje učenika i roditelja, promjene usmjeriti na unapređenje suradnje između zdravstva, prosvjete, civilnog društva, škole i zajednice te investiranje u zdravlje mladih raditi kroz sveobuhvatne i holističke programe.

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