Health Ed.pdf - Vol 19/2 3 7/1/08 2:48 PM Page 133 Science...

Comparing Health Education
Approaches in Textbooks
of Sixteen Countries
C
ARVALHO
G
RAÇA
S. ([email protected]) and DANTAS Catarina
([email protected]), LIBEC/CIFPEC, University of Minho, Portugal.
R
AUMA
A
NNA
-L
IISA
([email protected]), University of Joensuu, Finland.
L
UZI
D
ANIELA
([email protected]), and R
UGGIERI
R
OBERTA
(roberta.ruggieri @irpps.cnr.it)
Institute of Research on Population and Social Studies of CNR, Italy.
B
OGNER
, F
RANZ
, X ([email protected]) and Geier Christine
([email protected]), University of Bayreuth, Germany.
C
AUSSIDIER
C
LAUDE
([email protected]), University of Montpellier 2, France.
B
ERGER
D
OMINIQUE
([email protected]), IUFM, University of Lyon 1, PAEDI,
France.
C
LÉMENT
P
IERRE
([email protected]), LIRDHIST, University of Lyon 1, France.
ABSTRACT: Classically, health education has provided mainly factual knowledge about di-
seases and their prevention. This educational approach is within the so called Biomedical
Model (BM). It is based on pathologic (Pa), curative (Cu), and preventive (Pr) conceptions
of health. In contrast, the Health Promotion (HP) approach of health education intends to
improve health by promoting healthy habits (He) and by developing empowerment (Ep)
for a healthy decision-making with regard to environmental (Ev) challenges. The aim of the
present study focused on a comparison of the emphasis on either model (BM or HP), as it
was presented by textbooks from 16 countries. Each country team analysed the textbooks
that were more frequently used at each educational level. Text and image analysis identified
that some countries, such as France and Italy, were more associated with the Biomedical
Model, whereas Germany, Mozambique and Finland were more linked to the Health
Promotion approach. Data organised for four pupils’ age groups (6–9, 10–12, 13–15, 16–18
years old) showed that text and images of the same textbooks gave similar results in terms
of following either the BM or HP model, and showed different indicators of consistency (Pa,
Cu, Pr for BM; and He, Ep, Ev for HP). Furthermore, although the analyses might be, to a
certain extent, subjective (depending on the researcher), it was shown to be very reliable,
since all countries, whose textbooks were analysed for the four age groups or only for three
age groups, showed a similar tendency of evolving from a HP (early ages) to a BM approach
(elder ages). The interesting finding that the younger pupils’ textbooks were more associa-
ted with the Health Promotion model, whereas the older pupils’ textbooks were consistent
with the Biomedical Model seems to be a matter for further and deep investigation.
KEYWORDS: Biomedical model, comparative study, health education, health promotion,
textbooks.
Science Education International
Vol. 19, No. 2, June 2008, pp. 133-146
International Council
of Associations in
Science Education
Vol 19/2_3
7/1/08
2:48 PM
Page 133