Empowering Dutch and Surinamese children to prevent viral infections: implications from an international education module

• Published in: Health promotion international Vol. 36; no. 6; pp. 1566 - 1577
• Main Authors: Shoker, Kifah, Doornekamp, Laura, Horjus, Bob, Wagener, Marlies N, Aron, Georgina I, Goeijenbier, Marco, van Gorp, Eric C M
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England Oxford University Press 23.12.2021
• Subjects: Child; Health Education; Humans; Power, Psychological; Schools; Students; Virus Diseases; global health; empowerment; health education; viruses; prevention
• ISSN: 1460-2245; 1460-2245
• DOI: 10.1093/heapro/daaa153

Summary Viral infections have a large share in human morbidity and mortality. Next to vaccinations and hygiene measures, health education plays a role in preventing infections. Social scientists argue that empowerment should be included in health education, as increasing knowledge is insufficient to achieve sustainable behaviour change. Within the international education module ‘Viruskenner’, primary school students learn how to prevent virus infections by identifying health risks and developing interventions. This qualitative formative study explored to what extent Viruskenner creates conditions in which empowerment processes can arise and take place in the Netherlands and Suriname. Indicators of empowerment, as defined in the literature and placed in the attitude, social influence, and self-efficacy model, were assessed during semi-structured interviews (n = 24) with students, parents, teachers and facilitators. We conclude that Viruskenner is successful in creating conditions for empowerment processes to arise and take place, specifically in attitude and self-efficacy. According to interviewees, the module raised students’ motivation, skills and confidence to take action to improve health behaviour. Educators played a stimulating role in the participatory setting in both countries, while content relevance and community involvement differed between the Netherlands and Suriname. These outcomes could improve this module and possibly other health education programmes.