School health promotion in Latin America and the Caribbean: A regional assessment

Abstract

This document presents the findings of a regional assessment of school health in Latin America and the Caribbean (LAC). The goal was to analyze the current status of school health and the HPS approach in LAC in order to identify priorities and strategic actions that can strengthen the HPS approach to make every school in the Region a health-promoting school. The objectives: 1. To assess the context and broader policy environment of school health in the Region, including legislative frameworks. 2. To identify the scope and form of school health programs and services in the Region, as well as opportunities for improvement. 3. To enable countries to share best practices and lessons learned in the development and implementation of school health policies, programs, and services. The pillars of the FRESH and IUHPE frameworks informed the design of this regional assessment, including review checklists and tools. Based on these frameworks, the assessment focused on the following six elements: • Governance of school health programs • School health policy environment • Health education and curriculum • Healthy and safe learning environment • Student and community participation • Access to health services. The assessment consisted of three main components: 1) desk review, which included a scoping review of published peer-reviewed articles and review of country legislation, policies, strategies, and plans; 2) country assessments conducted in 18 countries; and 3) a stakeholder consultation with 40 participants representing regional partners, ministries of health and education, civil society, academia, and youth.