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10.K. Workshop: School health during the
COVID-19 Pandemic. Perspectives from the
COVID-HL school principal study
Abstract citation ID: ckac129.655
Organised by: EUPHA Working Group on Health Literacy, COVID-
Health Literacy Network, Fulda University of Applied Sciences,
Technical University Munich (Germany)
Chair persons: Kevin Dadaczynski (Germany), Orkan Okan (EUPHA-HP)
Contact: kevin.dadaczynski@pg.hs-fulda.de
The COVID-19 pandemic is associated with far-reaching
challenges for the educational system, which impact the health
of all involved in the school context, making it a critical public
health topic. Consequences include school-closures, a switch
from face-to-face classroom learning to homeschooling via
online learning, resulting in uncertainty, stress and an
increased risk of reinforcing already existing inequalities.
Since the pandemic started, some research has been conducted
in child and adolescent populations. However, there is very
limited research available exploring the effects of the pandemic
on school principals, who are responsible for all aspects of the
school life and therefore have to cope with particularly high
demands as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Pre-
pandemic research shows that school principals report high
work-related stress and more frequently psychological and
physical burden compared to other professional groups
(Dadaczynski et al., 2020; Phillips et al., 2008). Moreover,
little attention has been paid to what health promotion
activities are implemented by schools during pandemic times
and what the schools’ needs are in this area. To provide
empirical evidence on that matter, a school principal survey
was conducted within the international COVID-Health
Literacy Research Network (www.covid-hl.org), that aimed
to assess (1) work-related stress and strain, (2) corona-specific
health literacy among school principals and (3) the imple-
mentation status of activities in school health promotion
during the COVID-19 pandemic. This workshop aims to
present and discuss findings of the COVID-HL school
principal study from Germany, Italy, Poland, Switzerland
and Wales, which have used the same instrument and study
design. The first presentation will focus on the pandemic as a
potential disruptive event impeding the implementation of
holistic activities on school health promotion and prevention.
In their presentation, Chiara et al. analyse beliefs about
vaccines among principals and its associations with COVID-19
information satisfaction. The third presentation originates
from Poland and will introduce findings regarding work-
related coping behavior and its association with mental health
of school principals. While the fourth presentation from
Switzerland focus on the relationship between health literacy
and health promoting activities implemented by schools,
Marchant et al. explores the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic
on senior leaders experiencing high job demands. Each project
will be given ten minutes to present their findings, including
questions, which will be followed by Q&A and an open
discussion with the audiences. This workshop offers a forum
for researchers, practitioners and policy-makers interested in
school health promotion and school staff health. By dialogue
and two-way communication, vivid interaction will be
ensured, allow building synergies, and facilitate networking
and capacity building.
Key messages:
School leaders should be systematically supported as ‘gate-
keepers’ of school health promotion.
School principals represent a largely neglected target group
for school health promotion.
Abstract citation ID: ckac129.656
The COVID-19 pandemic as an disruptive event in
school health promotion. Survey results from
Germany
Kevin Dadaczynski
K Dadaczynski
1,2
, M Messer
3
, O Okan
4
1
Department of Health Science, Fulda University of Applied Sciences, Fulda,
Germany
2
Center for Applied Sciences, Leuphana University of Lueneburg,
Lueneburg, Germany
3
Department of Nursing Science, Trier University, Trier, Germany
4
Department of Sport and Health Sciences, Technical University Munich,
Munich, Germany
Contact: kevin.dadaczynski@pg.hs-fulda.de
Background:
This study examines the extent to which schools implement
activities on health promotion and prevention during the
COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, potential differences with
regard to demographic variables, school type, state, and
participation in state public health and health promotion
initiatives are determined.
Methods:
As part of the international COVID-Health Literacy Research
Network, an online-based cross-sectional study was conducted
from March to April 2021 with 2,186 school principals from
three German federal states. The implementation status of
COVID-19 related school health promotion was assessed using
a self-developed instrument. After examining the factorial
structure of the instrument, univariate and bivariate data
analyses were performed.
Results:
Three dimensions of implementing school health promotion
can be identified (1. COVID-19- related support for pupils, 2.
Health promoting design of teaching, learning and working
conditions, 3. Principles of Health Promoting School). A low
level of implementation can be observed for aspects of
teaching, learning and working conditions (31%) as well as
for participation (52%) and cooperation with community
stakeholders (42%). Significant differences can be determined
with female, older and primary school principals reporting a
higher implementation status while for federal state mixed
results are found. Stratified by participation in state health
promotion initiatives, only schools with a certificate in health
promotion show a higher level of implementation.
Conclusions:
The results indicate that the COVID-19 pandemic is a
disruptive event for schools, impeding the implementation of
holistic activities on health promotion and prevention. In
addition to systematic support for school principals in the area
of health promotion and prevention, it should be ensured that
existing initiatives are provided with sufficient resources,
especially in times of crisis.
Abstract citation ID: ckac129.657
Beliefs about vaccines and information about
coronavirus, COVID-19 and the pandemic. Findings
from Italy
Chiara Lorini
C Lorini
1
, V Velasco
2
, P Zanobini
1
, L Vecchio
2
, G Bonaccorsi
1
1
Department of Health Science, University of Florence, Florence, Italy
2
Department of Psychology, University of Milano-Bicocca, Milan, Italy
Contact: chiara.lorini@unifi.it
15th European Public Health Conference 2022 iii267
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