If you improve the ethos (institutional culture) of schools in the United Kingdom you could help lower rates of substance abuse and teenage pregnancies, say researchers from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine's Centre for Research on Drugs and Health Behaviour.
You can read about this study in today's issue of the British Medical Journal (BMJ)
The researchers say that substance abuse and teen pregnancy are major public health challenges in the UK - they argue that existing responses to these issues have had a very limited effect.
According to some surveys, over 30% of 15-year-old kids in England have consumed illegal drugs during the previous 12 months. About 25% of 15-year-old girls smoke in England. The UK has the highest rates of teen pregnancy in Western Europe. English teenagers are consuming more alcohol and illegal drugs each year.
The authors believe that a positive school ethos may provide an effective addition to existing approaches. A Scottish study concluded that in many secondary schools, the consumption of drugs, alcohol and tobacco could not be explained by student, family or neighbourhood factors, but rather as a result of a school being large and having an independently rated poor school ethos. The writers cited the USA and Australia where projects aimed to improve school ethos helped improve the health behaviours of their children. Projects involved a range of activities including improving teacher-student communication, raising parent and student involvement in school policy-making and better teacher-training.
A US study reported that these projects brought about significant benefits for boys, but not for girls. The Australian study reported benefits for both sexes.
"Improving school ethos may reduce substance misuse and teenage pregnancy"
BMJ Volume 334, pp 614-6
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