PROJECT GOAL:

To create awareness amongst the school students and bring about a change about the various aspects of health and hygiene through Behavior Change Communication (BCC).

OBJECTIVES:

1. To conduct health promotion activities for the high school students of Sattari Taluka
2. To increase their knowledge on  personal health and hygiene and sanitation
3. To increase their knowledge regarding various health hazards such as ill effects of substance abuse, awareness on non communicable diseases (lifestyle diseases) and the importance of having appropriate nutrition and physical activity.
4. Improve the health seeking behaviors amongst the students.

Justification

Creating awareness on leading a healthy lifestyle and developing a behavioral change attitude is still a crucial need of the hour to cope with alarming health problems like communicable and non-communicable diseases, which are still the leading causes of morbidity and mortality of the people. Tobacco usage, excess use of alcohol, improper food habits (causing obesity and undernourishment), poor personal hygiene and habits, poor sanitation facilities, inadequate physical activity, etc. have a significant role in increasing the burden of communicable and non-communicable diseases. Similarly, mental health as well as the lifestyle diseases such as cardiovascular diseases, diabetes, hypertension, etc. is the health issues that need to be addressed effectively in order to reduce the risk factors which in turn contribute to the state of Goa’s health.

Schools can be the ultimate solutions to these problems as youth population can reach out to the maximum number population living in such remote places as students spent their most of the time in school. Education and health has to be the main focus to make the future of the nation bright. Healthy behaviors adopted during the childhood are more effective and easier than trying to change unhealthy behaviors during adulthood. Students can solve these issues by engaging themselves in awareness programs which can help in building healthy communities. 

Table of schools covered under school health promotion project

Outcomes expected from the program (Quantitative):

Maximum number of students will be benefited from the awareness sessions conducted in different schools of Sattari Taluka focusing on the rural community.

Tentative no of schools covered: 06 schools

Tentative no of schools in which health promotion club will be formed: 06 schools

Outcomes expected from the program (Qualitative):

Outcomes expected from the program from a health promoting school:

1. Knowledge about substance abuse as well as its prevention and management.
2. Improved health of children.
3. Improvement in educational achievement of the student.
4. Improvement of overall health awareness and behavior of the individual /families/communities.
5. Improved life skill and behavior.
6. By focusing on prevention, health promotion reduces the costs (both financial and human) that individuals, employers, families, insurance companies, medical facilities, communities, the state and the nation would spend on medical treatment.