L.I.F.E.: A School-Based Heart-Health Screening and Intervention Program

Abstract

This article describes the development and growth of Lifestyle Improvements in the Family Environment (L.I.F.E.), a school-based heart-health screening and intervention program. The primary goals of L.I.F.E. through three rounds of grant funding remained constant: (a) to identify cardiovascular risk factors in students and their families and (b) to provide counseling, education, and opportunities to change lifestyle routines that contribute to those risk factors. The program began with direct ties to a university-based research program and grew with evidence-based successes and development of community partnerships. Waves of growth were influenced by capacity-building efforts, partnership development, and resource availability. School nurses managed the screening component and partnered with appropriate others in the intervention programming. School nurses are appropriately positioned to assist families as well as school and community partners in decreasing the incidence of obesity and promoting healthy lifestyle behaviors.

Nursing: promoting the health of overweight children and adolescents in the school context

“…Among the ten selected articles -all published after 2005 -seven are from the United States (19)(20)(21)(22)(23)(24)(25) , two from European countries (Sweden and Denmark) (26)(27) and one from Taiwan (28) . According to the classification of levels of evidence of the studies (18) , nine were classified as level VI (19)(20)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28) and only one as level of evidence II (21) .…”

“…According to the classification of levels of evidence of the studies (18) , nine were classified as level VI (19)(20)(22)(23)(24)(25)(26)(27)(28) and only one as level of evidence II (21) . The distribution of articles according to competency domains and nursing interventions is showed on chart 1 below.…”

“…Competency domains Nursing interventions Domain 1: Catalyzing change • Nurse-patient relationship (20,25,27) • Activities designed to promote healthy habits (20) • Empowerment (25,27) • Health education (20,24) • Family-centered care (25) • Counseling (24) Domain 3: Needs assessment • Knowledge of the reality of families (25) • Assessment of the psychosocial context (stress and anxiety) (20) • Identification of cardiovascular risk factors other than obesity. Example: hypertension and physical inactivity (24) • Assessment of the lifestyle (25) • Identification of barriers to treatment (25) • Assessment of nutritional category perceived by individuals themselves (22) • Assessment of the psychosocial context (bullying and suicide attempts) (22) • Evaluation of weight loss attempts (22) • Evaluation of weight loss attempts (22) • The use of self-assessments of motivation (25) Continued... (20) • Planning of viable strategies for treatment (25) • Use of theoretical frameworks in care planning (24) Domain 5: Implementation • Teamwork (21,28) Domain 6: Impact assessment • Evaluation of health promotion activities (19,(23)(24)26,28) • Evaluation of the difficulties and barriers to the implementation of health promotion interventions (23) • Evaluation of the intervention results (21,27) …”

“…Example: hypertension and physical inactivity (24) • Assessment of the lifestyle (25) • Identification of barriers to treatment (25) • Assessment of nutritional category perceived by individuals themselves (22) • Assessment of the psychosocial context (bullying and suicide attempts) (22) • Evaluation of weight loss attempts (22) • Evaluation of weight loss attempts (22) • The use of self-assessments of motivation (25) Continued... (20) • Planning of viable strategies for treatment (25) • Use of theoretical frameworks in care planning (24) Domain 5: Implementation • Teamwork (21,28) Domain 6: Impact assessment • Evaluation of health promotion activities (19,(23)(24)26,28) • Evaluation of the difficulties and barriers to the implementation of health promotion interventions (23) • Evaluation of the intervention results (21,27) …”

Schulgesundheitspflege in Deutschland? - Eine Übersichtsarbeit zu Aufgaben und Rollen von School Nurses

“…Dies umfasst in erster Linie die Zielgruppe der chronisch kranken Kinder und Jugendlichen, die nach einem individuell entwickelten Behandlungsplan im Sinne des Case Managements betreut werden. Hierzu ist anzumerken, dass in den USA -im Gegensatz zu Deutschland -die Integration behinderter beziehungsweise entwicklungsverzögerter Kinder bereits seit 1975 gesetzlich vorgeschrieben ist (Rustia, Hartley, Hansen, Schule & Spielmann, 1984 (Northrup, Cottrell & Wittberg, 2008) oder schwangere Jugendliche (Strunk, 2008 …”