The benefits of student-led health promotion intervention
| Pages | 436-446 |
| Date | 24 October 2019 |
| Published date | 24 October 2019 |
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.1108/JMHTEP-04-2019-0023 |
| Author | Athene Lane-Martin |
| Subject Matter | Health & social care,Mental health,Mental health education |
The benefits of student-led health
promotion intervention
Athene Lane-Martin
Abstract
Purpose –The benefits of a student-led mental health promotion intervention on World Mental Health day
result in tangible learning benefits for those students. The event occurs within the students’own university.
The paper aims to discuss this issue.
Design/methodology/approach –This case study evaluates students’experience on a mental health
promotion intervention. This intervention was to enable students to experience running a health promotion
intervention and develop their health promotion skills outside of their lectures. Students were recruited who
had just completed a module on health promotion. Students had to plan and organisethe intervention, which
included involving other organisations and facilities both externaland internal to the university. The experience
was evaluated through the case study using as data collection a semi-structured interview.
Findings –Results indicated that students found the experience to be beneficial in deepening their
understanding of health promotion, mental health awareness and in increasing their self-esteem. Limitations
of this case study are in the argument for reproducibility of results, which is affected by the small number of
students who took part.
Research limitations/implications –There are opportunities to develop this idea further and to broaden
the availability of the initiative, enabling more students from diverse backgrounds to experience putting theory
into practice.
Originality/value –To the best knowledge of the author, this study, although with limitations, provided a
good understanding on how to develop health promotion skills within a university setting. The outcomes of
this study are mainly applicable to a health studies course, educators of mental health promotion, university
mental health support services and research related to this topic, especially on promoting mental health
awareness and education.
Keywords Mental health, Health promotion, Graduate skills, University settings
Paper type Case study
Introduction
Importance of health promotion and prevention
An undergraduate health promotion module at university aims to provide students with the
theory and knowledge to understand the different approaches and theories underpinning how
health is promoted within communities and by individuals (Scriven, 2018). In many universities,
these theories are taught in a traditional lecture and seminar arena with students not having the
opportunity to experience health promotion in practice (Kempenaar and Shanmugam, 2018).
Health promotion teaches our future health promotion practitioners the importance of supporting
individuals and communities to take increasing control over their health as health promotion is
about doing, “enabling, empowering, mediating”(WHO, 1986). Health promotion seeks to
develop interventions that target specific populations by working with that group to develop their
skills and knowledge (Green and Tones, 2010). By raising awareness and facilitating ways for
people to improve their health will both promote a greater awareness of the positive concept of
health and also to understand and curtail preventable illnesses from developing or accelerating
their development (WHO European, 2019). Furthermore, in individuals and communities where
disease process linked to behaviours or social determinants of health has begun, health
Received 17 April 2019
Revised 22 July 2019
Accepted 17 August 2019
Athene Lane-Martin is based at
the School of Allied and Public
Health Professions, Canterbury
Christ Church University,
Canterbury, UK.
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THE JOURNAL OF MENTALHEALTH TRAINING, EDUCATION AND PRACTICE
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VOL. 14 NO. 6 2019, pp.436-446, © Emerald Publishing Limited, ISSN 1755-6228 DOI 10.1108/JMHTEP-04-2019-0023
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