Main Article Content
Health actions and health promotion among a sample of rural Black South African children
Abstract
The purpose of
this study was to investigate the daily activities that young South African
children perceived as health related activities. The sample included 117
children (33, ages 5–7 years; 44, ages 8–10 years; and 40, ages 11–12 years)
chosen by two-stage cluster sampling in a rural community of the central
region of the Northern Province. Results indicated that the most important
health actions around healthy eating were, ‘washing hands'; around dressing, ‘wearing
warm clothes'; around keeping clean, ‘washing body and hair'; going to sleep, ‘washing
body'; activity at school, ‘read and write'; recess and leisure time, ‘playing
football or netball'. Personal hygiene (washing, brushing teeth, etc.) was
the most common health action of the children around healthy eating, keeping
clean and going to sleep. Some health actions were insufficiently mentioned,
brushing teeth for example and some wrongly mentioned such as eating porridge
before going to sleep. This study showed that children have insufficient
knowledge and understanding about health related activities. Results suggest
that health professionals and teachers should consider providing more information
about health related activities for young children.
Journal of Child and
Adolescent Mental Health 2003, 15(1): 39-44
this study was to investigate the daily activities that young South African
children perceived as health related activities. The sample included 117
children (33, ages 5–7 years; 44, ages 8–10 years; and 40, ages 11–12 years)
chosen by two-stage cluster sampling in a rural community of the central
region of the Northern Province. Results indicated that the most important
health actions around healthy eating were, ‘washing hands'; around dressing, ‘wearing
warm clothes'; around keeping clean, ‘washing body and hair'; going to sleep, ‘washing
body'; activity at school, ‘read and write'; recess and leisure time, ‘playing
football or netball'. Personal hygiene (washing, brushing teeth, etc.) was
the most common health action of the children around healthy eating, keeping
clean and going to sleep. Some health actions were insufficiently mentioned,
brushing teeth for example and some wrongly mentioned such as eating porridge
before going to sleep. This study showed that children have insufficient
knowledge and understanding about health related activities. Results suggest
that health professionals and teachers should consider providing more information
about health related activities for young children.
Journal of Child and
Adolescent Mental Health 2003, 15(1): 39-44
