Pupils’ perspectives on preventive health dialogues

Abstract

Aim: The aim of the study was to understand pupils’ perspectives on health dialogues with school nurses. Background: A preventive health dialogue with a school nurse is offered to pupils in grades 4 and 7 in compulsory school and during their first year of upper secondary school in Sweden. The dialogue has been developed by school nurses as a method in health prevention work, but knowledge of how it is experienced from the pupil’s perspective is scant. Method: A total of 15 focus group interviews comprising 74 pupils altogether were performed. The data was subjected to qualitative content analysis. Results: The results emerged in four categories: Preparation creates preparedness and Adaptability creates dialogues based on wishes and needs, which were seen as prerequisites for a satisfactory health dialogue; the health dialogue benefits were Providing opportunity for knowledge and insight about health and lifestyle and Providing opportunity to develop a trustful relationship with the school nurse, which could result in a satisfactory outcome of a health dialogue. Conclusions: These results highlight that it is essential to create a respectful and open atmosphere in the encounter between pupil and school nurse. The pupil can gain insight into his or her health situation and get advice based on his or her individual needs if the nurse can adapt to the pupil’s wishes and needs through the dialogue.