Health promotion in the curricula and teaching of two polytechnics in Finland

Abstract

The purpose of this study was to examine the manifestation of health promotion in two Finnish health care and nursing polytechnic curricula for students starting their studies in August 1997. Another goal was to explore students' and their teachers' perceptions of which modules contained health promotion, as well as to find out which modules contained integrated health promotion. In this study, data and investigator triangulation were used. The data consisted of the curricula of two polytechnics of health care and of interviews with 20 student nurses and their teachers. The data were analysed using content analysis. Health promotion studies were integrated with other studies in the curriculum of the first polytechnic, whereas the second polytechnic had two separate health promotion modules. While most students were in favour of separate health promotion modules, teachers supported integrated modules. Students also reported that their teachers integrated health promotion in modules which were not named as such, for example, in language modules. The results represent a major challenge concerning the content of health promotion in the curricula and, also, the methods for teaching health promotion. More cooperation between teachers during the process of planning curricula is recommended.