MCruz Molina Garuz

Teenage pregnancy rates and STIs have lately risen all over Europe. In Catalonia, figures have started to improve slightly because of a joint effort by all health and social agents involved in promoting healthy habits. Effective intervention must be
accompanied by scientifically proven actions which must be present in educational curricula and in health plans and must also require family involvement. Our qualitative study aimed at exploring programmes and experiences targeted at young people as well as analyzing innovative proposals which would address teenagers’ needs; it also aimed at understanding weaknesses and strengths identified by professionals who work with vulnerable youths. We used 6 focus groups: 2 involved with immigrants, 2 from deprived areas and 2 from youth care homes with a total of 48 participants. They all stated the importance of combining
initiatives within educational, community and health contexts. They also deemed necessary to come up with new organizational strategies which would facilitate coordination of services and resources available as well as the necessity to devise a common curriculum. They also believe in implementing more motivating and innovative strategies to attract teenagers and in the necessity for monitoring programmes in order to increase their effectiveness particularly those programmes aimed at youths who can’t access health or educational services.

La escuela tiene un papel fundamental en la promoción de la salud y en la prevención
de enfermedades y sus consecuencias. Su función en este ámbito, reside
en preparar al alumnado para la incorporación de estilos de vida saludables,
parte importante de su desarrollo madurativo. Debe centrar su atención en
favorecer los factores protectores y las capacidades personales para obtener
mejoras en la salud, desde un enfoque integral. Su eficacia dependerá de la aplicación
de estrategias didácticas grupales, participativas y creativas que motiven
e impliquen al alumnado y lo hagan capaz y responsable de su propia salud.
Debe contemplar la promoción de la salud, la prevención y la inclusión educativa del alumnado en situación de enfermedad, tanto en los períodos en que asiste a la escuela, como en los que debe estar hospitalizado o convaleciente en su domicilio, contribuyendo de este modo a su bienestar y calidad de vida. La escuela se configura de este modo como un pilar fundamental para el desarrollo social y la educación para la salud una estrategia imprescindible.

Family education is considered a protection factor with regards to the healthy development of children, especially in social risk situations. In this paper we present the results related to the family’s role in the healthy development of their children, from two works that stress on two moments of special difficulty for families, as the birth of a child and the adolescence. They are part of the strategic
lines on sexual and reproductive health of the Autonomous Government of Catalonia
(Spain), and of the Spanish State. Such works try to explore the families’
guidance needs to outline a program on parenthood education and, to analyse the
needs of teenagers in vulnerable situation in relation to sexual and reproductive
health to develop a strategic action plan. A research-action methodology was
applied with focal groups with 56 professionals and 13 families in the first work,
and 48 professionals and community workers with 72 teenagers in the second
group. The results show that the families feel insecurity and anxiety before the
birth of a child, especially, in relation to how to look after him/her or for family
pressure. The teenagers demand a better communication with their parents in
sexual health issues; and the professionals suggest the development of family
guidance programs, especially in risk situations.