Creating a student-led health magazine with an urban, multicultural, resource-restricted elementary school: Approach, process and impact

Abstract

Background: Health magazines effectively deliver health information. No data regarding student-led magazines to promote health exist. Objective: To evaluate whether children's health knowledge, interests and lifestyle choices improve following distribution of a studentled health magazine. Methods: Elementary students worked with teachers and paediatric residents to publish a health magazine. A healthy lifestyle challenge page promoted reduction in soda pop consumption. Pre- and poststudent questionnaires explored knowledge, interests and behaviours related to health. Results : Sex and grade distributions were similar in pre- and postquestionnaires. Ninety-seven percent of children reported the magazine helped them learn about health. Pre- and postknowledge scores did not differ (P=0.36). Following distribution, the percentage of students who reported drinking no soda increased from 43% to 67% (P=0.004), and those who reported drinking <2 glasses of soda per day increased from 66% to 85% (P=0.01). Conclusions: A student-led health magazine was effective in motivating short-term student-reported behavioural change.