Investigating the health status of primary school children in Tonga: Lessons learnt and reflections on field work in the Pacific Islands.
Pacific Islands
Tonga
child health research
Journal
Journal of paediatrics and child health
ISSN: 1440-1754
Titre abrégé: J Paediatr Child Health
Pays: Australia
ID NLM: 9005421
Informations de publication
Date de publication:
06 2023
06 2023
Historique:
revised:
23
03
2023
received:
27
10
2022
accepted:
18
04
2023
medline:
2
6
2023
pubmed:
1
5
2023
entrez:
1
5
2023
Statut:
ppublish
Résumé
Globally, the child health focus has been on reducing under-5-year mortality, with large populations in low-resource regions prioritised. Children in older age groups, particularly in less populated regions such as the Pacific, have received limited attention. Child health research in the Pacific region has been lacking, and research approaches for the region have historically been from Western biomedical paradigms. We completed the study of primary school children's health over a period of 5 years. Firstly, we conducted a literature review, then we completed an audit of hospital admissions of primary school children, then we completed a two-round Delphi process and finally, we piloted the survey in three primary schools. Our results found there were high levels of oral health problems, ear health, obesity and exposure to violence and poverty impacting on the quality of health of primary school-age children. Identifying these indicators was made possible by the partnerships and trust established by the study team and provides specific and measurable targets for future work to improve the quality of child health outcomes. This paper describes key field work lessons learnt for research in the Pacific region. It must: (i) be on the platform of relationship, cultural safety and local ownership; (ii) include consideration of holistic Pacific paradigms of health; (iii) be adaptive to the context and environment; and (iv) be committed to long-term partnership and work.
Types de publication
Review
Journal Article
Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't
Langues
eng
Sous-ensembles de citation
IM
Pagination
781-785Subventions
Organisme : New Zealand Optometric Vision Research Foundation
Organisme : NZAID
Organisme : Ranchhod Foundation
Organisme : The Oticon Foundation
Organisme : University of Auckland Doctoral Scholarship
Informations de copyright
© 2023 The Authors. Journal of Paediatrics and Child Health published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Paediatrics and Child Health Division (The Royal Australasian College of Physicians).
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