School development in Austria and implementation factors for health promotion

Aim: This article investigates the associations between different approaches to the implementation of health promotion and existing structures that facilitate long-term implementation. Subject and Methods: The data was collected in a survey amongst heads of Austrian secondary schools. For analyses, four groups of schools were differentiated: (1) schools that implement health promotion voluntarily with the help of specialised organisations, (2) schools that implement health promotion as part of their obligatory school development programme, (3) schools that use a combined approach, and (4) for comparison schools that use neither of these strategies. The groups are compared according to a number of indicators for a supportive HP programme. Results: The first three groups show more desirable characteristics in regards to aspects that facilitate the implementation of health promotion (e.g. high teacher support) than the comparison group. The best conditions are found in schools that use a combined approach. Hardly any differences are observed between the groups on the level of the outcomes of health promotion activities. Conclusion: The findings are discussed in the context of change management and the differences between programmed and participatory strategies of implementation. Some of the presented differences can be explained via this approach and hold valuable conclusions for policy makers and practitioners. © 2016, Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg.