TY - JOUR
T1 - The Short-Term Value of the "Healthy Primary School of the Future" Initiative
T2 - A Social Return on Investment Analysis
AU - Oosterhoff, Marije
AU - van Schayck, Onno C. P.
AU - Bartelink, Nina H. M.
AU - Bosma, Hans
AU - Willeboordse, Maartje
AU - Winkens, Bjorn
AU - Joore, Manuela A.
N1 - Funding Information:
We were grateful to all schools, the children, and other collaborating partners participating in the project. Funding. This study was funded by the Limburg provincial authorities, Project Number 200130003, by Friesland Campina, Project Number LLMV00, and by Maastricht University. None of the funding bodies had a role in the design of the study or the writing of this manuscript. Nor will the funding bodies have a role in the future data collection, analysis, interpretation of data, and the writing of publications.
Publisher Copyright:
© Copyright © 2020 Oosterhoff, van Schayck, Bartelink, Bosma, Willeboordse, Winkens and Joore.
PY - 2020/8/21
Y1 - 2020/8/21
N2 - Background:This study examines the social return on investment (SROI) of the "Healthy Primary School of the Future" initiative after 2 years. Methods:Healthy Primary Schools of the Future (HPSF) provide a healthy lunch and daily structured physical activity sessions, whereas Physical Activity Schools (PAS) focus on physical activity only. We evaluated the 2-years investments and effects (N= 1,676 children) of both school environments (four schools) compared to control schools (four schools). Investments and outcomes were grouped within the healthcare, education, household & leisure, and labor & social security sector. Outcomes that could be expressed in monetary terms were used for the calculation of social return on investment. Results:HPSF and PAS created outcomes for the healthcare sector by favorable changes in health behaviors, body mass index [both significant], and medical resource use [not significant]. Outcomes for the education sector included a favorable impact on perceived social behaviors and school satisfaction, and absenteeism from school [latter not significant], and more engagement with the community was experienced. The per child investments, euro859 (HPSF) and euro1017 (PAS), generated a benefit of euro8 (HPSF) and euro49 (PAS) due to reduced school absenteeism and medical resource use. Conclusions:Within 2 years of intervention implementation, the HPSF initiative created outcomes in several sectors, but the benefits did not outweigh the investments. Follow-up assessments as well as modeling long-term outcomes are needed to assess the total value of the interventions. Until then, the SROI framework can inform strategies for obtaining stakeholder support and intervention implementation.
AB - Background:This study examines the social return on investment (SROI) of the "Healthy Primary School of the Future" initiative after 2 years. Methods:Healthy Primary Schools of the Future (HPSF) provide a healthy lunch and daily structured physical activity sessions, whereas Physical Activity Schools (PAS) focus on physical activity only. We evaluated the 2-years investments and effects (N= 1,676 children) of both school environments (four schools) compared to control schools (four schools). Investments and outcomes were grouped within the healthcare, education, household & leisure, and labor & social security sector. Outcomes that could be expressed in monetary terms were used for the calculation of social return on investment. Results:HPSF and PAS created outcomes for the healthcare sector by favorable changes in health behaviors, body mass index [both significant], and medical resource use [not significant]. Outcomes for the education sector included a favorable impact on perceived social behaviors and school satisfaction, and absenteeism from school [latter not significant], and more engagement with the community was experienced. The per child investments, euro859 (HPSF) and euro1017 (PAS), generated a benefit of euro8 (HPSF) and euro49 (PAS) due to reduced school absenteeism and medical resource use. Conclusions:Within 2 years of intervention implementation, the HPSF initiative created outcomes in several sectors, but the benefits did not outweigh the investments. Follow-up assessments as well as modeling long-term outcomes are needed to assess the total value of the interventions. Until then, the SROI framework can inform strategies for obtaining stakeholder support and intervention implementation.
KW - child
KW - economic evaluation
KW - economics
KW - health promoting schools
KW - health promotion
KW - social return on investment
U2 - 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00401
DO - 10.3389/fpubh.2020.00401
M3 - Article
C2 - 32974255
SN - 2296-2565
VL - 8
JO - Frontiers in Public Health
JF - Frontiers in Public Health
M1 - 401
ER -