Attitudes of adolescents regarding health: evaluation of a school-based health promotion program in Seville, Spain

The study examined differences in attitudes regarding health within students in their fourth year of mandatory secondary school in Seville, Spain. The students were divided into two groups according to their participation in the "Forma Joven" health promotion program. A descriptive and bivariate analysis was conducted. As there were no significant differences in the socio-demographic characteristics of the two groups, the groups were considered homogeneous. Attitudes were also similar in both groups. Statistically significant differences were only found in the level of danger assigned to two of the thirteen transit situations explored: "not using a seatbelt" and "entering a vehicle when the driver has been drinking," with the lower level of risk corresponding to the group of students participating in the program. These findings are consistent with the results of previous studies and invites reflection upon the effectiveness of such programs. In the case of the "Forma Joven" program, the ineffectiveness could be attributable to a lack of systematization in the program's implementation. In the future, interventions to increase the effectiveness of the program should be proposed.