A content analysis of Turkish national high school health education curriculum using the health education curriculum analysis tool (HECAT)*

Abstract

Health education helps students to promote their mental, social and physical well-being. Health educators follow a specific curriculum for health promotion in the high schools of Turkey. This study compared Turkish national high school health education curriculum (HEC) which is delivered at grade 9 with the health education curriculum analysis tool (HECAT) used in the United States. Recommendations for possible new K-12 health education curriculum and for existing and further grade 9 curricula to improve was also given. Content analysis was used as a research method. In this research, an appraisal strength table was created which was adapted from HECAT in order to compare the curricula. Only 45 objectives in the national curriculum were found compatible with 1802 expectations of HECAT (correspondence rates: 6% for all grades and 7% for grades 9-12). Furthermore, the most represented level according to Bloom’s revised taxonomy cognitive domains was understanding, whereas applying was minimum represented level in HEC. The findings also indicate that health education delivery grades and contents should be expanded immediately in Turkey same as in the U.S. due to several reasons emerged recent years on health. Moreover, this research suggests to form Turkish national health education standards (TNHES) for K-12 education and draft TNHES were shared in this study.