[Effect of the school health promotion strategy "Forma Joven"]

To evaluate the impact of the Youth Form Strategy (EFJ, Estrategia Forma Joven) on the attitudes and behaviours of students in the fourth year of compulsory secondary school in Seville, Spain.

A longitudinal observational design was used with two groups; one received the EFJ (EFJ group) and other did not (non-EFJ group). In the initial evaluation, 402 participants were randomly selected and, in the follow-up at 6 months, 322 participants were evaluated (161 per group). Validated data collection tools were used, and 2×2 tables, odds ratio (OR) and general ANOVA for 2×2 mixed factorial design (p<0.05) were calculated.

Favourable effects of the EFJ were found: in the area of sexuality, the percentage of participants who had sexual intercourse in the final assessment was lower in the EFJ group (14.9% vs 23.4%; OR=0.57), as were counter-effects: start of tobacco use was higher in the EFJ group (19.5% vs 9.1%; OR=2.43). However, these differences were not statistically significant.

The similarities in the school health promotion programme in centres with and without EFJ may have influenced the lack of conclusive results. Individual and/or group counselling at schools, a distinguishing feature of the EFJ, could have delayed sexual intercourse in the EFJ group. Based on the studies on school health promotion activities, good practices that could help to improve the effectiveness of the EFJ are recommended.