[Four-year experience in health education in a sciences high school]

Juvenile behaviour in front of health hazards is often based on irrational choices. In the attempt to form a prevention-oriented consciousness, ten years ago the University of Pavia and the Salvatore Maugeri Foundation organized an experimental prevention course in the local high schools. The intervention was effective and prompted the publication of a book describing the contributions, results and impressions of the experience. Utilizing this book as a teaching aid, the Authors have carried out a further four-year educative intervention, involving approximately 600 first- and second-year high school students. The lectures have illustrated the concepts of health, prevention and risk, and have briefly discussed the risk factors which are most relevant for the youth. The educative intervention has been performed with the cooperation of the school teachers. The answers to a questionary administered at the end of the course have confirmed that this kind of efforts promote a more rational behaviour aimed at health maintenance. The opportunity to introduce health education in the high school teaching programs has also been confirmed.