Hostname: page-component-cd9895bd7-fscjk Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-12-23T11:08:22.922Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Celebrating the End of School Life: A Pilot Study

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 March 2012

Alison Hutton ,
Allison Roderick ,
Rebecca Munt ,
Lidia Mayner ,
Mayumi Kako  and
Paul Arbon
Alison Hutton*
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Allison Roderick
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Rebecca Munt
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Lidia Mayner
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Mayumi Kako
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
Paul Arbon
Affiliation:
School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders University, Adelaide, SA, Australia
*
Correspondence: Alison Hutton, RN, PhD School of Nursing and Midwifery, Flinders UniversityGPO Box 2100 Adelaide, SA 5001, Australia E-mail: [email protected]
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Introduction: Celebrating the end of secondary schooling (“Schoolies Festival”) is an established part of the school culture in Australia, with thousands of young students converging at beachside locations to celebrate this rite of passage. The aim of this study was to identify what young people believe is important to remain safe and healthy at this mass-gathering event.

Methods: This study was conducted using postcard surveys requesting demographic data and responses to the questions: (1) What do you think is important to stay safe and healthy at this event?; (2) What do you think is risky attending this event?; (3) Which of these is most likely to affect you at this event?; and (4) Where would you seek medical support? The surveys were distributed to attendees of a “Schoolies Festival” in Adelaide, Australia in 2008.

Results: One hundred sixty-five of the 300 postcards were returned completed. The average age of the respondents was 17.7 years. “Not using drugs” was considered important to staying safe and healthy by 120 (73%) of respondents; “drinking alcohol responsibly” was considered important by 89 (54%); and “violent behavior” and “exposure to illicit drugs” were identified as important risks by 135 (82%) and 98 (59%) of participants, respectively. Only 35 (21%) of respondents indicated that they would seek on-site health care if needed.

Conclusion: Young people attending mass-gathering celebrations have valid concerns about drinking responsibly, exposure to illicit drugs, and sexual harassment. Health messages or health promotion strategies aimed at their specific concerns would be helpful in the mitigation of illness or injury at such events.

Keywords

mass-gatheringshealth promotionschool celebrationsSchoolies Festival
Type
Original Research
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 27 , Issue 1 , February 2012 , pp. 13 - 17
Copyright
Copyright Hutton © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2012

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Salom, C, Watts, M, Kinner, S, Young, D: Schoolies week in perspective: Studies of alcohol, drug and risk-taking behaviour. Of Substance: The National Magazine of Alcohol, Tobacco and other Drugs 2005;3(1):26–29.Google Scholar
Wallace, B: Playing Hard but Playing Safe in Paradise: Managing Alcohol Misuse During ‘Schoolies Week’. In: Bahr, N (ed), Adolescents in Schools and Communities. Flaxton: Queensland Post Press, 2001, pp 103–112.Google Scholar
Hutton, A: Privacy, independence and peer interaction on an adolescent ward. Childrens Issues 2008;12(1):35–39.Google Scholar
Arbon, P: Forecasting medical work at mass-gathering events: Predictive model versus retrospective review. Prehosp Disaster Med 2005;20(3):164–168.Google Scholar
Hutton, A, Roderick, A, Munt, R: Lessons learnt using postcards to collect data at mass-gatherings. Prehosp Disaster Med 2010;25(3):273–277.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Arbon, P: The development of conceptual models for mass-gathering health. Prehosp Disaster Med 2004;19(3):212–217.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Milsten, A, Maguire, B, Bissell, R, Seaman, K: Mass-gathering medical care: A review of the literature. Prehosp Disaster Med 2002;17(3):151–162.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Arbon, P: Mass-gathering medicine: A review of the evidence and future directions for research. Prehosp Disaster Med 2007;22(2):131–135.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Winchester, H, McGuirk, P, Everett, K: Schoolies Week as a Rite of Passage: A Study of Celebration and Control. In: Teather, EK (ed), Embodies Geographies, Spaces, Rituals and Rites of Passage. London: Routlege, 1999, pp 59–76.Google Scholar
Pirotta, M, Gunn, J, Farish, S, Karabatsos, G: Primer postcard improves postal survey response rates. Aust N Z J Public Health 1999;23(2):196–197.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Becker, H, Cookston, J, Kulberg, V: Mailed survey follow-ups - are postcard reminders more cost-effective than second questionnaires? Western J Nurs Res 2000;22(5):642–647.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Bergk, V, Gasse, C, Schnell, R, Haefeli, WE: Mail surveys: Obsolescent model or valuable instrument in general practice research: Swiss Med Wkly 2005;135:189–191.Google ScholarPubMed
Hill, A, Fahrney, K, Wheeless, S, Carson, C: Survey response inducements for registered nurses. Western J Nurs Res 2006;28:322–334.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Australian Institute of Health Welfare (AIHW): Young Australians, Their Health and Wellbeing. Canberra: AIHW Cat.no. PHE87, 2007.Google Scholar
Mission Australia: National Survey of Young Australians: Key and emerging issues. Canberra: Mission Australia, 2008.Google Scholar
Zinkiewicz, L, Davey, J, Curd, D: Sin beyond surfers? Young people’s risky behaviour during Schoolies Week in three Queensland regions. Drug Alcohol Rev 1999;18(3):279–285.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Smith, AM, Rosenthal, D: Sex, alcohol and drugs? Young people’s experience of Schoolies week. Aust N Z J Public Health 1997;21(2):175–180.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Blackie, C, Gregg, R, Freeth, D: Promoting health in young people. Nurs Stand 1998;12(26):39–46.CrossRefGoogle ScholarPubMed
Abrams, S: The long view of adolescent health. Public Health Nurs 2006;23(6):485–487.CrossRefGoogle Scholar