Enhancing professional competency and healthy lifestyles of middle school health educators through ehealth technology

Objectives: This study aims to establish the eHealth technology program and to evaluate its effectiveness in middle school health educators. It is hoped that this intervention can strengthen professional competency and encourage healthy behaviors and lifestyles in the target population. The eHealth intervention is based on health behavior theories and models, and it also incorporates the functions and strategies of the eHealth interactive technology, including the use of peer support communities, tailored education, and professionally facilitated education and support programs. Methods: Subjects were from health-promoting schools selected by the Ministry of Education in the Academic Year 2005. A nonequivalent control group design was used. The experimental group (n=53) received the eHealth intervention for two months, while the control group (n=65) received nothing. The outcomes were evaluated using a close-ended questionnaire. Results: The eHealth intervention improved perception of working conditions, health beliefs, life skills, and self-efficacy, and encouraged the adoption of healthy behaviors among middle school health educators. Conclusions: This intervention can provide a valuable reference for those public health policy-makers and health researchers who seek to implement the health educators' health promotion program through eHealth technology.