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Only of the articles contained all methodological attributes described above. The results of these articles suggests that successful health schooling depends on using a few messages, of proven benefit, repeatedly, & in lots of forums.

Some 67 journal articles that described & evaluated health schooling programmes in developing countries were read by independent reviewers who examined the methodology used in the studies. Of the articles 47% provided a sufficiently detailed description of the educational intervention to permit replication & 40% described the educational level of the intended audience. Only 21% were controlled studies employing sample sizes greater than 60 individuals or clusters, although six studies used randomized or quasi-randomized designs. Of the studies 33% looked at changes in health status while another 33%used observable changes in health behaviour as an endpoint. There was nice agreement between the reviewers on whether these characteristics were present.

It is important to improve the methodological quality of health schooling research. This can be completed by using controlled, preferably randomized, designs, ensuring adequate sample sizes, examining only objective changes in behaviour or, better yet, changes in morbidity or mortality. Research reports ought to report in detail the educational intervention employed & the target audience.

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