A Comparison of Student Health Knowledge in Michigan and Selected New York State Schools

Abstract

The purpose of this study was twofold: first, to determine the Health knowledge levels of a selected sample of New York State students in grades four, seven and ten. Second, to compare these knowledge levels, represented by student test scores on the standardized HEAP test for Health education, with scores of Michigan students in similar grades levels on the same test. Six hundred twelve students (156 fourth graders, 152 seventh graders and 304 tenth graders) from three selected New York State school districts responded to multiple choice questions (99 questions in fourth grade, 102 questions in seventh and tenth grades) related to ten health topic areas. A Health Topic Attainment Rate (HTAR) of 75 percent is considered to be a satisfactory level of mastery in each of the ten topic areas. New York State students achieved a satisfactory HTAR in seven topic areas out of a possible thirty at the fourth, seventh and tenth grade levels in comparison to only two for Michigan students at the same grade levels. Selected New York State students showed significantly higher knowledge levels (Grade 4 F = 1339.0645; P < .01, Grade 7 F = 944.594; P < .01, Grade 10 F = 394.512; P < .01) than did students from the state of Michigan. The results of this investigation lend support to the conclusion that knowledge based health education programs can result in high student test scores.