Carla L.

Dacuba March 10, 2019

2008-42516 EDH 201

Suggested Health Research Topics

1. Indicators of Mental Health Disorders in Elementary Schools: Addressing Elementary School

Students’ Mental Health Needs

We usually hear about mental health problems being encountered by individuals who
are usually in the adolescent to adulthood stage. It has been a prevalent situation nowadays due
to the fast-paced life made more complex by the rapid growth of technology and social media.
However, mental health problems can also be seen in younger children as early as in the
elementary level. It is alarming that one of the youngest suicide victims is just a six year-old first-
grader. There were also reported suicide cases of children aged twelve years old and below. At
their very young age, they are already aware that they can harm themselves. These incidences
can be prevented if adults can see the indicators that children are undergoing difficult times and
they need adult and professional help. Many factors can contribute to mental health problems
in young children. Some underlying factors are the socio-economic status, family background,
parenting style, immediate environment and many more. Identifying students who are in dire
need of mental health support and recognizing the causes, signs and symptoms of mental health
disorders in elementary students can be of great help for teachers and school administrators in
order to address their mental health needs and therefore create short-term and long-term
solutions for these problems. Conducting this study means taking preventive measures which
can also help in decreasing the cases of mental health problems in the secondary and tertiary
level.

https://listverse.com/2016/07/03/10-heartbreaking-accounts-of-child-suicide/

2. Using Children’s Story Books in Promoting Health Education in Preschool Students: Its Effectivity
and Benefits

Literature is one of the best ways of tapping the interest of young learners. Storytelling
time is an important part of the daily routines in any preschool classroom. It is where children
learn implicitly the rules of the language and it is where they develop their critical thinking and
decision making skills. It is also where they learn a lot of new things about life in general and
about the environment where they live and the things – living or non-living – interacting within
and beyond their environment. In this study, different children’s story books which promote
health education will be identified and classified into specific themes and subthemes. The story
books will be read to pre-schoolers and their reactions and interactions during reading shall be
observed and recorded. With this study, teachers will be able to provide students with ideas
promoting health education in home, at school or in their community through storytelling. In
 this manner, students will become more aware of their health and will be more health literate
even at a very young age. This will encourage young children to develop habits that promote
good health and proper hygiene as well as taking care of the environment.

3. Availability and Accessibility of Water Sources in Public Elementary Schools: Its Effects on the
Health of Students

Water is one of the basic needs of people in order to survive in their daily lives. It is
essential in many aspects of life such as nourishment, sanitation and hydration. Similarly, water
is very much important in schools where water is used for many practical purposes. However, in
the Philippines especially in far-flung areas, there are very limited and sometimes inaccessible
water sources for schools. To resolve this crisis, this study will help enumerate the different uses
of water in schools and the sources of water available in different elementary schools.
Furthermore, it will look at the positive effects of having clean water to the health status of
students. This study will help school administrators and public officials gauge the need of
schools for accessible clean water sources and therefore eliminate possible health problems
caused by lack of clean water in schools. According to WHO, safe water supply and good water
management are fundamental to global health. With this study, recommendations and
suggestions will be given to school administrators and public officials in order to provide safer
water to different elementary schools around the Philippines.

https://www.who.int/features/qa/70/en/