From left to right, project researchers Cristina G. Vivar, Inmaculada Serrano, Cristina Gordo, Navidad Canga, Mª Jesús Pumar, Sandra Tricas-Sauras and Olga López de Dicastillo. PHOTO: Manuel Castells

Under the name Sinergia, the School of Nursing of the University of Navarra has launched a new project of research whose main goal consists of identifying -together with parents and educators- the health needs of children from 0 to 5 years of age, in order to design interventions to meet them.

The study will begin by analyzing status in the Autonomous Community of Navarre, where discussion groups will be organized to obtain information that will allow the elaboration of a questionnaire that assesses the lifestyles and health needs of children, inequalities, the most disadvantaged groups, etc. In later phases, the researchers intend to incorporate new professionals from other areas of health and Education, such as psychologists, pedagogues, etc.

The project will also lead to publications in scientific journals and the results will be disseminated at congresses and through various actions aimed at the public. According to Olga López de Dicastillo, one of the researchers, "it is precisely in Nursing where much of the weight of care and Education in health falls. In this case, oriented to the concerns of parents and educators, and to the development of tools and programs that improve the relationship between all".

In this regard, the professor from the School of Nursing recalls that "according to the World Health Organization's data , it is estimated that up to 90% of cases of diabetes subject II, 80% of cardiovascular conditions and 30% of cancers could be prevented if healthy lifestyles were adopted, such as increasing physical activity, maintaining a healthy per diem expenses and avoiding tobacco consumption". "The study," he says, "will help us to identify health problems in an age group for which we have little information -between 0 and 5 years of age- and, above all, to see how parents and educators perceive them and how we can, from Nursing, seek early joint solutions with them".

More than 1,000 participating families

The group of researchers of the School of Nursing, belonging to the department of Community and Maternal-Child Nursing, is composed of seven professionals: Olga López de Dicastillo, Mª Jesús Pumar Méndez, Sandra Tricas-Sauras, Cristina Gordo, Cristina G. Vivar, Inmaculada Serrano and Navidad Canga.

The team will carry out the study through 8 health centers in the region and between 20 and 30 educational centers - kindergartens, municipal nursery schools, and public and subsidized schools - where health promotion activities will be carried out. "In total," explains the professor from the University of Navarra, "we aim to reach more than 1,000 families in Navarra, since this contact is what will enable us to promote to carry out comprehensive health actions, both physical and psycho-social".

The project, which has received funding from the Fondo de research partner -sanitaria (FIS) of the high school de Salud Carlos III and the Fundación Universitaria de Navarra (PIUNA) of the University of Navarra, is also part of the "Tú eliges, tú decides" program of Caja Navarra.