Health-related knowledge: where does it come from?

The health-related knowledge of 535 pupils aged between 12 and 18 years from Oakham School, Rutland, was assessed using a 20-item questionnaire. Pupils were questioned about their main and subsidiary sources of information on these issues. Overall scores on the test were good, increasing marginally with age. At each age tested, girls scored significantly higher than boys. Significant differences in the source of information on health issues were found between girls and boys, with curriculum subjects, mainly biology, being perceived as the most important source for boys, whilst girls identified parents and friends as being of the greatest importance. On average, 14.5 per cent of responses made no reference to curriculum subjects as contributing sources of information, despite incorporation of all issues covered in the questionnaire into the curriculum. The results of the study are discussed in the context of this curriculum, with the aim of examining gender differences in both scores and sources of informa...