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The housing market in Kenya continues to experience an excessive imbalance between supply and demand. This imbalance renders the housing market volatile, and stakeholders lose repeatedly. The purpose of the study was to forecast housing prices (HPs) in Kenya using simple and complex regression models to assess the best model for projecting the HPs in Kenya.

The study used time series data from 1975 to 2020 of the selected macroeconomic factors sourced from Kenya National Bureau of Statistics, Central Bank of Kenya and Hass Consult Limited. Linear regression, multiple regression, autoregressive integrated moving average (ARIMA) and autoregressive distributed lag (ARDL) models regression techniques were used to model HPs.

The study concludes that the performance of the housing market is very sensitive to changes in the economic indicators, and therefore, the key players in the housing market should consider the performance of the economy during the project feasibility studies and appraisals. From the results, it can be deduced that complex models outperform simple models in forecasting HPs in Kenya. The vector autoregressive (VAR) model performs the best in forecasting HPs considering its lowest root mean squared error (RMSE), mean absolute error (MAE), mean absolute percentage error (MAPE) and bias proportion coefficient. ARIMA models perform dismally in forecasting HPs, and therefore, we conclude that HP is not a self-projecting variable.

A model for projecting HPs could be a game changer if applied during the project appraisal stage by the developers and project managers. The study thoroughly compared the various regression models to ascertain the best model for forecasting the prices and revealed that complex models perform better than simple models in forecasting HPs. The study recommends a VAR model in forecasting HPs considering its lowest RMSE, MAE, MAPE and bias proportion coefficient compared to other models. The model, if used in collaboration with the already existing hedonic models, will ensure that the investments in the housing markets are well-informed, and hence, a reduction in economic losses arising from poor market forecasting techniques. However, these study findings are only applicable to the commercial housing market i.e. houses for sale and rent.

While more research has been done on HP projections, this study was based on a comparison of simple and complex regression models of projecting HPs. A total of five models were compared in the study: the simple regression model, multiple regression model, ARIMA model, ARDL model and VAR model. The findings reveal that complex models outperform simple models in projecting HPs. Nonetheless, the study also used nine macroeconomic indicators in the model-building process. Granger causality test reveals that only household income (HHI), gross domestic product, interest rate, exchange rates (EXCR) and private capital inflows have a significant effect on the changes in HPs. Nonetheless, the study adds two little-known indicators in the projection of HPs, which are the EXCR and HHI.

Adapting the Health Promotion School (HPS) approach to context specifics is acknowledged as being essential for implementation and achieving optimal effectiveness. This study aims to explore implementation variations on seven HPS spectra (such as top-down to bottom-up involvement of stakeholders) on which implementation of the HPS approach can vary, and the factors that relate to navigation on these spectra.

In 2020, fourteen HPS researchers and professionals from ten European countries participated in semi-structured interviews.

Navigation variations on the HPS spectra occurred throughout most spectra. Further, a tendency was found towards spectrum extremes of addressing multiple core-components, implementing non-disruptive Health Promotion (HP) programmes, and evaluating the HPS approach through an action-oriented research approach. Important general factors were resources, staff capacity and time available to staff members for implementing the HPS approach. Some spectra required more specific factors like organisational skills, leadership or a certain level of democracy.

The implementation of the HPS approach should be supported by implementation strategies addressing the spectrum-specific factors, but more generic factors such as staff capacity, resources and the level of democracy should also be considered.

This study explores navigation variations throughout HPS spectra rather than the HPS approach in general. It also nuances implementation diversity across and within different European contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to examine the role of two higher education institutions in the Western Cape, South Africa, and how their initiatives and collaboration brought about a particular health promoting schools (HPS) program in a resource poor setting. The aim of this paper is to reflect on the importance of the role that external systemic actors and stakeholders can play in the process of designing and implementing HPS programs in resource poor settings.

In this paper a complex systems approach is employed to describe two different participatory methods of engagement with HPS by higher education institutions. On the one hand, engagement took place in terms of a formal and funded project, directed at the organizational level of the school, with capacity building as its aim. On the other hand, engagement was initiated informally (as part of a service-learning project) via collaboration with the formal project, directed at the individual level of learners in the school.

In recognizing the complex nature of planning and implementing HPS programs, the paper demonstrates that HPS approaches could benefit from engaging with resources outside the ambit of institutional health and educational policies and structures.

By acknowledging the systemic nature of implementing HPS strategies, novel collaborations emerge as a result. The paper highlights the important role that external stakeholders such as higher education institutions play in creating and sustaining tailor-made HPS programs for schools based in resource poor settings.

Successful implementation of Health Promoting Schools (HPS) depends on putting the model in the schools’ context for both health improvement and school improvement. HPS can only be effective if the change can be sustained over an extended duration. The purpose of this paper is to discuss development of the HPS process by University Research Centre in Hong Kong, resulting in an award scheme, where no additional resources were initially provided by the authorities.

The team adopted a step-by-step approach starting with capacity building of key stakeholders and comprehensive needs assessment, leading to development of a system of evaluation and monitoring and establishment of a “Healthy School Award” system. The system was built on data derived from several different sources and made use of qualitative and quantitative information and were intended to be used to guide practice and actions for improvement.

Schools measured their own performance against established school and student health profiles. The validated system of evaluation and monitoring led to a Healthy School Award scheme for participating schools with “accredited” and “award” designations. The award system evaluated six key HPS areas and identified exemplars of HPS as resource schools to form a strong network.

HPS can be regarded as new paradigm of schooling rather than an add-on programme.

HPS can be regarded as new paradigm of schooling rather than an add-on programme. The advantage of an academic institution masterminding the development process lies with their strength in education and research, building on the professionalism of school educators in health promotion and developing evidence-based HPS practice.

This paper discusses an approach for addressing the key factors associated with initiation of innovation and management of change in an education setting. The involvement of both higher education and an award scheme can act strong catalysts to drive change, resulting in a strong evidence base with and results demonstrating effectiveness, which then led to government support.

The purpose of this study is to explore educational perspectives towards the concept of health promoting schools and its potential benefits for schools in more depth.

This paper presents the results of a qualitative study based on interviews with school staff including principals, and teachers with responsibility for health promotion from 18 primary schools in Sydney, Australia, examining their understanding of the health promoting schools concept, and their perceptions of its advantages for schools.

The study documents the variety of school staff perceptions. Further examination of the data led to the emergence of four broad categories to accommodate diverse perceptions on health promoting schools. The findings point to several challenges that need to be addressed by advocates of the health promoting schools concept, most notably developing a shared understanding between health and education sectors of the practical elements and potential benefits.

Sustaining school health interventions, including health promoting schools programs and maintaining their positive outcomes, is likely to be more achievable in circumstances where schools can identify benefits that fit with their core business of education, and their local needs and priorities.

This study adds depth to the understanding of the diversity in educational perspectives regarding the meaning and benefits of health promoting schools. This study also revealed an understanding among school leaders that there is scope for realizing both health and educational outcomes from school health promotion programs.

The purpose of this paper is to analyze how professional cultures in schools and school systems could improve the well-being of students, with a particular emphasis on teacher-health partnerships, which would not naturally occur without a specific intentional intervention. Implemented with a whole-school approach, the Health Promoting School (HPS) is one of the most effective intentional interventions to achieve improvements in both the health and educational outcomes of students through the engagement of key stakeholders in education and health to create a healthy physical/psycho-social environment. This paper emphasizes collaboration and the building of professional cultures in schools that share collective responsibility for the whole student.

Student outcomes in schools should include both academic and health and well-being outcomes that promote positive pathways throughout adulthood. This paper connects HPS research with policy analysis drawing on Hong Kong’s unique context as being at the top of the PISA rankings and striving toward a positive health culture and well-being in its schools.

Evidence has been gathered extensively about what schools actually do in health promotion using the HPS framework. The HPS framework has served to assist schools and authorities to concentrate on the gaps and affirm best practices. This paper also reports how teachers have created a professional and collegial community with health partners to address outbreaks of infectious diseases in schools and obesity in students.

The concept of HPS can serve as an ecological model to promote the positive health and well-being of students, fostering their personal growth and development, and as an alternate model for school improvement.

This paper has highlighted that structured school health programs such as HPS could have positive effects on educational outcomes, while also changing professional cultures and communities in schools with an emphasis on students’ physical health, emotional health, social health, or spiritual health. The Assessment Program for Affective and Social Outcomes is used as a tool by schools in Hong Kong, reflecting the affective and social developments of the students in the school under review as a whole, and how they relate to the school. It resembles the core areas of action competencies, and school social environment; the two key areas of HPS.

Hong Kong is often analyzed from an educational rankings perspective. However, it offers broader lessons on educational change, as it has in recent years emphasized dual goals in student outcomes and professional communities – the importance of whole student health and well-being as a both a precursor and key component to the educational outcomes schools seek. Globally, very few schools are able to implement HPS in its entirety. Continuing development of HPS in Hong Kong would add value to international literature in terms of which types of data would influence adoption of HPS in which types of school and policy contexts.

The purpose of this paper is to report the results of a national survey that examined the extent of implementation of Health Promoting Schools (HPS) in Ireland.

A quantitative research design was adopted. A questionnaire was administered to all post-primary schools in the country (n=704). Data were analysed with the support of the software packages, SPSS and MaxQDA.

A response rate of 56 per cent (n=394) was achieved. Over half of these schools (56 per cent) self-identified as health promoting. Schools reported success in the areas of environment and curriculum and learning, however, partnerships and policy and planning required more attention. Some models of good practice emerged from the data but these were in the minority. Many schools, when asked to describe health promotion in their school, placed emphasis on physical health (diet and exercise) and curriculum predominately rather than the broader whole school conceptualisation. Only 35 per cent of HPS schools had a team supporting HPS developments. Only 36 per cent identified the existence of a school policy to support HPS. This suggests that further coherence for sustained and comprehensive implementation of HPS is necessary.

The research was conducted with school staff, in the first instance who self-reported their school’s level of HPS engagement.

This paper offers the first national baseline data available in relation to engagement in HPS in Ireland. It provides a valuable starting point from which further research with schools in this field can be conducted.

The purpose of this paper is to describe a study which investigated the relationship between the “health‐promoting school” (HPS) approach and social capital and tested the proposition that the implementation of an HPS intervention leads to a significant improvement in HPS features and social capital.

In this paper a prospective intervention study design was used and involved the comparison of an intervention population group and a comparison population group matched for school size, urban location, school type and socio‐economic status. The paper shows that the intervention group used the holistic HPS approach to promote resilience, whereas the comparison group did not use the HPS approach. In the intervention schools, 262 staff in the pre‐intervention phase, and 288 staff in the post‐intervention phase responded to the survey. In the control schools, 156 staff in the pre‐intervention phase, and 261 in the post‐intervention phase responded. The HPS Scale derived from the Ottawa Charter and the Social Capital Scale derived from the Social Capital Index were used at the school community level.

The findings of this paper show that there was a statistically significant relationship between HPS indicators and social capital. The evidence indicates that an HPS approach to build social capital is effective.

The results in this paper indicate that social capital embedded in the HPS structure has the capacity to substantially affect relationships that people have with one another and the school psychosocial environment.

This paper provides health educators with resource strategies to promote social capital within the HPS program framework.

The purpose of this paper is to summarize a consensus statement generated on the current challenges, strategies, and potential of health promoting schools (HPS) at a 2011 colloquium at the Stellenbosch Institute for Advanced Study where 40 people from five continents came together to share their global and regional experience surrounding the World Health Organization (WHO) HPS model.

Using the consensus as its foundation, this review summarizes the underlying educational and social science concepts and factors that contribute to success or failure of HPS, and incorporates peer reviewed papers based on invited presentations at the colloquium and key related literature.

HPS increase knowledge and develop behaviors that benefit the health of children, such schools are also an investment in the well-being of the larger community. Importantly for their long-term psychological health “resilience” is generated by effective HPS programs. Professional development initiatives within schools can catalyze greater absorption of the healthy school approach and focus on best practices. Promotion, support, and evaluation of programs are aided by award schemes and oversight by local or national agencies. And significant educational benefits are accrued for trainees from centers of higher learning involved in HPS program delivery.

Educational initiatives that utilize the relative simplicity, low cost, and inherent flexibility of the HPS model can address many significant issues facing today's children. HPS offer an innovative and participatory way to increase the likelihood of the next generation becoming aware of practical ways to positively influence their lifestyle and future well-being. Successful programs are usually those that are relevant, resonate with students, and engage school communities so that they choose to “own” and sustain their program.

The consensus statement provides a benchmark of the current status of HPS, and outlines future directions for this model of health promotion.