Action-based Public Health Curriculum Development for Secondary School in Uganda Refugees Camps: A Public Health literacy Initiative

Abstract

Introduction: Refugee populations experience disproportionate burdens of preventable disease due to limited access to health policy information. Using United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) data from the operation data portal (ODP), Uganda hosts over 1.96 million refugees, with more than 441,000 individuals identified with specific needs, primarily from the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). We propose the twelve months Public Health Curriculum action based (12PH-CAB) Program to address health literacy gaps among secondary school youth in refugee settings. Designed to be used in all Uganda camp settings and other parts of the world in underprivileged community but with more focus on displaced population. 12PH-CAB integrates data driven by public health approaches, mental health awareness as majority of displaced population faces long-term conflict trauma, environmental factors that precedent disease exposures, and social behavioral focused and public health-based entrepreneurship with string-connection (person to person). 12PH-CAB aims at equating youth in secondary schools with public health knowledge with more emphasis on Social Ecological Model (SEM), Social cognitive theory, Nutbeam’s Health literacy framework, Precede-Proceed model, and WHO Health Promotion Framework. 12PH-CAB will not only provide oral health literacy (OHL) but also life a defensive public health issues block. To assess the effect of a school-based public health curriculum on health literacy, health seeking behaviors, and community spillover effects among refugee adolescents and their households in Uganda based refugees camps.

Methods: A mixed-methods, quasi-experimental pre–post design will be employed. Quantitative data will be collected through structured student surveys at baseline and after 12 months, measuring health literacy levels, knowledge across key public-health domains (WASH, nutrition, SRH, environmental health), and self-reported preventive behaviors. The subsample of caregivers will take part in household surveys to assess secondary diffusion of health messages. Qualitative data will be gathered through focus group discussions with students and teachers, and key-informant interviews (KII) with school administrators, health workers, and community leaders. Data will be analyzed using descriptive statistics, paired comparisons, and thematic analysis guided by the Social Ecological Model.

Results (Expected): We expect significant improvement in students’ health literacy scores (test scores), stronger self-efficacy in health decision-making, and increased adoption of preventive behaviors such as handwashing, mosquito-net use, safe water handling, Open-deification, and early care-seeking. We expect observable household-level behavioral changes driven by student-to-family health communication. Conclusion: This study will provide evidence on the effectiveness of school-based public health education as a strategy to improve health literacy through program evaluation with reduction of mortality and morbidity rate recorded from preventive disease and behaviors in refugee settlement per year. The program will be able to provide project outcomes by measuring students' knowledge and health habit change through pre-and post-surveys giving program outcome to Coburwas International Organization to Transform Africa (CIYOTA), P4T , UNHCR, International Organization for Immigration (IOM), Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), The District Health Office, and global partners commitment to strengthening community health promotion and disease prevention among displaced populations.