[Health education in the prevention of ischemic heart disease in school children: feasibility study].

A feasibility study of health education was undertaken among the pupils of a primary school in order to: 1) investigate the level of participation of children and teachers to the program; 2) test the efficacy of the program itself; 3) determine whether the children can modify family's behavioral patterns of the family components. Seventy-two children, belonging to different socio-economic classes, were studied. Children were given a questionnaire at the beginning and the end of the programme course, which was held by previously trained teachers. The participation of children and teachers to the program was very satisfactory. On the contrary very low involvement of the parents was achieved. This experience emphasizes the difficulties that arise when interventions to modify adult people's life style are attempted. On the contrary, a standardized education program, to last a whole school year, could be a feasible useful and costless type of intervention not only for the primary prevention of coronary artery disease, but for any program of extensive health care.