Work

Piloting a data dashboard to support data-informed health promotion in secondary schools: qualitative analysis of stakeholder interviews

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Schools are called upon to use data-informed practice to support student health and well-being. However, they face implementation challenges including data accessibility and literacy. Data dashboards offer a method to address these challenges, thereby promoting data-informed practice. This paper reports on a pilot of The School Health Research Network Data Dashboard with secondary schools. METHODS: The Dashboard was piloted by three secondary schools (recruited by size; free school meal entitlement) in Wales, UK. Interviews with school staff (N = 7) and public health practitioners (N = 6) were conducted. Data were analysed thematically. Research design, including interview questions, analytical interpretation and code, and theme development utilised Complex Adaptive Systems as the conceptual framework. RESULTS: School staff had access to multiple data sets for health promotion but often lacked the time and capacity to utilise them. The Dashboard was perceived to be a user-friendly method of enhancing data accessibility and usability in secondary schools, providing appropriate training and guidance for school staff was available to avoid data misinterpretation. National roll-out of the Dashboard was supported if it aligned with the needs of schools and the wider education system. CONCLUSION: The Dashboard presents an opportunity for data-informed health and well-being practice and could also support schools to meet education system requirements, providing school staff receive appropriate training. This paper offers novel practical, policy-relevant insights on the interaction of digital dashboards with school systems, capacity constraints, and professional learning needs and valuable insights for public health systems seeking to support data-informed practice in educational settings.

Source: BMC Public Health

DOI: 10.1186/s12889-026-26647-3