Determinants of Health and Cancer: Investigating Conceptions of Children Aged 6 to 11

Abstract Context Qualitative data on how children and adolescents view their health and its determinants are relatively few at the international level. This research is therefore part of a comprehensive and open-minded approach to better describe how elementary school children perceive the determinants of health and cancer. Objectives Our main objective is to map, from a multiphase qualitative protocol, the conceptions and systems of conceptions on the determinants of health and cancers perceived within a 6 to 11 age group. The secondary objective is to analyze our ability to collect these healthy conceptions from children. Methodology Four different tools were used in four schools for 320 students: (1) “photo expression”, (2) “QC (Questions / Certainties)”, (3) “photo narration” and (4) “focus group”. This open and exploratory method, combining the use of photographs and focus groups, provided data on the experiences, stated practices and knowledge of each student. The mobilization of image mediation methods plays an essential ethical role by ensuring the distance between the theme and the child. The informative value of data from qualitative collection tools coupled with a mixed analysis methodology (qualitative and quantitative) allows us to collect dense and efficient data needed to understand the perception of determinants by elementary school students. Conclusions This study identifies promising methodological leads thanks to the complementarity of the different phases mobilized. It also provides us with elements of methodological understanding that can contribute to the development of prevention tools as part of the school health education journey. Key messages Map, from a multiphase qualitative protocol, the conceptions and systems of conceptions on the determinants of health and cancers perceived within a 6 to 11 age group. Analyze our ability to collect these healthy conceptions from children.