Implementation factors of the school-based prevention system Weitblick

Background

Schools are a key setting for prevention and health promotion, as they provide low-threshold access to diverse social groups. The school-based prevention system Weitblick is a phase-based framework enabling schools to assess needs, select evidence-based measures, implement them, and monitor progress. The success of such approaches depends on school- and community-related contextual factors.

Research Question

Which school- and community-related factors are associated with dropout and implementation status within Weitblick? To what extent do participating schools differ from national reference values?

Methods

Cross-sectional data from a school principal survey (January 2023–January 2026) within the Weitblick study were analyzed (n = 74 schools; 16 primary, 58 secondary). Community-level characteristics (urbanity, socioeconomic status via GISD) and school-level characteristics (school type, proportion of students with a migration background, special educational needs, uptake of education and participation benefits, perceived school reputation) were examined. Reference data came from INKAR and official statistics. In addition to descriptive analyses, bivariate inferential methods were applied.

Results

Participating schools showed higher deprivation than the national average (M = 0.57 vs. 0.51, p < .001) and were more often in urban areas (55%). Participation was significantly associated with urbanity and GISD. Schools in rural regions had higher dropout rates (38% vs. 12%, p = .040). More advanced implementation phases were more frequent in schools in more deprived regions (median GISD: .61 vs. .55, p = .019).

Discussion

Findings suggest needs-based uptake. At the same time, higher dropout in rural areas indicates implementation barriers, highlighting the importance of context-sensitive strategies.

Key messages

• Participation in Weitblick is higher among urban and socioeconomically deprived schools, indicating a needs-based uptake of school-based prevention.

• Higher dropout rates in rural schools suggest implementation barriers, highlighting the need for targeted, context-sensitive support strategies.