Required Revisions in the 12th-Grade Health and Hygiene Curriculum: A Qualitative Study Using Conventional Content Analysis

Background. In recent years, a textbook titled Health and Hygiene has been introduced into the 12th-grade curriculum in Iran. The current research has examined the necessary revisions to the 12th-grade health and hygiene curriculum based on teachers' and students' perceptions. Methods. This study employs a qualitative approach and conventional content analysis to examine the perceptions of female teachers and students. Based on this, in 2022, perceptions of 22 teachers and 19 12th-grade students in the provinces of West Azerbaijan and East Azerbaijan were investigated through semi-structured interviews. Participants were selected using purposive sampling. To verify the trustworthiness of the research information, the reliability criterion was applied, using two review methods by 12 participants and a review by four non-participating experts. For data analysis, Graneheim & Lundman’s strategy has been used. Results. From data analysis, 174 codes, three themes, and 26 sub-themes were obtained. The themes extracted from the research are: the need to align the curriculum with different academic fields; the inappropriateness of the 12th grade; the need to adjust the grade levels of the curriculum; and the need to revise the curriculum's goals and content. Conclusion. The 12th-grade health and hygiene curriculum requires fundamental revisions; such revisions can increase its likelihood of achieving its goals.