Health promotion explained

Health promotion is, as stated in the 1986 World Health Organization (WHO) Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, the "process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health."

Scope

The WHO's 1986 Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion and then the 2005 Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World defines health promotion as "the process of enabling people to increase control over their health and its determinants, and thereby improve their health".[1] Health promotion is a multifaceted approach that goes beyond individual behavior change. It encompasses a wide range of social and environmental interventions aimed at addressing health determinants such as income, housing, food security, employment, and quality working conditions.[2] [3]

It is important to distinguish between health education and health promotion. Health education refers to structured learning activities aimed at improving health literacy, while health promotion encompasses broader social and environmental interventions designed to support healthy behaviors and lifestyles. The World Health Organization distinguishes between these approaches, emphasizing that health promotion involves not only individual behavior change but also efforts to modify social determinants of health.[4]

Health promotion involves public policy that addresses health determinants such as income, housing, food security, employment, and quality working conditions.[5] More recent work has used the term Health in All Policies (HiAP) to refer to the actions that incorporate health into all public policies. Health promotion is aligned with health equity and can be a focus of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) dedicated to social justice or human rights. Health literacy can be developed in schools, while aspects of health promotion such as breastfeeding promotion can depend on laws and rules of public spaces. One of the Ottawa Charter Health Promotion Action items is infusing prevention into all sectors of society, to that end, it is seen in preventive healthcare rather than a treatment and curative care focused medical model.[6]

There is a tendency among some public health officials, governments, and the medical–industrial complex to reduce health promotion to just developing personal skills, also known as health education and social marketing focused on changing behavioral risk factors.[7] However, recent evidence suggests that attitudes about public health policies are less about personal abilities or health messaging than about individuals' philosophical beliefs about morality, politics, and science.[8]

History

This first publication of health promotion is from the 1974 Lalonde report from the Government of Canada,[9] which contained a health promotion strategy "aimed at informing, influencing and assisting both individuals and organizations so that they will accept more responsibility and be more active in matters affecting mental and physical health".[10] Another predecessor of the definition was the 1979 Healthy People report of the Surgeon General of the United States,[9] which noted that health promotion "seeks the development of community and individual measures which can help... [people] to develop lifestyles that can maintain and enhance the state of well-being".[11]

At least two publications led to a "broad empowerment/environmental" definition of health promotion in the mid-1980s:[9]

The "American" definition of health promotion, first promulgated by the American Journal of Health Promotion in the late 1980s, focuses more on the delivery of services with a bio-behavioral approach rather than environmental support using a settings approach. Later the power on the environment over behavior was incorporated. The Health Promotion Glossary 2021 reinforces the international 1986 definition.

The WHO, in collaboration with other organizations, has subsequently co-sponsored international conferences including the 2015 Okanagan Charter on Health Promotion Universities and Colleges.

In November 2019, researchers reported, based on an international study of 27 countries, that caring for families is the main motivator for people worldwide.[15] [16]

Theoretical Frameworks

Health promotion is underpinned by several theoretical frameworks that guide its implementation:

  1. The Health Belief Model: This model focuses on individual perceptions of health threats and the effectiveness of health promoting behaviors.[17]
  2. The Transtheoretical Model: Also known as the Stages of Change model, it describes how individuals move through different stages when modifying health behaviors.
  3. Social Cognitive Theory: This theory emphasizes the interaction between personal factors, environmental influences, and behavior in health promotion.

These frameworks provide a foundation for developing effective health promotion strategies and interventions.

Current models of health promotion include the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, which involves planning health promotion interventions based on social and epidemiological assessments, and the Social Cognitive Theory (Bandura, 1986), which emphasizes self-efficacy and the interaction between individuals and their environments. These frameworks enable health professionals to design interventions targeting behavior change at multiple levels—individual, community, and policy.[18]

Implementation Strategies

Health promotion employs various strategies to achieve its goals:

1.Community-based interventions: These involve engaging local communities in identifying health issues and developing solutions.[19]

2.Policy-level approaches: This includes advocating for and implementing policies that support health, such as tobacco control measures or food labeling regulations.[20]

3.Settings-based approach: This strategy focuses on creating health-promoting environments in specific settings like schools, workplaces, and hospitals.

4.Health literacy initiatives: These aim to improve people's ability to access, understand, and use health information to make informed decisions.

5.Social mobilization: This involves bringing together societal and personal influences to raise awareness, deliver resources, and cultivate sustainable community involvement in health promotion.

Global health promotion efforts, such as WHO's "Health for All" initiative, highlight the increasing role of digital health interventions. For example, mHealth programs in sub-Saharan Africa have demonstrated success in improving vaccination rates.[21] These technologies allow for real-time health education and preventive care to underserved populations.

Evaluation and Effectiveness

Evaluating the effectiveness of health promotion initiatives is crucial for ensuring that resources are used efficiently and that interventions achieve their intended outcomes. However, measuring the impact of health promotion can be challenging due to the complex nature of health determinants and the long-term effects of many interventions.

Evaluation Methods

Health promotion evaluations typically employ a mix of quantitative and qualitative methods:

Challenges in Evaluation

Several factors complicate the evaluation of health promotion initiatives:

  1. Long-term outcomes: Many health benefits may not be apparent for years or even decades after an intervention.
  2. Attribution: It can be difficult to attribute health improvements solely to specific health promotion activities, given the many factors that influence health.
  3. Complexity: Health promotion often involves multiple strategies and targets various determinants of health simultaneously.
  4. Ethical considerations: Randomized controlled trials, often considered the gold standard in medical research, may not always be feasible or ethical in community-based health promotion.[22]

Effectiveness of Health Promotion

Despite these challenges, numerous studies have demonstrated the effectiveness of health promotion interventions:

  1. Tobacco control: Comprehensive tobacco control programs, including public education, smoking bans, and taxation, have been shown to reduce smoking rates and related health problems.[23]
  2. Physical activity: Community-wide campaigns to promote physical activity have been associated with increased physical activity levels and improved health outcomes.[24]
  3. Nutrition: School-based programs promoting healthy eating have demonstrated positive effects on children's dietary habits and body mass index.[25]
  4. Workplace health promotion: A systematic review found that workplace health promotion programs can lead to improvements in employee health behaviors and reduced healthcare costs.[26]

While these examples highlight successful interventions, it's important to note that the effectiveness of health promotion initiatives can vary depending on the context, target population, and implementation quality. Ongoing evaluation and adaptation of health promotion strategies remain essential for maximizing their impact on population health.

Settings-Based Approach

The WHO's settings approach to health promotion, Healthy Settings, looks at the settings as individual systems that link community participation, equity, empowerment, and partnership to actions that promote health. According to the WHO, a setting is "the place or social context in which people engage in daily activities in which environmental, organizational, and personal factors interact to affect health and wellbeing."[27] There are 11 recognized settings in this approach: cities, villages, municipalities and communities, schools, workplaces, markets, homes, islands, hospitals, prisons, and universities.[28]

Health Promoting Hospitals

Health promotion in the hospital setting aims to increase health gain by supporting the health of patients, staff, and the community. This is achieved by integrating health promotion concepts, strategies, and values into the culture and organizational structure of the hospital. Specifically, this means setting up a management structure, involving medical and non-medical staff in health promotion communication, devising action plans for health promotion policies and projects, and measuring and measuring health outcomes and impact for staff, patients, and the community.

The International Network of Health Promoting Hospitals and Health Services is the official, international network for the promotion and dissemination of principles, standards, and recommendations for health promotion in the hospital and health services settings.[29]

Workplace Setting

See main article: Workplace health promotion.

The process of health promotion works in all settings and sectors where people live, work, play and love. A common setting is the workplace. The focus of health on the work site is that of prevention and the intervention that reduces the health risks of the employee. In 1996, the U.S. Public Health Service issued a report titled "Physical Activity and Health: A Report of the Surgeon General" that provided a comprehensive review of the available scientific evidence about the relationship between physical activity and an individual's health status at that time. The report showed that over 60% of Americans were not regularly active and that 25% are not active at all. There is very strong evidence linking physical activity to numerous health improvements. Health promotion can be performed in various locations. Among the settings that have received special attention are the community, health care facilities, schools, and worksites.[30] Worksite health promotion, also known by terms such as "workplace health promotion", has been defined as "the combined efforts of employers, employees and society to improve the health and well-being of people at work".[31] [32] WHO states that the workplace "has been established as one of the priority settings for health promotion into the 21st century" because it influences "physical, mental, economic and social well-being" and "offers an ideal setting and infrastructure to support the promotion of health of a large audience".[33]

Worksite health promotion programs (also called "workplace health promotion programs", "worksite wellness programs", or "workplace wellness programs") include adequate sleep,[34] cooking classes, exercise,[35] nutrition, physical activity,[36] [37] [38] smoking cessation,[39] [40] stress management,[41] and, weight loss.[42]

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), "Regular physical activity is one of the most effective disease prevention behaviors."[43] Physical activity programs reduce feelings of anxiety and depression, reduce obesity (especially when combined with an improved diet), reduce risk of chronic diseases including cardiovascular disease, high blood pressure, and type 2 diabetes; and finally improve stamina, strength, and energy.

Reviews and meta-analyses published between 2005 and 2008 that examined the scientific literature on worksite health promotion programs include the following:

A study conducted by the World Health Organization and the International Labour Organization found that exposure to long working hours is the occupational risk factor with the largest attributable burden of disease, i.e. an estimated 745,000 fatalities from ischemic heart disease and stroke events in 2016.[50] This landmark study established a new global policy argument and agenda for health promotion on psychosocial risk factors (including psychosocial stress) in the workplace setting.

See also

Further reading

External links

Notes and References

  1. Participants at the 1st Global Conference on Health Promotion in Ottawa, Canada, Geneva, Switzerland: World Health Organization, 1986. Retrieved September 15, 2021.
  2. Web site: Health promotion . 2024-10-24 . www.who.int . en.
  3. Mittelmark, M.B., & Tones, K. (2017). Health Promotion. In International Encyclopedia of Public Health (Second Edition). Elsevier.
  4. Locke . Edwin A. . January 1987 . Social Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social-Cognitive ViewSocial Foundations of Thought and Action: A Social-Cognitive View, by Bandura Albert. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice-Hall, 1986, 617 pp., cloth. . Academy of Management Review . 12 . 1 . 169–171 . 10.5465/amr.1987.4306538 . 0363-7425.
  5. Web site: Social Determinants of Health - Healthy People 2030 health.gov . November 18, 2022 . health.gov.
  6. Web site: November 17–21, 1986 . Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion: An International Conference on Health Promotion . October 28, 2023 . Public Health Agency of Canada.
  7. Book: Bunton R, Macdonald G . Health promotion: disciplines, diversity, and developments . Routledge . 2002 . 978-0-415-23569-3 . 2nd.
  8. Byrd. Nick. Białek. Michał. 2021. Your Health vs. My Liberty: Philosophical beliefs dominated reflection and identifiable victim effects when predicting public health recommendation compliance during the COVID-19 pandemic. Cognition. en. 212. 104649. 10.1016/j.cognition.2021.104649. 33756152. 8599940. free.
  9. Minkler M . Health education, health promotion and the open society: an historical perspective . Health Educ Q . 16 . 1 . 17–30 . Spring 1989 . 2649456 . 10.1177/109019818901600105 . 10410928 .
  10. Lalonde M. A new perspective on the health of Canadians. A working document. Ottawa: Government of Canada, 1974.
  11. http://profiles.nlm.nih.gov/NN/B/B/G/K/_/nnbbgk.pdf Healthy people: the Surgeon General's report on health promotion and disease prevention.
  12. May 1986. A discussion document on the concept and principles of health promotion. Health Promot. 1. 1. 73–6. 10.1093/heapro/1.1.73. 10286854.
  13. Epp J. 1986. Achieving health for all. A framework for health promotion. Health Promot. 1. 4. 419–28. 10.1093/heapro/1.4.419. 10302169.
  14. https://www.who.int/healthpromotion/conferences/previous/ottawa/en/index.html The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion. First International Conference on Health Promotion, Ottawa, 21 November 1986.
  15. News: Arizona State University . Caring for family is what motivates people worldwide - International study including 27 countries shows people prioritize loved ones over everything else . November 26, 2019 . . November 30, 2019 . Arizona State University .
  16. Ko, Ahra . et al. . Family Matters: Rethinking the Psychology of Human Social Motivation . Perspectives on Psychological Science . 2020 . 15 . 1 . 173–201 . 10.1177/1745691619872986 . 31791196 . 208611389 . November 30, 2019 . free .
  17. Web site: Health Promotion - an overview ScienceDirect Topics . 2024-10-24 . www.sciencedirect.com.
  18. Web site: Social Cognitive Theory Model - Rural Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Toolkit . 2024-10-24 . www.ruralhealthinfo.org . en.
  19. Web site: Health promotion . 2024-10-24 . www.who.int . en.
  20. Web site: Health Promotion . 2024-10-24 . www.who.int . en.
  21. Bandura . Albert . July 1998 . Health promotion from the perspective of social cognitive theory . Psychology & Health . en . 13 . 4 . 623–649 . 10.1080/08870449808407422 . 0887-0446.
  22. Jama . Asha . Ali . Mona . Lindstrand . Ann . Butler . Robb . Kulane . Asli . 2018-11-01 . Perspectives on the Measles, Mumps and Rubella Vaccination among Somali Mothers in Stockholm . International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health . 15 . 11 . 2428 . 10.3390/ijerph15112428 . free . 30388799 . 6265853 . 1660-4601.
  23. Levy . David T. . Tam . Jamie . Kuo . Charlene . Fong . Geoffrey T. . Chaloupka . Frank . September 2018 . The Impact of Implementing Tobacco Control Policies: The 2017 Tobacco Control Policy Scorecard . Journal of Public Health Management and Practice . 24 . 5 . 448–457 . 10.1097/phh.0000000000000780 . 29346189 . 1078-4659. 6050159 .
  24. Heath . Gregory W . Parra . Diana C . Sarmiento . Olga L . Andersen . Lars Bo . Owen . Neville . Goenka . Shifalika . Montes . Felipe . Brownson . Ross C . July 2012 . Evidence-based intervention in physical activity: lessons from around the world . The Lancet . 380 . 9838 . 272–281 . 10.1016/s0140-6736(12)60816-2 . 22818939 . 4978123 . 0140-6736.
  25. Wang . Y. . Cai . L. . Wu . Y. . Wilson . R. F. . Weston . C. . Fawole . O. . Bleich . S. N. . Cheskin . L. J. . Showell . N. N. . Lau . B. D. . Chiu . D. T. . Zhang . A. . Segal . J. . 2015-04-20 . What childhood obesity prevention programmes work? A systematic review and meta-analysis . Obesity Reviews . 16 . 7 . 547–565 . 10.1111/obr.12277 . 25893796 . 4561621 . 1467-7881.
  26. Baicker . Katherine . Cutler . David . Song . Zirui . February 2010 . Workplace Wellness Programs Can Generate Savings . Health Affairs . 29 . 2 . 304–311 . 10.1377/hlthaff.2009.0626 . 20075081 . 0278-2715.
  27. Web site: WHO The WHO Health Promotion Glossary. https://web.archive.org/web/20220120095259/https://www.who.int/healthpromotion/HPG/en/. dead. January 20, 2022. August 11, 2020. WHO.
  28. Web site: October 28, 2023 . Healthy settings . October 28, 2023 . World Health Organization (WHO) Health Promotion.
  29. Web site: About us . October 28, 2023 . HPH . en-US.
  30. Book: Tones K, Tilford S . Health promotion: effectiveness, efficiency and equity . Nelson Thornes . Cheltenham UK . 2001 . 978-0-7487-4527-2 . 3rd.
  31. European Network for Workplace Health Promotion. Workplace health promotion. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
  32. World Health Organization. Workplace health promotion. Benefits. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
  33. World Health Organization. Workplace health promotion. The workplace: a priority setting for health promotion. Retrieved February 4, 2009.
  34. Byrne . Daniel W. . Rolando . Lori A. . Aliyu . Muktar H. . McGown . Paula W. . Connor . Lisa R. . Awalt . Bradley M. . Holmes . Marilyn C. . Wang . Li . Yarbrough . Mary I. . 2016 . Modifiable Healthy Lifestyle Behaviors: 10-Year Health Outcomes From a Health Promotion Program . American Journal of Preventive Medicine . 51 . 6 . 1027–1037 . 10.1016/j.amepre.2016.09.012 . 1873-2607 . 27866595.
  35. González-Dominguez . María Eugenia . Romero-Sánchez . José Manuel . Ares-Camerino . Antonio . Marchena-Aparicio . Jose Carlos . Flores-Muñoz . Manuel . Infantes-Guzmán . Inés . León-Asuero . José Manuel . Casals-Martín . Fernando . 2017 . A Million Steps: Developing a Health Promotion Program at the Workplace to Enhance Physical Activity . Workplace Health & Safety . 65 . 11 . 512–516 . 10.1177/2165079917705146 . 2165-0969 . 28719762. 43473795 . free .
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  42. Walker . Louise . Smith . Natalie . Delon . Christine . 2021 . Weight loss, hypertension and mental well-being improvements during COVID-19 with a multicomponent health promotion programme on Zoom: a service evaluation in primary care . BMJ Nutrition, Prevention & Health . 4 . 1 . 102–110 . 10.1136/bmjnph-2020-000219 . 2516-5542 . 7887868 . 34308117.
  43. Web site: CDC - Workplace Health - Implementation - Physical Activity. www.cdc.gov. September 27, 2015. Centers for Disease Control and. Prevention. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20151017051030/http://www.cdc.gov/workplacehealthpromotion/implementation/topics/physical-activity.html. October 17, 2015.
  44. Engbers LH, van Poppel MN, Chin A, Paw MJ, van Mechelen W . Worksite health promotion programs with environmental changes: a systematic review . Am J Prev Med . 29 . 1 . 61–70 . July 2005 . 15958254 . 10.1016/j.amepre.2005.03.001 .
  45. Pelletier KR . A review and analysis of the clinical and cost-effectiveness studies of comprehensive health promotion and disease management programs at the worksite: update VI 2000–2004 . J. Occup. Environ. Med. . 47 . 10 . 1051–8 . October 2005 . 16217246 . 10.1097/01.jom.0000174303.85442.bf. 30828898 .
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  50. Pega . Frank . Nafradi . Balint. Momen . Natalie . Ujita . Yuka . Streicher . Kai . Prüss-Üstün . Annette . Technical Advisory Group . Global, regional, and national burdens of ischemic heart disease and stroke attributable to exposure to long working hours for 194 countries, 2000–2016: A systematic analysis from the WHO/ILO Joint Estimates of the Work-related Burden of Disease and Injury . Environment International . 2021 . 154 . 106595 . 10.1016/j.envint.2021.106595 . 8204267 . 34011457 . free . 2021EnInt.15406595P .