Community Based Health Promotion Programs

The concept of health promotion has emerged with the increasing realisation in society that our health is one of our most valuable personal assets, as well as an asset for society (Crafter, 1997). The Health Promotion Agency (2008) describes health promotion as a process enabling people to

Current attitudes towards health promotion in young people are significantly understood by the importance of the determinates of health such as income, level of education, cultural beliefs, geographic location and employment. For an effective long term outcome on health promotion it involves several approaches to bring about this change. This includes lifestyle and behavioural approaches, public health approaches and preventative medical approaches.

Hispanics are the largest and fastest growing ethnic minority group, estimated to be 54 million living in the United States of America. (Office of Minority Health and Health Equity). They work very hard to make both ends meet and also to stay in good health. They are relatively as a source of cheap labor in the American labor market This paper will dwell more on the Hispanic current Health status, how health promotion is described by the group and what health disparities exists for this group.

The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, 1986, defined Health Promotion as being ‘the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health’. There are three key approaches to HP. The first one looks at population subgroups. It is well documented that not all cultures view health as a prime goal. For example, an addict will chose to facilitate his habit over basic sanitary and physical necessities. The ‘population subgroup’ approach looks to focus on targeted solutions for smaller groups

The purpose of this paper is to discuss the health status of the American Indian/ Alaskan Native (AI/AN). A comparison and contrast of AI/ANs with the national average regarding the health status such as heart disease and strokes will be presented. Multifactorial barriers limiting health, and the overall factors affecting health within this population are identified. Current health status will be presented including health promotion and disparities among this US population. Primary, secondary, and tertiary health promotions will be discussed along with one approach to promoting health offered.

The World Health Organization (WHO) defined health promotion as “The process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. It moves beyond a focus on individual behavior towards a wide range of social and environmental interventions.”

There are some challenges, as well, in implementing health promotion programs that use the social ecological framework. One main challenge is that programs are expensive and complex to implement in certain community settings. Also, there needs to be close coordination and collaboration between individuals and groups. In the article by Wagemakers et al., the authors developed a framework that links the domains of social environment and health, with key health predicting mediators, and operational variables of participation and collaboration (6). They based this framework on experience in case studies, audits of community health programs in the Netherlands, and ideas found in the literature. The authors offer four key guidelines on how to apply the framework that can help increase community participation and collaboration. These guidelines are: use the variables as a menu, set specific aims for social change processes, use an action research approach and triangulate data. This framework can be used to evaluate the effectiveness of community health promotion designs and address the challenges faced in implementing new programs.

Health promotion is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the process which helps people take control over the determining factors of their health which in turn will help to improve their health. With multiple determining factors of health, health promotion means working between the community and health care professionals to effectively educating the Hispanics (Journal of Cultural Diversity, 2012). “Health promotion is carried out by and with people, not on or to people” (Journal of Cultural Diversity, 2012). We as educators must have respect and not discriminate against the Hispanic population but work with them to teach them how to live healthier lives. Healthy People 2020 states that it is their dream to have a culture where all people live long, healthy lives. Health promotion means addressing the health disparities of the Hispanics so they can experience positive health

“Strengthen community action”- The purpose of the health promotion program is to empower the local people to initiate on taking control over the social events which influence their lives and health (Rootman, 2001) Program design provides the sense of empowerment-based when the community members are involving in from planning to evaluation stage (Laverack & Labonte,

The Community Guide (TCG) is a website offering a plethora of resources useful to community health workers (Truman, Smith-Akin, Hinman, et al., 2000). It is one place in which professionals may seek information on which interventions do and do not work. The literature provided is valid and backed by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other supporting organizations, agencies, and researchers. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (DHHS) established this resource, also known as The Community Preventive Services Task Force, in 1996. As mentioned above, the original goal was to simply provide communities with interventions for disease prevention and health promote on in regards to what does and does not

The elderly have multiple health problems and struggle to stay healthy and able to care for their own needs. The elderly in the rural areas tend to have a number of needs that may be compounded because of their choice of dwellings. The rural person may need to seek health care in different nearby cities, or may find some health care providers in their own local communities. Many elderly or older adults would benefit from a health promotion plan that would focus on the needs of this age group. The components that this plan would focus on includes physical activity, proper nutrition, and coping with mental stressors. While all older adults could potential benefit from this plan, this plan will be offered primarily in rural communities in order

At the community/organisational level of health promotion is based on the Ottawa charter action area of ‘strengthen community action’ it increases access to health information, community involvement in health initiatives whilst empowering the community to make their own choices. (Who.int, 2016) An example of this can be displayed through the St George Illawarra Dragons community

Although the majority of our results were not statistically significant, there is public health evidence for participation in health promotion lifestyle behaviors and better heart health related outcomes. Health promotion literature, in general, provides evidence for health promoting lifestyle measures leading to better cardiovascular and metabolic outcomes.42,68–70,71 Research shows that illness cognition and recognition of risks associated with heart disease in general can influence changes in lifestyle related behaviors.72,73 South Asian and European participants in a U.K. based study on illness beliefs, associated causal attributions and lifestyle change, reported that a diagnosis or recognition of CHD would push them to adopt a healthier lifestyle.74 In patients with coronary symptoms and related diagnoses, changes in lifestyle are shown to increase if illness is perceived as caused by risk factors associated with a certain lifestyle, and if those factors are perceived as controllable.75,76 Studies also point to changes in behavior led by motivation and facilitation provided by peers and family members in the management of a chronic illness.77–80

Health promotion aims a wide range of targets at different levels in the community. The huge benefits resulted from health promotion and disease prevention efforts make many realize that this domain of health care is worth to be invested in. The focus is shifted evermore from the medical to the preventative approach, from treating the disease to avoiding the onset of it.

“The major goals of health promotion are to help people of all ages stay healthy, optimize health in cases of chronic disease or disability, and create healthy environments” (Pender et al., 2015). This health promotion project is designed to identify and reduce the risk factors associated with several illnesses and disease processes. This project will focus on changing lifestyle behaviors and providing up to date education for the patient to make the best informed decision regarding her environment, health behaviors, and developing a support system with her primary care physician.