Health Promotion Is A Positive Way

Discuss the effectiveness of a range of health promotion strategies in relation to young people (6 marks)

Health Promotion This is the process of allowing people to have more control over their health as this will help improve their health and well-being. It focuses on individual behaviour towards a wide range of social and interventions. Health promotion is how health is shown for example to challenge obesity change 4 life is used so people can have a guidance on how to make their lifestyle healthier. It also shows that health promotion is aimed at individuals whose health is at risk from any diseases from lifestyle factors, which lets individuals take control over their health. By being able to have control over their health it shows individuals what may have happened if nothing was done of it

Alcohol use has spanned history. In fact, there is speculation that alcohol use actually preceded the formation of societies (Doweiko, 2015, p. 30). Thus, alcohol has long been a part of mankind’s life. The function of alcohol has unarguably changed throughout the course of history, as it was first used for nutritional purposes and then later on for religious purposes (Doweiko, 2015, p. 32). Today, alcohol serves a social purpose. In the United States, the prevalence of use is quite high, with just over 50% of the population partaking monthly (Doweiko, 2015, p. 34). This statistic is somewhat alarming considering alcohol use comes with a number of potential adverse consequences. Case in point, even

The purpose of health promotion is to improve the health status of each citizen of the nations. reduce premature death, reduce cost and reducing the risk of health. There are three main category of prevention; Primary, secondary and tertiary.

Definition of Health Promotion is increasing awareness, indentifying alternatives and influencing attitudes of the people, so that they can make an informed decision and change their behaviors to achieve an optimal level of mental, physical and social health. Health promotion is also defined as the process of empowering people to improve and take control of their health to optimize the quality of their lives. Ennis et al (2006) has explained health promotion as emotional, cognitive and behavioral endeavor to promote well being and health of the people. Davis (1995) expresses a deeper perspective in which preventive health science, social environment,

The impacts of health promotion are healthy population and healthy environments. People need to commit themselves in strengthening their learning skills and to change their necessary life styles in order to improve their health.

While Health education and Health promotion have similar aims and objectives, they are both very different concepts. Health education is a tool used to help people develop skills and behaviors that will help them to be able to live healthier lifestyles. Health education helps to increase life expectancy by giving people knowledge on how to prevent certain illnesses and diseases and also helps to reinforce positive attitudes and behaviors towards health. Health promotion is a method use to spread awareness of the importance of health. Usually in the form of advertisements, health promotion aims to get people to try and get control over their health in order to improve it. Health promotion uses different mechanisms in order to promote and support

The World health Organisation says Health promotion is a method using an assortment of social and environmental interventions to support individuals in managing and improving their own health. (WHO, 2016).

Health promotion is a process, which encourages individuals to increase their knowledge through information and individual choice to recognize and improve their health (WHO, 1986).

Alcohol is a very addictive substance and therefore can start to play a larger role in people’s lives. Alcohol is used in many different environments, from intense ranging parties, concerts, festivals, small family get-togethers and even drinking on your own to have a relaxing night after work. Many see no issues in having a casual beer here and there, although when we look at some of the stats we can clearly see that alcohol is causing some major issues in our society. Research estimates a whopping 86 percent of Americans will drink at some point in their lives and 70 percent drink at least once per year. This shows that alcohol is present in many Americans lives, and thus from that starting point an addiction can spawn. It only takes one time for someone to gain an addiction to a substance. Therefore, as it is a legal drug it’s very hard to recognize if someone has an addiction problem. So, why is it important that we stay on the look out for a loved one or friend who may be suffering from alcoholism?

Alcohol dependence is known to be the most severe form of alcohol abuse. A person becomes so dependent on alcohol consumption that he/she loses sight of all the other important things going on around him/her. Family matters and social responsibilities become secondary worries to his/her primary concern for existence, which is drinking (Stephens, 2007). Nearly fourteen million Americans are somewhat dependent on alcohol. Alcohol dependence is more prominent in men, and young adults ages 18-29 (Stephens, 2007). According to a study done by Saitz “85,000 deaths, along with substantial disability from medical and psychiatric consequences, injuries and “secondhand” effects (ex: motor vehicle crashes) are attributed to the use of alcohol” (Saitz, 2005).

The alcoholic beverage has remained an established element to society’s social world and has grown into a way of living. As alcohol continues to flourish in its prevalence among citizens of the United States, so does the concept of alcohol addiction. A person becomes addicted to alcohol when they “drink excessively and develops a dependence that results in noticeable mental disturbance, or an interference with bodily and mental health, their interpersonal relations, and their smooth social and economic functioning” (Calahan, 1970, pp. 3). In 2009, the National Institute on Drug Abuse reported that about 52% of Americans used alcohol at least once within 30 days of their survey. As the percentage of Americans who consume alcohol

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.

In the United States, 17.6 million people – about one in every 12 adults, abuse alcohol or are alcohol dependent. (NIH: National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism, 2012) The Mayo Clinic defines alcoholism as a chronic disease in which your body becomes dependent on alcohol (Mayo Clinic Staff, 2010), and indicates that more than 100,000 Americans die annually from alcohol related causes (Johnson) . Aside from the physical problems that alcohol addiction can create, there are frequently emotional and social complications. Alcoholism is a disease that harms not only the alcoholic, but also the co-workers and family of the alcoholic.

“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.