Health Promotion Setting Analysis

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

WHO’s definition of a ‘setting’ in the context of Health Promotion is ‘the place or social context in which people engage in daily activities in which environmental, organisational and personal factors interact to affect health and wellbeing’ (WHO, 1998). The core concept of the approach is dictated in the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, 1986. It involves initiating and maintaining a ‘supportive environment for health’ (WHO, 1986) and supports broader efforts of health promotion interventions, incorporating multiple determinants of health at a time. The SBA to HP values public participation, supportive social networks, empowerment, community, and health awareness. This approach aims to achieve positive health outcomes by embedding a health promoting concept into the organisational structure of a central setting such as a school, workplace or prison. It acknowledges a key connection between environment and wellbeing and works to achieve a more sustainable and long-term

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.”

|1.1 Analyse reasons why it may be necessary to raise awareness of health issues? |

The biggest social/cultural factor that affects my population would be its socioeconomic status. In being one of the poorest cities in Michigan, Flint’s water crisis with lead poisoning has had a tremendous affect on its children.

Equality in everything, including health issues, has to be the main feature of the modern world. National health programs of the US operate to ensure adequate and timely treatment of all citizens. Nevertheless, health indicators of some racial and ethnic groups are significantly worse than of the white Americans. It applies to the Hispanic Americans and significantly affects their lives. The current health status of this minority is far from satisfactory and needs improvements through existing programs and the development of new approaches to address

An approach helps the promoter to make decisions on how they will approach the clients in giving the information needed for that certain approach (Naidoo & Wills, 2004). An approach will “determine the diversity in concept of health, influence of health and ways of measuring health lead” (Naidoo & Wills, 2004). Each approaches have different aims, methods and means of evaluation as well as different objectives on preventing diseases (Ewles & Simnet, 2003), ensuring the people or clients are well informed and are able to make their own health choice, help the client to acquire their own skill and confidence to “take greater control over their health” (Naidoo & Wills, 2004) and to be able to change policies and environments in order to facilitate healthy choices (Naidoo & Wills, 2004).

It is interesting that regardless of the vast amount of resources the USA has, there is an important number of people that are not in the proper state of health that they should be in. The purpose of using social determinants is to create the optimal social/physical environment that will contribute and allow individuals to enjoy a healthier lifestyle, and thus become healthier. ("Social Determinants of Health - Healthy People", n.d., p. 01) When we consider the particulars of social determinants of health are, we

Describe the population demographics and health issues based on national, state, and/or local data (use sources below)

The World Health Organisation (WHO) identified that health promotion was a way of equipping people to have more power enabling them to make choices in regard to improving their well-being (WHO 1986). Ewles and Simnett (2003) determine from this, that the fundamental elements of health promotion

Assess the role of the family, community, organizations and international community in in improving public health

The three health promotion approaches individual, community or organisational and public policy and practice can all be applied in a health promotion setting.

On individual level changes in health promotion and ecological approaches target and influence multiple health behaviors. This is because the individuals living in the environment are embedded in temporary change of behaviors. Therefore it is very important to consider ecological approaches, changing health behaviors and environmental factors while designing operational and supportable health promotion plans.

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.