🧑‍⚕️Public Health Social Sciences Unit 8 – Health Promotion & Disease Prevention

Key Concepts and Definitions

• Health promotion involves enabling people to increase control over and improve their health through various strategies and interventions
• Disease prevention focuses on reducing the risk factors and early detection of specific diseases to minimize their impact on individuals and populations
• Social determinants of health are the conditions in which people are born, grow, live, work, and age that shape their health outcomes (socioeconomic status, education, housing)
• Health equity ensures everyone has a fair opportunity to attain their full health potential without disadvantages caused by social factors
• Health literacy is the ability to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions
• Empowerment in health promotion involves individuals and communities gaining control over the factors that influence their health
• Intersectoral collaboration brings together different sectors (healthcare, education, transportation) to address health issues comprehensively

Historical Context of Health Promotion

• The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986) was a pivotal document that defined health promotion and outlined key action areas
• The Alma-Ata Declaration (1978) emphasized the importance of primary healthcare and community participation in achieving "Health for All"
• The Lalonde Report (1974) introduced the concept of the "health field," which recognized the role of lifestyle, environment, and healthcare in determining health
• The World Health Organization (WHO) has played a significant role in advancing global health promotion efforts since its establishment in 1948
• Health promotion has evolved from a focus on individual behavior change to addressing broader social, economic, and environmental determinants of health
• The Jakarta Declaration (1997) highlighted the importance of partnerships, social responsibility, and health literacy in health promotion
• The Bangkok Charter (2005) recognized the impact of globalization on health and the need for health promotion in all policies

Theoretical Models in Health Promotion

• The Health Belief Model suggests that individuals' health behaviors are influenced by their perceptions of susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers
• The Transtheoretical Model (Stages of Change) proposes that behavior change occurs through five stages: precontemplation, contemplation, preparation, action, and maintenance
• Social Cognitive Theory emphasizes the interaction between personal factors, environmental influences, and behavior in shaping health outcomes
• The Socio-Ecological Model recognizes the multiple levels of influence on health behaviors, from individual to societal factors
  • Individual level: knowledge, attitudes, skills
  • Interpersonal level: family, friends, social networks
  • Organizational level: workplaces, schools, healthcare settings
  • Community level: social norms, resources, partnerships
  • Policy level: laws, regulations, policies
• The Diffusion of Innovations Theory explains how new ideas and practices spread through social networks over time
• Community Organization Models focus on empowering communities to identify and address their own health needs through collective action

Determinants of Health and Disease

• Biological factors such as age, sex, and genetic predisposition can influence an individual's risk for certain health conditions
• Behavioral factors include lifestyle choices (diet, physical activity, substance use) that impact health outcomes
• Social and economic factors (income, education, social support) shape health inequities and access to resources
• Environmental factors (air and water quality, housing, transportation) can have direct and indirect effects on health
• Healthcare access and quality play a crucial role in preventing and managing diseases
• Cultural factors (beliefs, values, practices) influence health behaviors and healthcare utilization
• The complex interplay of these determinants contributes to health disparities among different populations

Health Promotion Strategies and Interventions

• Health education provides individuals with knowledge and skills to make informed decisions about their health
• Social marketing uses commercial marketing techniques to promote health behaviors and social change
• Policy and environmental interventions aim to create supportive environments that make healthy choices easier (smoke-free policies, active transportation infrastructure)
• Community-based participatory research involves collaborating with communities to identify and address their health priorities
• Workplace health promotion programs can improve employee health and productivity while reducing healthcare costs
• School-based interventions target children and adolescents to establish healthy habits early in life
• Tailored interventions consider individuals' unique needs, preferences, and cultural backgrounds to enhance effectiveness

Disease Prevention Approaches

• Primary prevention aims to prevent the onset of disease by reducing risk factors and promoting protective factors (immunizations, healthy lifestyles)
• Secondary prevention focuses on early detection and treatment of diseases to prevent progression and complications (screening tests, early intervention)
• Tertiary prevention seeks to manage and rehabilitate individuals with established diseases to improve quality of life and prevent further disability
• Risk factor modification involves identifying and addressing modifiable risk factors (smoking, obesity, sedentary behavior) to reduce disease risk
• Screening programs help detect diseases in their early stages when treatment is most effective (mammography for breast cancer, colonoscopy for colorectal cancer)
• Immunization programs protect individuals and communities from vaccine-preventable diseases (measles, influenza, HPV)
• Health education and counseling empower individuals to make informed decisions about their health and adopt preventive behaviors

Evaluating Health Promotion Programs

• Process evaluation assesses the implementation and delivery of a program to ensure it is reaching the intended audience and being carried out as planned
• Impact evaluation measures the short-term effects of a program on participants' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors
• Outcome evaluation determines the long-term effectiveness of a program in achieving its goals and improving health outcomes
• Formative evaluation is conducted during program development to inform the design and ensure it meets the needs of the target population
• Summative evaluation is performed at the end of a program to assess its overall success and identify areas for improvement
• Qualitative methods (interviews, focus groups) provide in-depth insights into participants' experiences and perspectives
• Quantitative methods (surveys, clinical measurements) allow for the collection of numerical data to measure program effectiveness

Current Challenges and Future Directions

• Health inequities persist, with disadvantaged populations experiencing poorer health outcomes and limited access to resources
• The rise of non-communicable diseases (cardiovascular diseases, cancers, diabetes) requires a shift in health promotion strategies
• Climate change poses significant threats to human health, necessitating the integration of environmental sustainability into health promotion efforts
• The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted the need for robust public health systems and the importance of health promotion in emergency preparedness and response
• Advances in technology (mobile health, wearable devices) offer new opportunities for personalized health promotion interventions
• The growing recognition of the social determinants of health calls for intersectoral collaboration and policies that address the root causes of health inequities
• Future health promotion efforts must be culturally sensitive, evidence-based, and adaptable to the changing needs of diverse populations