Syllabus Content Health promotion approaches and strategies lifestyle/behavioural approaches eg. quit smoking programs, health education Preventative medical approaches eg. childhood immunisation, cancer screening Public health approaches eg. health-promoting schools and workplaces

Health Promotion Approaches and Strategies Health promotion is aimed at improving the health of an individual or community or changing behaviour that may have a negative influence on health. Health promotion approaches and strategies range from individually focused interventions (such as posters providing positive health messages) through to the development of a national health promoting policy (such as the National Mental Health Strategy). The approaches include: Lifestyle and behavioural approaches Preventative medical approaches Public health approaches

Lifestyle/Behavioural Approaches A lifestyle approach to health promotion aims to reduce or prevent the incidence of risk behaviours that contribute to poor health It is based on the premise that the major causes of morbidity and mortality within Australia are diseases resulting in poor lifestyle choices.

This approach is directed at improving risk factors related to individual behaviour such as poor eating habits, physical inactivity, smoking, unsafe sexual activity and drug and alcohol abuse. Health education programs, social marketing campaigns, the promotion of self-help or self-care practices and public policies are strategies that are commonly used.

Lifestyle/Behavioural Approaches (cont.) Example of health promotion programs that work within this model include: Web based services such as Reach Out! That seek to enhance health knowledge and skill to support and improve mental health and wellbeing Physical activity initiatives targeting school aged children that aim to increase levels of regular physical activity and reduce sedentary behaviours

Quit smoking campaigns and strategies to encourage people to stop smoking or remain smoke free Road safety campaigns that challenge peoples attitudes towards unsafe driving behaviours such as speeding

Harm Minimisation v Zero Tolerance Harm minimisation is a policy that focuses on reducing drug use by interrupting the supply of drugs and alcohol; reducing the demand for drugs or alcohol; and applying a range of strategies that lower the possibility of drug related harm. Drug use is viewed as an issue that is health related rather than a legal or criminal issue. This policy assumes that drug use will never be eradicated, and so it doesn’t make sense to assume it can and ignore the facts about the harms done as a result of the drug use.

Harm Minimisation v Zero Tolerance A zero tolerance policy, on the other hand, views drug and alcohol abuse as a criminal and legal issue. The assumption of the zero tolerance policy is that it is not the primary job of government to reduce harms and instead promotes a policy of abstinence rather than tolerance. Penalties for drug and alcohol abuse can be swift and severe.

Harm Minimisation v Zero Tolerance

Lifestyle/Behavioural Approaches (cont.) DISCUSSION Harm Minimisation Approach vs Zero Tolerance Approach. Both of these are included in the lifestyle/behavioural approaches to health promotion approaches and strategies.

Preventative Medical Approaches Preventative medical approaches are those that use medical treatments or interventions to promote health. It is a more traditional approach to health promotion. This approach is directed at improving the physiological risk factors, that is those relating to the way living things function, such as high blood pressure, abnormal cell production or lack of immunisation.

Preventative Medical Approaches (cont.) Health promoting action used in preventative medical approaches commonly occurs in a series of stages: primary, secondary and tertiary prevention. Primary prevention- preventing initial occurrence of an illness, such as through childhood immunisation programs. Secondary Prevention- stopping or slowing an existing illness, such as provision of cervical screening services Tertiary prevention- reducing the re-occurrence and establishment of chronic illness, such as provision of effective rehabilitation services.

Public Health Approaches The public health approach to health promotion involves establishing programs, policies and services that create environments that support health. Public health approaches are a more recent trend in health promotion. They have been significantly influenced by the WHO’s policies and philosophies. Public health approaches aim to provide the maximum benefit for the largest number of people. They are concerned with preventing disease and injury form occurring or reoccurring, promotion of health, and returning health to populations and communities following natural or man-made disasters.

Public Health Approaches (cont.) The key steps in public health approach include: Defining and monitoring the extent of the problem Identifying the cause of the problem Formulating and testing ways of dealing with the problem Applying widely the measures that are found to work Settings for health promotion to reach a large number of people include schools and the workplace

Public Health Approaches (cont.) Health Promoting Schools A health promoting school is one that operates in a way that demonstrates a whole-school commitment to improving and protecting the health and wellbeing of the school community. The 3 components of the health promoting school framework are: curriculum, teaching and learning what is taught and learnt and how it is taught and learnt School organisation, ethos and environment how the school ‘feels’ eg. safe, fun, stimulating Partnerships and services partnerships formed with the wider community and with the families of the students.

Public Health Approaches (cont.) Health Promoting Workplace The workplace influences the physical, social, mental and economic wellbeing of workers and, in turn, the health of their families, communities and society. Workplace promotion includes activities and strategies that are designed to improve the health of workers and the community. It includes programs such as occupational health and safety.

Health Promotion Campaigns For each campaign identify the health promotion message and what it is trying to prevent. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FzA47J7QsVk http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=en dscreen&v=BpZRxo3EWAc http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fv wp&v=bZ2EKswyTao http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFWM97GelPc http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yb_unTC6DDQ http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S27xs2Nccic&f eature=relmfu http://www.youtube.com/watch?NR=1&feature=fv wp&v=3jftfU30xJg