Syllabus Content What is health promotion?

What is Health Promotion Health promotion aims to increase awareness of hypokinetic diseases in an attempt to empower individuals to make positive lifestyle changes. It is able to deliver awareness through a range of mediums such as EDUCATION, SCIENCE and through health promotion CAMPAIGNS that are advertised through the media.

What is Health Promotion (cont.)

Syllabus Content Responsibility for health promotion Individuals Community groups/schools Non-government organisations Government International organisations eg. WHO, United Nations

Responsibility for Health Care A wide range of people and groups are responsible for promoting health. These include: Individuals Community groups and schools Non-government organisations Various levels of government International organisations

For health promotion to be effective there needs to be INTERSECTORAL COLLABORATION (forming partnerships) between organisations, schools, cooperation of professional personnel, etc. to instigate positive health outcomes A coordinated approach by all people and organisations involved is needed to successfully plan, develop and deliver initiatives that address identified areas of concern.

Individuals Individuals play a key role in promoting their own health, because personal behaviour is the major determining factor of health status. For health promotion to be effective, individuals need to be empowered. Individual empowerment refers to an individuals ability to make decisions about, or have personal control over their life.

Health promotion includes and encourages individual responsibility and action. Individuals can take advantage of health professions (GPs, dieticians, counsellors, dentists, health workers and community nurses) to improve their lifestyle.

Community Groups and Schools Community health programs may have targets on varying scales. They may be directed at individuals, local communities, states or the entire country. Health information is provided to the general public through mass media. Journalists have an influential role in delivering health information.

Architects, engineers and urban planners also contribute to health through they way they plan and build houses and urban infrastructure, such as roads and bridges. They health determine the structure of the environment in which people live, work and play.

Community Groups and Schools (cont.) Health education and personal development are important parts of the school curriculum, and teachers play a key role in their delivery. Schools also implement health-promoting policies, such as using sun protection in the playground, banning smoking on school grounds and providing healthy food choices in canteens.

Schools have an important role in health promotion as they are the sites where health knowledge is gained, healthy behaviour is encouraged and health skills developed.

Non-government Organisations (NGOs) NGOs are non-profit making organisations that operate at local, national and international levels. NGOs focus on specific disease or health issues. They are funded by a variety of sources, including public donations, fundraising and government grants. Examples of NGOs are The Heart Foundation, Jump Rope for Heart, Cancer Council and Asthma Foundation, Headspace and Youthsafe.

Governments work closely with NGOs to improve the quality and availability of human and financial resources directed at health promotion. NGOs are not controlled by governments and their work is not controlled or limited by government policy.

Government All levels of government- local, state and federal- have to play a key role in health promotion. Local Government Local government has significant responsibilities for health promotion as its decisions and policies affect a number of the determinants of health. It is responsible for many aspects of community living, including environmental and land use planning, recreational facilities, community development, environmental and heritage conservation, home care, child care and community transport. It is also responsible for waste management and food safety. Each of these areas of responsibility makes a substantial contribution to the health and wellbeing of the community.

Government (cont.) State Government State governments are responsible for supervision of health protection functions, such as food safety, environmental health and use of drugs and poisons. It is also responsible for disease prevention and control, which involves health education, immunisation, refugee screening and cancer screening. State governments also have an important role in determining the strategic direction of health promotion, such as in the areas of nutrition, physical activity, women’s health, injury prevention, and tobacco, alcohol and other drug use.

Commonwealth Government Government (cont.) Commonwealth Government At the federal level, the Commonwealth Government is responsible for how well the health system serves the needs of the people, health financing, policies and program implementation. Specialist agencies have been set up at the federal level to regulate and monitor health. They include Food Standards Australia New Zealand.

International Organisations To assist and guide countries in achieving the best health for their citizens, a number of international health organisations have been established. The United Nations, World Health Organization and United Nations Children’s Fund are three such organisations. All three bodies are involved in promoting global health.

The United Nations (UN) maintains international peace and security; develops friendly relations between countries based on respect for the principle of equal rights and self-determination of peoples; cooperates in solving international economic, social, cultural and humanitarian problems; and promotes respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms.

International Organisations (cont.) Within the UN are administrative bodies that play a key role in health promotion, including the WHO and United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF). WHO is the directing and coordinating authority on international health within the UN.

WHO experts produce guidelines and standards and help countries to address public health issues. It also supports and promotes health research. Through WHO, governments can work together to address global health problems and improve people’s wellbeing, eg. polio free India.

Activities/Questions Create a mind map on the Responsibility for Health Promotion. Describe the role and responsibility of community groups/schools in health promotion