What is Health Promotion?
The World Health Organisation defines Health Promotion as:
"the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, an individual or group must be able to identify and to realise aspirations, to satisfy needs, and to change or cope with the environment. Health is therefore,seen as a resource for everyday life, not the objective of living. Health is a positive concept emphasising social and personal resources, as well as physical capacities. Therefore health promotion is not just the responsibility of the health sector, but goes beyond healthy lifestyles to wellbeing."
Health promotion means different things to different people. In general, it refers to the range of practices which aim to improve health at an individual or population level. These include activities such as health education, preventive services, community development and advocacy for improving public policy.
Health promotion focuses on improving health, not just reducing disease. Health is viewed as a positive concept encompassing physical, mental and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
Health promotion is an important activity of the Department of Health and Human Services and forms a part of the business of all staff and units within the Department. It involves developing and implementing strategies that address the health and wellbeing of people and communities through prevention, community development, health education, early intervention, media campaigns and primary health care practice.
The Department of Health and Human Services has identified a number of areas where health promotion will enable the people of Tasmania to have more control over their health. Our focus is on strengthening community action, creating supportive environments, building healthy public policy and developing personal skills.
Health Promotion activities are offered through a range of settings and at various levels. These include Community Health Centres, Multi-purpose Centres, hospitals and, through funding arrangements, with the community sector. A number of services and programs are available to members of the community directed at particular health and wellbeing issues. Community participation is an important feature of planning, implementing and evaluating each program, and ensuring sustainability of health promotion activity.
Contact the Health Promotion Coordinator in your area for more information.
How can workers become involved in health promotion?
Health workers, working in the community, or in hospitals, can be involved in health promotion in a range of ways. For example;
- initiate and encourage needs-based planning for health promotion, to ensure that programs and activities are planned which address the identified health issues in the specific communities.
- Involve community and consumer participation in identifying health needs and issues and in the planning and evaluation of health promotion programs.
- Assist individuals and groups to identify their own needs and find solutions to problems.
- initiate and encourage research into the underlying causes of health problems and the contexts in which they have arisen.
- Act as a resource person for community and special need groups.
- Take opportunities as they present to raise public awareness about the links between social, economic and environmental conditions and health.
- Work with community groups to strengthen community action in identifying and promotion health.