8. Health promotion – definition and basic principles.
Covers the WHO definition of health promotion as a process of enabling people to improve their health through self-regulation and healthy behaviour, with its priorities of equality and better quality of life. It then gives the share attributed to lifestyle, environment, heredity and medical services, distinguishes health education and prevention from promotion, and summarises the five action areas of the 1986 Ottawa Charter.
Inside: 5 sections · 6 flashcards · 2 min
Topic 8 of 38 in the MU Sofia syllabus for Dental Public Health (Dental Medicine, Year 3). The free AceMed note covers it in 5 sections, about 350 words (2 min of reading), with 6 flashcards.
In this note
Health Promotion. Definition & Basic Principles
Health Promotion
Health Education
Prevention
Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986)
Health Promotion. Definition & Basic Principles
Main instrument: Health behaviour
Health Promotion
Definition
WHO (1980s): Health promotion is the process of creating opportunities for people to improve their health through self-regulation and healthy behaviour.
It aims not only to prevent disease but also to strengthen, enhance and improve health.
Main priorities
Equality – reducing differences in health status between population groups.
Improving health – adding years to life and life to years (better quality of life).
Factors influencing health
Lifestyle – 48–52%
Climate & geographical factors – 20–22%
Heredity – 18–20%
Medical services – about 10%
Therefore, health promotion focuses mainly on behaviour and lifestyle change, not only medical treatment.
Health Education
Definition
Health education is a pedagogical process that provides knowledge, develops skills and forms healthy habits and behaviour.
Components
Cognitive component – knowledge, beliefs, values.
Behavioural component – practical skills and habits.
Factors influencing health education
Personality – culture, education, morals, values.
Social environment – family, friends, colleagues.
Physical environment – living conditions, environmental hazards.
