Stoptober Public Health Essay

The definition for public health is “the art and science dealing with the protection and improvement of community health by organised community effort and including preventive medicine and sanitary and social science” (Merriam-Webster, 2004). In simpler terms, it is a structured effort in enhancing, advertising and maintaining health standards throughout the community. Examples of public health service include monitoring and analysing current health status and promoting health.

PHE is a department in the government that works closely with the Department of Health (DH), the National Health Service (NHS) and regional authorities. The institution is not only responsible for raising discussions about general health and providing their expertise

The brand’s label, ‘Stoptober’ can be interpreted as a combination of the word “Stop” and “October”. The portmanteau resembles the name of another high-profile event ‘Movember’ and would benefit from the popularity and effectively that the Movember campaign has (Siemens D.R., 2012). Other psychological approaches were also incorporated into the scheme. By limiting the campaign to just 28 days and generalising the idea of participation, Stoptober lowers smokers’ cognitive barriers to quit smoking (Fenton, 2016). SMART is another psychological principle that assists people in accomplishing laborious behavioural goals (Brown et al., 2014). SMART stands for specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound (Fitch & Steinke, 2011). By establishing a SMART goal, ‘Stoptober’ introduces an achievable and realistic objective to its audience (Brown et al., 2014). The ambition is explicit and was given a specific time frame (Brown et al., 2014). PRIME, which is stands for plans, responses, impulses, motives and evaluations, is the final psychological principle that Stoptober refers to (Brown et al., 2014). The hypothesis claims one’s manner of conducting oneself changes from moment to moment (Brown & West, 2013). Hence, a constant style of behaviour requires a well-balanced mental stimulus (Brown & West, 2013). In the context of ‘Stoptober’, the program focuses on the entire motivational system in supporting its participants (Brown et al., 2014). By offering an array of resources to smokers, the campaign desire to reduce the motivational forces that urges smoking (Brown et al., 2014). A support pack via post, peer support on social network and digital tools provided on an official site are all examples of the range of support the campaign offers (Public Health England,