The well-being of communities is dependent on effective public health practice. In this assignment I will consider the above statement by looking at wellbeing, public health practice, epidemiology, and public health goals and their application. Using theory I will also suggest why public health practice is not always as effective in practice as it is in policy. Public health can be broadly defined as protecting the health of the population and addressing health promotion and disease prevention. However we are now in the fifth wave of public health and the issues of obesity, inequality, loss of wellbeing, population growth, and environmental challenge require our attention. (Hanlon 2010) Achievement of wellbeing is seen as a measure for quality of life and the Prime Minister asked the Office of National Statistics (ONS) to measure the nation’s wellbeing (Cameron, 2010). The ONS attempted to comprehensively assess wellbeing and predictably the outcome of the ONS ‘wheel of measures’ spins on the pivotal quality issues of health, family bonds, employment, financial security, training, and environmental factors (Powell 2014). These ‘determinants of health’ affect a person’s wellbeing, their health and how they function in a community. (Dahlgon and Whitely 2001, Barton and Grant 2006.) These are the determinants that public health practice is based on. This wellbeing measure in public health practice is evaluated in a population by using a Health Needs Assessment (HNA), a systematic approach from which priorities are identified and resources allocated dependant on the needs identified (Cavanagh and Chadwick 2005). Included on the HNA are the evidence of research and epidemiology. What epidemiology does is to ask practical questions ... ... middle of paper ... ...moving from an emphasis on sickness to one of salutogenisis. In effective public health practice there will continue to be health protection actions where danger from circumstances, the environment and illness are identified and planned actions result. Additionally there will continue to be the use of epidemiology to identify areas of need and what is happening in communities where pockets of deprivation and inequality can highlight areas where additional actions and resources are directed. Effective public health now is building on these foundation health promotion practices the bricks of salutogenisis where increasing control, self-efficacy, health improvement, productivity, and wellbeing help create a wall of life for individuals and communities that can withstand the bombardments throughout life, standing firm and not falling. (World Health Authority 2014)
Public health is a vast field that encompasses many issues. Generally speaking, it deals with the safety and protection of people in a society as well as education
The Open University (2010) K101 An introduction to health and social care, Unit 2, ‘Illness, Health and Care’, Milton Keynes, The Open University.
The World Health Organization (WHO) (2010) defines obesity and being overweight as an abnormal or excessive fat accumulation that may impair health. Body mass index (BMI) as Arterburn et al (2008) put forward is a measure of body fat based on height and weight and further suggest that any individual with a BMI of more than 30 is considered as obese. Tannahill et al (1999) advocate that health education could be viewed as communication activity aimed at enhancing positive health and preventing ill health in individuals and groups by influencing their beliefs, attitudes, and behaviour of persons with power and of the community. Butler et al (2008) defines health prevention as the measures for early detection of departure from good health. Whereas Heath (2002) concurs that the role and function of the nurse emphasise on health promotion and illness prevention, the Department of Health (2010) emphasises on the prevention of diseases, prolonging life and promoting health rather than treatment.
When one thinks of health, we think of our physical well-being, we think of the medicines we have to take to ensure our recovery in cases of illness, we think white-washed halls, doctors, nurses, candy stripers in their hospital clothes, we think vegetables and fruit juice, and the rest of that wellness-junk that the television infomercials make us buy, we think of sickness, we think of death, we think of life. We do not, or rarely, think of the underlying sociological implications of health and illness, through which we unknowingly dictate our actions, and through which our health manoeuvres through. Beyond the biological and natural conditions, through which our health is dictated, are the sociological factors affecting our wellbeing. It has been shown that the spread of diseases is heavily influenced by culture and tradition, and clearly, our socioeconomic statuses. Health therefore is much more than just an amalgamation of biological factors, but it extends to more socially-constructed sectors of our beings. And all these factors tend to procure inequalities.
This essay which will identify the five approaches with health promotion. It will focus on two approaches for the sake of this essay. These approaches will be defined and show how it could be used to tackle a life style behaviour using the Beattie’s model. The Beattie’s model is one of the several models health promoters use as a guide to direct the intervention mode and strategy which is suitable for any particular problem. This model will be used to identify the location of each of the two approaches, highlighting role of the health promoter in each approach, as well as discuss policies and ethical issues which are associated with each approach. Furthermore the essay will cover the values of each approach while it emphasis the need for health promoters to consider the effectiveness of a model to ensure suitability for any presented problem.
Public health is a concept that will always be subject to conflicting opinion. Over the year’s different ‘models’ of health have been formulated in order to categorise public health into dominant areas of cause and effect. The two models in which this essay will be focusing on are the Biomedical Model and the Lifestyle Theory Model. Although both models have equally arguable advantages and disadvantages, it is difficult to state either model as being ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ in defining the correct pathway to resolving the central health issues of today.
To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing, an individual or group must be able to identify and to realize 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 emphasizing 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 life-styles to wellbeing. Health promotion goes beyond health care. It puts health on the agenda of policy makers in all sectors and at all levels. It directs policy makers to be aware of the health consequences of their decisions and accept their responsibilities for
This also discusses health in relation to social institutions, for example family, employment and school. However, health can be defined in a number of ways, such as negative and positive. The negative is where health is perceived to be the absence of disease or abnormalities in the body. This is similar to the positive, where health focuses on the presence of certain attributes, rather than the absence of them. This is different from the World Health Organisation (WHO 2008) where health requires a person to be completely physically, mentally and socially well, but not just in the absence of disease and illness.
...all these definitions define health and wellbeing in either positive, negative or take a holistic approach. There are many different criticisms regarding definitions. Although, it is vital to remember that these definitions have changed throughout the years and will carry on changing within the future regarding what people believe to be healthy. As established throughout this essay, there is a wide range of genetic, social and environmental factors which influence the health and wellbeing of children regarding the area or district which they live in both positively and negatively which have been analysed within this essay in depth. Factors such as the quality of housing in the area which they live, the availability and location of quality services and the type of people which live in that area and the influences which they have on others have been greatly analysed.
The health of an individual and their communities is affected by several elements which combine together. Whether an individual is healthy or not, is determined by their circumstances and environment.1 To a greater extent, factors such as where an individual lives, their relationships with family and friends, the state of their environment, income, genetics and level of education all have significant impacts on health, however the more frequently considered factors such as access and use of health care facilities regularly have less of an impact.6 Determinants of health is a term which was introduced in the 1970s as part of a broader analysis of research and policy on public health. Researchers argued that there was a lot of attention and too much expenditure on health being dedicated to individuals and their illnesses, and little or no investment in populations and their health. It was decided that public health should be more concerned with social policies and social determinants than with health facilities and the outcomes of diseases.7 The determinants of health include social and economic environment, physical environment and an individual’s behaviour and characteristics. The environment of an individual determines their health, holding responsible an individual for having poor health or acknowledging them for good health is inappropriate. Individuals are not likely to be able to control several of the determinants of health. These determinants that make individuals healthy or not include the factors above, and numerous others.6
In some way, public health is seen as a modern philosophical and ideological perspective based on ‘equity’ and aimed to determine inequitable in society. It seen as a ‘science’ and ‘art’ in the sense that it deals with the cause of disease, treatment of illness as well as it involves laboratory experiments, intervention and promoting of health of the population. Winslow (1920, p. 23) defined public health as ‘the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting physical health and efficiency through organised community efforts for the sanitation of the environment, the control community infections, the education of the individual in principles of personal hygiene, the organisation of medical and nursing service for early diagnosis and preventive treatment of disease, and the development of social machinery which will ensure to every individual in the community a standard of living adequate for the maintenance of health. On the other hand, it is ‘the science and art of preventing disease, prolonging life and promoting health through organised effort of society’ (Acheson, 1998; in Cowley S, 2002, p. 261).
Public health is defined as the science and art of protecting and promoting decent wellbeing, avoiding disability, disease, and early deaths, reinstating good health when injury and illness impair it and make the most of the value of life. The intention of such public health is promoting, protecting, and improving people’s health, avoiding disease and provide benefit to the whole community as a whole (White, Stallones, & Last, 2013). Therefore, I am analyzing Dr. Jackson Richard’s episode on designing healthy societies for prospective generations and offer how people can shape healthier communities for their children. The Designing Healthy Communities episode covers a postindustrial generation and their health worries, environment, and
The five principles of HP include building healthy public policy, creating supportive environments, strengthening community action, developing personal skills, and reorienting health services (McMurray & Clendon 2015). The first principle aims to incorporate health into all public policy decisions beyond the health system so that living and working conditions become conducive to health and equity (Germov, Freij & Richmond 2015). According to McMurray & Clendon (2015), multi-sectoral collaboration is required among different sectors, such as education, industry and social welfare, with the reciprocally influential policies that guide the community health. The second principle emphasises the socio-ecological approach to health that promotes sustainable environment and broader social support systems that encourage a safe and satisfying life (Germov, Freij & Richmond 2015; McMurray & Clendon 2015). This principle requires to acknowledge the significance of conserving the physical or social resources that allow people to maintain health (McMurray & Clendon 2015). The third principle focuses on information and learning opportunities that enable communities to make knowledgeable choices for better health (McMurray & Clendon
Public health is the way protecting and improving health of a community and families through the implementation and promotion of healthy lifestyle. The aim or goal is to allow the public to have a quality of life by prevent spread of disease or infection, protecting form injury, facilitating aid and many more (Rima, Lipinski,2009). The interventions usually conducted by public health professional are to prevent any form of health related problem happening or recurring by implementing educational programs, designing and recommending policies, and conducting research. Additional duties and responsibilities of public health nurses are to work with communities and/or population as partners to promote health, and also taking leadership to assess assets and needs of the communities in order to propose a solution as partners
Public Health is the science of preventing disease and promoting health through many different ideas and functions by informing society and different community-based organizations. The idea behind Public Health is to protect and serve; it helps improve the lives of countless individuals through promoting a healthier lifestyle, education, research, prevention, detection, and response management. From the beginning, the idea of Public Health has become a stepping-stone that is essential to the longevity of humans and the environment. As society progresses and new advents are created or modified, Public Health