Concepts of Health Promotion
Health is defined as a state in which human needs are met in an autonomic way, and is not limited to the absence of disease or disablement (V. Henderson). Optimal health is a lively, self-motivated equilibrium of physical, intellectual, spiritual, emotional, and social well-being. The concept of health promotion delineates the method of empowering people to increase control over, and to advance their own overall health. The main purpose of health promotion is to heighten people’s motivation to strive for optimal health, while assisting them in making lifestyle modifications that will help them advance their wellbeing to an ideal state. Modifications of the unfavorable way of living can be enabled through a combination of strategies and learning experiences that enhance awareness and rise motivation; most importantly, the change is made possible through the creation of opportunities that permit access to situations that make positive health practices an easy choice.
Individuals and communities require a great deal of health education in order to achieve optimal health levels. The development of health promotion has allowed the nurse to reinforce the profession’s role on health promotion and disease prevention, propagate information that promotes an educated public, and assist individuals and communities to change established negative health behaviors. The nursing roles in health promotion vary greatly depending on the individual or group’s needs, and their level of readiness to take action toward lifestyle change and behavior modification. In order to be an efficient educator, the nurse has to perform a self-awareness assessment of own health beliefs and practices. In health promotion, it is of great importance that the educators live what they teach, hence becoming models of healthy
Individuals and communities require a great deal of health education in order to achieve optimal health levels. The development of health promotion has allowed the nurse to reinforce the profession’s role on health promotion and disease prevention, propagate information that promotes an educated public, and assist individuals and communities to change established negative health behaviors. The nursing roles in health promotion vary greatly depending on the individual or group’s needs, and their level of readiness to take action toward lifestyle change and behavior modification. In order to be an efficient educator, the nurse has to perform a self-awareness assessment of own health beliefs and practices. In health promotion, it is of great importance that the educators live what they teach, hence becoming models of healthy
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