Health Promotion
Throughout this assignment the author will demonstrate knowledge of health promotion and its link in addressing health needs. The role of the nurse in delivering health promotion at primary, secondary and tertiary levels will be discussed and how national policy influences that delivery on the chosen topic of smoking. Barriers to health promotion will also be discussed and how these barriers could be overcome.
To define health promotion, health should first be defined. There are many definitions of health, one of which is the Western Medical Model, which describes health as in the “absence of disease and illness” (Seedhouse, 2004, p1). Irvine, (2010, p2) describes it as “a challenging concept to define as it means different things to different people, and our understanding of health is influenced by cultural, socio-economic and personal contexts”. A heavy smoker with mild emphysema may adapt their lifestyle to cope with reduced lung function and describe themselves as well whereas the medical model would categorise them as ill. In criticism of the medical model, the medical writer Thomas Mckeown wrote that improved sanitation and living conditions of the 19th century had eradicated more disease and improved mortality rates than the invention of antibiotics and immunization programmes (Naidoo & Wills, 2009, p 8).
It is essential to understand, therefore, how people view their own health and to study health beliefs of the local population if successful health promotion is to be achieved (Tones & Green, 2004, p81). Greig (2007, p9) explains that diversities in religion, culture and social economic status mean that health beliefs are varied and may differ greatly from that of the nurse’s. Good interpersonal skills are required and a client centred approach used when assessing health needs. This should ensure that the health promotion is directed towards enabling a person to take action, with the patient autonomous in planning lifestyle changes
To define health promotion, health should first be defined. There are many definitions of health, one of which is the Western Medical Model, which describes health as in the “absence of disease and illness” (Seedhouse, 2004, p1). Irvine, (2010, p2) describes it as “a challenging concept to define as it means different things to different people, and our understanding of health is influenced by cultural, socio-economic and personal contexts”. A heavy smoker with mild emphysema may adapt their lifestyle to cope with reduced lung function and describe themselves as well whereas the medical model would categorise them as ill. In criticism of the medical model, the medical writer Thomas Mckeown wrote that improved sanitation and living conditions of the 19th century had eradicated more disease and improved mortality rates than the invention of antibiotics and immunization programmes (Naidoo & Wills, 2009, p 8).
It is essential to understand, therefore, how people view their own health and to study health beliefs of the local population if successful health promotion is to be achieved (Tones & Green, 2004, p81). Greig (2007, p9) explains that diversities in religion, culture and social economic status mean that health beliefs are varied and may differ greatly from that of the nurse’s. Good interpersonal skills are required and a client centred approach used when assessing health needs. This should ensure that the health promotion is directed towards enabling a person to take action, with the patient autonomous in planning lifestyle changes