Health Promotion Theories and Models

Health Promotion Theories and Models

Introduction

Health promotion theories and models are developed to help healthcare professionals conceptualize health behaviors and patterns, thus enabling them to identify, design, and implement health interventions. The United Kingdom Health Development Agency, in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO), has identified program plans on theories and models in an attempt to reduce costs associated with health care services (Bergeron, Abdi, DeCorby, Mensah, Rempel and Manson, 2017). However, the existence of critics who tend to be skeptical about the efficacy of healthcare services has impacted the generalization of principles of health promotion models. These principles form a guideline from which social scientists and other medical specialists can formulate ethical and convenient models that are relevant to human health..

Principles of Health Promotion Models

Firstly, as stipulated by the British Standards Institute, health promotion theories should be holistic. They should aim at fostering and encompassing the six elements of personal health as spelled out by the World Health Organization, that is, psychological, physical, mental, social, spiritual, and economic health (Grabowski, Aagaard-Hansen, Willaing and Jensen, 2017). Secondly, these strategies should be participatory in the essence that all the parties concerned ought to be involved in all the processes. For example, if the interventions are meant to battle chronic diseases in older people, it is necessary to accommodate their views since they are the group whose health is at stake. The UK Health Education Authority states that the models should be inter-sectoral, thus ensuring liaison with other relevant agencies to ensure effective implementation (Hogg, 2017). Likewise, health promotion theories should be equitable; therefore, maintain a stance of equality and social justice among people of all races, gender, and religion. The British National Health Service aims at establishing an equitable health sector that is convenient to all UK citizens without discrimination. In this light, these models should be developed to suit the needs of all people to ensure an equitable health sector (Scriven and Hodgins, 2011).

Bergeron et al. (2017) argue that the models should be empowering to the extent that individuals and communities have power over their personal, economic, and environmental factors that impact their health. Every intervention developed should establish an improvement in the health of the target group, thus ensuring overall wellbeing (Scriven and Hodgins, 2011). According to the UK Health Development Agency, the models should be sustainable where the changes created are affordable and convenient to maintain by the communities and people in cases where the initial funding of these programs ceases to be operational (Grabowski et al., 2017). Plans developed should be rooted in consideration of the economic status of the target group.

Application by Health and Social Care Professionals

Employing the above principles in my nursing profession will help in solving the puzzle in the caregiving sector. First, the policies will benefit me in improving health through reducing risks associated with illnesses, managing chronic diseases hence enhancing the wellbeing of patients (Raingruber, 2014). It is my duty as a caregiver to efficiently assist my patients in maintaining good health by guiding them on ways of observing proper hygiene to avoid pathogenic reactions. Alternatively, the principles boost my understanding of the behaviors of the targeted group. Individual participation in the formulation of interventions helps me to comprehend their views and perceptions towards the same (Nutbeam, Harris and Wise, 2010). Likewise, they assist in planning, implementing, and evaluating interventions.

Conclusion

Health promotion theories are based on principles that aid medical scientists in developing subtle interventions that are relevant to human health. They help them in formulating holistic, equitable, sustainable, and empowering intervention programs that promote wellbeing. Conversely, they aid medical professionals in contemplating the behaviors of the target population, therefore, ensuring that a beneficial health culture is cultivated.

References

Bergeron, K., Abdi, S., DeCorby, K., Mensah, G., Rempel, B., and Manson, H., 2017. Theories, models, and frameworks used in capacity building interventions relevant to public health: a systematic review. BMC public health, 17(1), p.914.

Grabowski, D., Aagaard-Hansen, J., Willaing, I., and Jensen, B.B., 2017. Principled promotion of health: implementing five guiding health promotion principles for research-based prevention and management of diabetes. Societies, 7(2), p.10.

Hogg, S., 2017. Health promotion and wellbeing. In Contemporary Occupational Health Nursing (pp. 61-84). Rutledge

Nutbeam, D., Harris, E., and Wise, W., 2010. Theory in a nutshell: a practical guide to health promotion theories. McGraw-Hill.

Raingruber, B., 2014. Health promotion theories. Contemporary health promotion in nursing practice, 53, pp.53-94.

Scriven, A. and Hodgins, M. eds., 2011. Health promotion settings: principles and practice. Sage.