Heath Promotion Overview

Primary Health Organisation’s have been established to reorient the primary health sector towards a population health approach. The aim is for primary health care to improve and maintain the health of our communities. An essential part of this is health promotion and public health action.

Health promotion is commonly defined as ‘the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health’.

Public Health is promoting well-being and preventing ill health before it happens. It is about keeping people healthy and improving the health of populations rather than treating diseases, disorders and disabilities in individuals.

Public Health Action can:

• Take place at many levels throughout the health sector and beyond.
• Be planned and implemented in collaboration with other sectors.
• Provide advice to other sectors on the health impact of their activities, and where necessary, regulate these.
• Support other parts of the health sector and other sectors to take a population health approach to service planning and delivery (Ministry of Health, 2002).
  In Manaia Health PHO health promotion is informed by the Treaty of Waitangi, the Ottawa Charter and a broad perspective that includes health promotion action across a continuum. The articles of the Treaty of Waitangi each relate to a goal for health promotion action.

Article One, Kawanatanga / Governance – achieve Maori participation in all aspects of health promotion; Article Two, Tinorangatiratanga / Self-determination and control – achieve the advancement of Maori health aspirations; Article Three, Oritetanga / Equity – undertake health promotion action which improves Maori health outcomes.

The Ottawa Charter a fundamental document sets out five strategies for health promotion action:

• The development of public policies which support health, making healthy choices easier choices.
• The creation of supportive environments for health promotion.
• Strengthening of community action.
• The development of personal skills in relation to promoting health.
• Re-orientation of health care systems to create better balance between health promotion and curative services.
  Health promotion action can occur across a continuum from an individual to population focus, and from a medical to a socio-environmental approach. This continuum and its relation to the Ottawa Charter strategies is shown below.

The most effective health promotion is a combination of strategies from across the continuum.

A challenge for health promotion within primary health care is to shift focus from the individualistic approach to a broader community, whole of population approach.

For more information on health promotion and public health visit the Health Promotion Forum http://www.hpforum.org.nz/ or the Public Health Association http://www.pha.org.nz/

For information specifically on health promotion within PHOs visit:

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/5531/$File/PublicHealthPrimaryHealthCareSetting.pdf

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/5531/$File/DvpingHealthPromotionProgs.pdf

http://www.moh.govt.nz/moh.nsf/pagesmh/5531/$File/BirdsEyeView.pdf