Health Promotion Essay

This assignment is about how to plan and conduct a health promotion advice on an individual patient to improve patient’s quality of healthy life. In this essay, the author will first of all outline how the government policies, which are the National Service Framework (NSF) for Long-term Conditions and the NSF for Diabetes, were developed. The author will outline briefly all benefits are for her particular patient – Mr Smith (pseudonym name) in compliance with the NMC (2008) on confidentiality, is a 48 year-old taxi driver, who is newly diagnosed with type II diabetes mellitus (T2DM), married with two teenage children. He frequently works during unsocial hours and has very unhealthy life style as he relies on fast-food from cafes for his meals. He is overweight with the Body Mass Index (BMI) of 30 and is finding it challenging to maintain a normal blood glucose level. He is also concerned that he may lose his job should he be commenced on insulin. His eldest son is to start university next year and the fees are expensive. The author will then give an analysis of risk factors that may predispose Mr Smith to develop T2DM. Additionally, the author of this essay will briefly overview a health promotion model which is Procheska and Diclemente’s model, follow by a description of the application of this model in facilitating behaviour change with Mr Smith, utilising communication skills and some health promotion interventions to help him improve his health. The author will also acknowledge some barriers which may be encountered to Mr Smith’s lifestyle change and discuss some ethical issues relating to health promotion.

According to Mark et al (2005, p.4), health is defined as: “a state of well-being with physical, cultural, psychosocial, economic and spiritual attributes, not simply the absence of ill ness”. Therefore, putting medical or surgical intervention in saving lives and combating illness is not enough. In 2005, the Department of Health (DOH) updated and published

Cited: in Kendall, 1998, p.57). Not only that, the author also applies some key ethical principles in her health promotion job with Mr Smith. She respects patient’s autonomy, giving him choice to determine his change process. Helping him to change into healthier lifestyle, all advice given by the author are evidence-based to maintain non-malefience and beneficence. She also gives him an equal opportunity to discuss and create empowerment when giving health promotion based on principle of justice (Katz et al, 2000). In conclusion, overall the essay, the author has given the discussion on the reasons of development of government policies. She has also analysed the risk factor that may predispose Mr Smith to develop T2DM. Using the Stage of Change model, the health promoter has put in some interventions to help him changing his behaviour, utilising her communication skills with some ethical issues relating to health promotion. She has also highlighted some barriers that Mr Smith may encounter specifically. Addtionally, the author has always used evidence-based advice to maintain good practice and up-to-date knowledge to complete her role as a health promoter.