CONCEPT OF HEALTH PROMOTION
8.0 INTRODUCTION/IDENTIFICATION OF CONCEPT
Considerable differences appear in the literature regarding the use of the term health; wellness; health promotion; primary, secondary, and tertiary prevention; health protection; and illness prevention. These differences are confusing to both health professionals and the consumers of health care services. Authors in nursing and the health care field present different definitions of health promotion and primary prevention and offer different ideas about their application.
Leavell and Clark (1965) define three levels of prevention: primary, secondary and tertiary. There are five steps that describe these levels (a) health promotion and (b) specific protection are primary preventions; (c) early diagnosis and (d) prompt treatment to …show more content…
This method makes use of a variety of media to offer information to the public about the risk of particular lifestyle choices and personal behaviour as well as the benefits of changing that behaviour and improving the quality of life. Billboards, brochures, newspaper features, books and health fairs all offer opportunities for dissemination of health promotion information. Alcohol and drug abuse, driving under the influence of alcohol, good nutrition and hypertension are some of the topics frequently discussed. Information about AIDS, including how it is transmitted, techniques for prevention, and issue of sexual responsibility, has been distributed.
Health appraisal/wellness assessments program are used to apprise individuals of the risk factors that are inherent in their lives in order to motivate them to reduce specific risks and develop positive health habits. Wellness assessment program are focused on more positive methods of enhancements, in contrast to the risk factor approach used in the health appraisal. A variety of tools are available to facilitate these