Basic concept of health promotion

In the previous sections you have learned about the concepts of health, health education and rational for making an effort in health education as well as other important related issues and now in this section you will learn more about the concept of health promotion.

To reach a state of complete physical, mental and social wellbeing it is beyond the activity of health education and even health sectors. In other words health is not just the responsibility of health sector alone, but the responsibility of every sectors working for development.

Key words of this definition

• Combination- refer to that health promotion activity need joint efforts of different sectors. It also refers the necessity of matching multiple determinants of health with multiple intervention or sources of supports.( You will learn more about determinant of health in sessions 10 of this module)
• Conducive- refers activities of different sector should create favorable conditions to the health of the community. E.g. As number of educated females increase in the community the health status of this household lead by them will be improved. So education supports health system directly as well as indirectly.

Health promotion, "the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health" can be considered as an umbrella term that incorporates many activities. (Ottawa H.P. Charter) It is also one the most important tools of disease prevention activities. The aim of health promotion is to reduce the underlying causes of ill-health so that there is a long-term reduction in many diseases.

Health promotion is directed towards action on the determinants or causes of health. Health promotion, therefore, requires a close co-operation of sectors beyond health services, reflecting the diversity of conditions which influence health.Health promotion is the science and art of helping people change their lifestyle to move toward a balance state of physical, mental, social and psychological health.