Action areas of the Ottawa Charter

Question 1

Build healthy public policy

Answer 1

This action area relates directly to the decisions made by government and organisations regarding laws and policies that affect health and wellbeing.

Question 2

Create supportive environments

Answer 2

A supportive environment is one that promotes health and wellbeing by being safe, stimulating, satisfying and enjoyable. Supportive environments promote health and wellbeing by helping people practise healthy behaviours.

Question 3

Strengthen community action

Answer 3

This action area focuses on building links between individuals and the community, and centres around the community working together to achieve a common goal. Giving the community a sense of ownership of a health and wellbeing strategy increases the likelihood of its effectiveness.

Question 4

Develop personal skills

Answer 4

Education is the key aspect of this action area. Education refers to gaining health-related knowledge (such as attending classes teaching healthy cooking techniques) and gaining life skills that allow people to make informed decisions that may indirectly affect health and wellbeing (such as talking to people to resolve conflict rather than using violence).

Question 5

Reorient health services

Answer 5

This action area refers to reorienting the health system so that it promotes health and wellbeing as opposed to focusing only on diagnosing and treating illness, as is the case with the biomedical model. To reorient health services, the health system must encompass all members of the community including individuals, community groups, health professionals, health service institutions and governments.