HEALTH PROMOTION

Question 1

Health challenges facing SA

Answer 1

HIV/AIDS & TB
Maternal, infant & child mortality
Non-communicable diseases
Injury and violence
COVID 19

Question 2

Why is HP important ?

Answer 2

• HP improves the health status of individuals, families,
communities
• HP reduces premature deaths.
• By focusing on prevention,-HP reduces the costs that
individuals, employers, families, insurance companies, medical
facilities, would spend on medical treatment.
• HP can impact on the social, economic and environmental
conditions that determine health

Question 3

Health promotion

Answer 3

•Ongoing process of enabling people to take control, and

improve their health. (Ottawa Charter for health promotion, 1986)

Question 4

• HEALTH EDUCATION:

Answer 4

Planned, organized 
and structured activity 
which promotes health 
or illness related 
learning (Tones 1990), 
done for informed and 
uninformed
participants.

Question 5

Focus areas for HP

Answer 5

Good governance for health
The Tobacco Control Act 83 of 
1993 -Restricts smoking in public 
places
2. Environmental supportImprove urban health and 
support healthy cities and 
communities -where people 
live/play, work 
3. Strengthen health literacy
Skills/information

Question 6

3 Key tool for health promotion

Answer 6

1. Enablement: empowerment, 
education, developing personal 
and other skills
2. Mediation: acting as middle 
man,
inter-sectoral collaboration e.g. 
DOH & DOE health promoting 
school
3. Advocacy: a process of 
pushing for change
representing/speaking on 
behalf of a marginalized, 
vulnerable
Aimed at changing 
policy/laws/regulatory measures

Question 7

Advocacy

Answer 7

Process of representing/speaking on behalf of a marginalized,
vulnerable
Purpose : to influence policy and practice
Involves a process of pushing for change in legislation, policy,
strategy formulation or its implementation which may result in
stopping unfair practices, ultimately improving the lives of those
mostly in need of services and resources.
Basis: right to health care- advocating for the put the interest of the
pt first
• Heath care workers have an ethical duty and a professional
responsibility to act in the best interest of their patient and the
duty includes advocating for patients (as a group/ indiv.)• Different advocacy approaches
• Aimed at changing
policy/laws/regulatory
measures
• E.g. Lobbying, Policy review/
formulation, petitioning/Int.
and ext. mechanisms to resolve
issues

Question 8

• How can one advocate

Answer 8

• Representative speaking for ppl.
• Accompanying: speaking with ppl.
• Empowering: enabling ppl to speak 
for themselves
• Mediating: facilitating communication 
between ppl and organization
• Negotiating; bargaining with those in 
power
• Networking (coalitions)

Question 9

Mediation

Answer 9

 inter-sectoral activity: collaboration with other
sectors e.g. housing/education/legislature etc. to
promote health
relation in a horizontal direction-
inter-sectoral collaboration e.g. DOH & DOE health
promoting school

Question 10

5 Action areas for HP

Answer 10

1.Build healthy public policy: makes healthy choices easy
choices e.g. Tobacco control Act regulating smoking in public
areas
2. Create a supportive environment -Where ppl. work, play or
stay) e.g.??
3.Strengthening community action: the community must be
involved in all stages of HP process i.e. needs identification,
planning, implementation, evaluation etc. WHY?
4.Develop personal skills-sustainability-Though education and
skills development e.g.
5.Reorient the health services
• Shifting from CURATIVE health to prevention and health
promotion

Question 11

5 PRINCIPLES OF HP

Answer 11

1. Equity: Equal opportunities to enjoy health for
   all.
2. Empowerment & Respect: Increase control that
   communities have over their own health
3. Participation: Community involvement
4. Inter-sectoral activity: collaboration with other
   sectors e.g. housing/education/legislature etc.
5. Emphasis on primary health care

Question 12

Stages of Change (Prochaska 1983)

Answer 12

1. Pre-contemplation- before a person is aware of any health risk
   in their behavior
2. Contemplation- individuals knows the benefit of taking action
   but not ready to change
3. Preparing to change/planning-benefits of changing clearer and
   changing behavior looks possible. indiv makes a decision to
   change
4. Making a change-starting to implement the change (going to
   gym, eating healthy)
5. Maintenance- new behavior is maintained