The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion

Question 1

In the OC, Bad Cats Smell Dead Rats name AME

Answer 1

OC: Ottawa Charter
Bad: Build healthy public policy
Cats: Create supportive environments
Smell: Strengthening community action
Dead: Develop personal skills
Rats: Reorient health services
AME: Advocate, Mediate, Enable

Question 2

The Ottawa Charter for HP

Answer 2

An approach to health developed by the WHO that aims to reduce inequities in health. It reflects the social model of health and provides five action areas that can be used as a basis for improving health status, all of which are centred around three strategies for health promotion which are enabling, mediating and advocacy

Question 3

Advocate

Answer 3

Advocacy for health and wellbeing refers to actions designed to gain support from governments and societies that are necessary to improve health and wellbeing for everyone

• 1st strategy for health promotion
• media campaigns, public speaking, lobbying governments

Question 4

Mediate

Answer 4

Mediating relates to helping opposing groups resolve conflict and produce outcomes that promote health and wellbeing

• 2nd strategy for health promotion
• working with groups to ensure changes

Question 5

Enable

Answer 5

People cannot achieve optimal health and wellbeing unless they can take control of factors that influence their lives. This is achieved by empowering people, not merely by providing handouts

• 3rd strategy for health promotion
• education, employment, adequate housing, nutritious food, healthcare

Question 6

Build healthy public policy

Answer 6

Related directly to the decisions made by government and organisations regarding laws and policies that make it more difficult for people to undertake unhealthy behaviours and seek to make healthier choices

• E.g. removing GST on unprocessed foods, compulsory wearing of seatbelts

Question 7

Create supportive environments

Answer 7

Recognises the impact that the broader determinants have on health status and aims to promote a healthy physical and sociocultural environment for all members of the society. A supportive environment is one that promotes health and wellbeing by being safe, stimulating, satisfying and enjoyable.

• e.g. Quitline, providing a safe working environment, smoke free environment, shaded areas

Question 8

Strengthening community action

Answer 8

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.

• e.g. immunisations – involves schools, doctors, parents

Question 9

Develop personal skills

Answer 9

Education is the key aspect of this action area. It refers to gaining health-related knowledge and skills that allow people to make informed decisions that may indirectly affect health and wellbeing. Many parts of society have a role in achieving adequate education for citizens.

• E.g. community health centre running cooking classes for community, Quit campaign educating people of the harmful effects

Question 10

Reorient health services

Answer 10

Refers to changing the health system so that it promotes health and wellbeing rather than just focusing on diagnosing and treating illness. It means addressing all factors that influence health and wellbeing, not just diseases. This requires a shift towards health promotion, which includes doctors taking on the roles of educator.

• E.g. doctors focusing discussion around healthy eating instead of medication or surgery to reduce impact of CVD