Strategies of Health Promotion Assessment Questions

CHE 6303, Strategies of Health Promotion 1

Course Learning Outcomes for Unit V Upon completion of this unit, students should be able to:

1. Apply health-related information to educate the public with the intent to reduce the risk of disease and enhance quality of life. 1.1 Define population-based health promotion. 1.2 Summarize the key characteristics and stages of the community mobilization approach. 1.3 Describe key issues regarding the implementing various health promotion

interventions/strategies needed in the workplace.

2. Identify connections between health and the environment. 2.1 Define the difference between community (health promotion) interventions and interventions in

a community. 2.2 Summarize how effective health promotion efforts in a school setting would lead to better health

outcomes. 2.3 Describe benefits an organization can get if it implements an effective Wellness Program

for its employees.

Reading Assignment Chapter 9: Communities and Populations as the Focus for Health Promotion Programs Chapter 10: Application of Theory: Schools and Worksites

Unit Lesson Community Health Promotion In this unit, we will discuss specific efforts and strategies that are being suggested in order to improve overall health outcomes of populations living in local communities. Please note that a typical community health promotion program focuses on developing certain policies and programs to improve the health of certain populations. Basically, these programs are trying to promote health and prevent disease through various strategies, resources, and tools. One of the strategies used in promoting and working on improving the overall health of a community is called a community mobilization approach. Workforce Health Promotion & Strategies Let’s now talk about some of the specific interventions used by many mid-size to large companies to promote healthy behaviors amongst their employees and to ensure that the workforce is productive. Why is it important for a company to recognize that having a healthy workforce is good in the first place? An employer needs to understand that the well-being of his or her employees directly affects his or her bottom line. As mentioned in previous lessons, the top three (of four) health indicators known to cause the greatest damage to people (or employees) are tobacco use, poor diet, physical activity (or, more accurately, inactivity), and the consumption of alcohol. These health indictors, in turn, become the major risk factors for certain chronic conditions such as heart diseases, various cancers, and diabetes. As you can see, treating or paying for employees’ health claims due to their risky health behaviors could be a great burden to an employer. Many employers in today’s marketplace are incorporating employee wellness programs in an effort to effectively manage the costs and sustainability levels of employee productivity. There is strong evidence to suggest that an employer should invest in certain preventive health practices such as

UNIT V STUDY GUIDE

Health Promotion Programs: Communities, Schools, and Worksites

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screenings, immunizations, behavioral coaching and counseling, and health awareness and education, to name a few. A wellness program can also assist with absenteeism and increase the overall quality of life for the employee. When employees are chronically absent, that job output is negatively affected, and quality suffers. Employees’ health conditions have a great impact on an organization’s performance as well as its long-term success. Employers should invest in employee health because it is financially smart for an organization to invest funds on integrated prevention, risk reduction, and disease management strategies rather than absorb the high costs of medical claims. Also, the lower the health risks, the lower the overall costs to treat the disease. Let’s take a moment and discuss some of the costs an organization can incur as a result of its unhealthy workforce. These could be considered direct and indirect costs. Examples of these would be medical, pharmacy, sick days, short-term disability, and quality of life. Those employees with low risk health conditions would be considered healthy, productive workers and collectively would have lower direct and indirect costs. Let’s now put all of this into perspective and outline specific health promotion and prevention approaches and strategies that impact a successful wellness program:

 providing general health education and communications related to primary prevention and risk avoidance

 providing periodic preventive screenings, including immunizations (e.g., flu, hepatitis)

 fostering a supportive work environment that encourages healthful eating choices, regular physical activity (e.g., walking paths, company fitness centers), and stress management

 offering employees and their loved ones smoking cessation counseling at no cost to the employee.

 providing employees with access to confidential counseling to treat substance abuse

 sponsoring company fitness challenges

 supporting lunchtime walking activities

 providing necessary accommodations for employees who wants to bike to work (Partnership for Prevention, 2009)

In conclusion, the major categories an effective wellness program (a workforce health promotion and prevention program) typically focuses on include:

 Physical Activity: For instance, employers could allow time each day for an employee to exercise (this could include gym time, walking, bicycling, and running).

 Nutrition: Provide healthy choices and alternatives in the cafeteria and promote healthy food opportunities, such as health food cook-offs.

 Tobacco Control: Provide incentives and support services related to smoking cessation (many work campuses are going “tobacco free” in an effort to curb tobacco use).

 Weight Management: This is another opportunity for the workplace environment to encourage weight loss and healthy habits.

School Setting Health Promotion Next, we will discuss the importance of health promotion in our children’s schools. The World Health Organization (WHO) as well as the Centers for Disease Control & Prevention (CDC) have recognized the need and importance of health promotion, education, strategies, and a healthy environment in today’s schools. There has been an exponential increase of chronic diseases in children that can be attributed to poor diets and sedentary lifestyles. For example, according to WHO (n.d.), “A health-promoting school can be characterized as a school that is constantly strengthening its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning, and working” (para. 2). There is strong evidence that suggests that if a school is effective in promoting healthy behaviors amongst its students, properly educating them on healthy lifestyles, and creating a positive and a healthy environment within the school, all these efforts will result in positive health outcomes:

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 Better learning outcomes for students: This would promote better class attendance and increased productivity inside and outside of the classroom.

 Increased student self-esteem: This occurs because children feel better about themselves and have an increase in energy. This can also contribute to a lower rate of bullying.

 Increased involvement of parents: This is critical for a holistic approach. Having the parents involved provides an opportunity to continue the healthy habits within and outside of the classroom.

As you can probably conclude by reviewing the list above, these aspects are important, and schools are prioritizing these efforts to encourage an effective and successful health promotion. As we discussed with the wellness programs, similar aspects are applicable here. Examples include education and awareness of healthy eating, more physical activity, and better social interactions. Schools would need to provide healthy food choices in their cafeterias and educate students in their classes on the benefits of healthy eating. Schools should also implement behavioral counselors on the premises in order to provide coaching and counseling to students as well as education and awareness of serious side effects of alcohol and tobacco use. Additionally, schools must maintain safe and secure physical environments and implement and enforce anti-bullying policies, no smoking policies, and substance use policies. Lastly, a school’s principal and administrators should create partnerships and coalitions with local public health agencies and local medical providers as well as law enforcement agencies.

References

Partnership for Prevention. (2009). Healthy workforce 2010 and beyond. Retrieved from http://www.prevent.org/data/files/topics/healthyworkforce2010andbeyond.pdf

World Health Organization. (n.d.). Global school health initiative. Retrieved from

http://www.who.int/school_youth_health/gshi/en/