Incorporating socio‐political health promotion activities in clinical practice

Abstract

A criticism laid at the door of many nurses in relation to their health promotion activity is that they almost exclusively adopt a biomedical/preventative health education approach. When it comes to adopting socio-political health promotion approaches, there is scant evidence that nurses implement these activities in clinical practice. This article is designed to raise awareness and signpost the types of activities that nurses could be involved with if they wish to influence the broader social and political health promotion agenda. In doing so, it has developed an 'effect' programme model for socio-political health promotion practice as a framework for those practitioners who wish to review their current health-related activities and/or who are seeking to extend their range of health promotional practice. This article draws upon a critical review of the literature in order to develop an evolving theoretical perspective for health promotion practice. The proposed model was developed from this new perspective as were recommendations for practice.

Health promotion and health education: advancing the concepts

“…It is an inherently political process that draws on health policy as a basis for social action that leads to community coalitions through shared radical consciousness. Health promotion seeks to radically transform and empower communities through involving them in activities that influence their public health – particularly via agenda setting, political lobbying and advocacy, critical consciousness‐raising and social education programmes (see Whitehead 2003b). Health promotion looks to develop and reform social structures through developing participation between representative stakeholders in different sectors and agencies.…”

Health promoting hospitals: the role and function of nursing

“…Many of these nurses will view health promotion as an integral part of their role. The likelihood, however, is that what they refer to as health promotion will most likely represent traditional preventative health education practice (Norton 1998, Whitehead 2001, 2003a,b). In essence, most nurses working in the hospital setting, where they are implementing health‐related programmes, are usually offering localized strategies that target individual clients in terms of behaviour and lifestyle modification.…”

Health promotion and health education viewed as symbiotic paradigms: bridging the theory and practice gap between them

“…Firstly, I believe that many nurses fail to conceptualize the distinct differences between health education and health promotion activity and mistakenly use the terms interchangeably (Whitehead, 2001c). Where many nurses believe themselves to be health promotionalists they may instead be traditional health educationalists (Whitehead, 2001a, 2003b). Secondly, working frameworks that are not conducive to implementing health promotion strategies govern most nursing practices.…”