Planning Health Promotion and Interventions - Essay Example

? Planning Health Promotion and Interventions The essay aims to address a two-fold objective to wit to identify the causes of smoking; and (2) to apply the Ottawa Charter of Health Promotion in designing interventions against smoking. Planning Health Promotion and Interventions Smoking Tobacco smoking is the leading cause of death in the United States and accounts for the 30% of cancer deaths, 21% of cardiovascular diseases deaths, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, low birth weight and deaths of infants, burns, and accidental fires (Schneider, 2011, p. 214). Tobacco smoke does not only affect smokers but also second-hand smokers. In fact, out of 435,000 tobacco-related deaths, 35,000 deaths are attributed to the second-hand smoke (Schneider, 2011, p. 214). Women live longer than men and the mortality advantage of women is believed to be related to the gender-gap in terms of smoking. Despite extensive campaigns against smoking and its harmful effects, most of the people go onto smoking and find it hard to quit the health-endangering habit. According to Ashton Stepney (1982), the drive to smoke is influenced by medical, political, sociological, and economic factors (p. IX). Sutton, Baum & Johnston (2004) added biological factors as one of the factors why people engaged in smoking (p. 12). Biological factors point out heredity as the cause of smoking and people will begin and continue smoking if they carry on the specific gene for smoking; likewise, the same is true for people who find it easy to quit smoking. Medical cause are the desirable effects derived from tobacco such as increased alertness and decreased symptoms of withdrawal, anxiety, and pain. Social factor refer to peer-support and reinforcement smoking could give, particularly in a growing adult. Political factors, such as oppression and the stress experienced because of being oppressed, direct people to smoking to alleviate stress. Meanwhile, the economic factors contradict the political factors in which people who belong to high society are often directed to smoking as a symbol of aconomic stability (Sutton, Baum & Johnston, 2004, p. 12). The Health Belief Model and the Ottawa Charter Smoking prevention is geared towards understanding people’s behavior and the Health Belief Model would help proponents of anti-smoking campaign to understand the factors why people engaged into smoking behaviors. In the Health Belief Model, people are made aware of the likelihood and severity of an illness, as well as the benefits and barriers derived from engaging into preventive behaviors (Skolnik, 2008, p. 103). Applied in smoking, the extent to which a person gets into smoking are influenced by fear of getting COPD/cancer, the perception of disease severity, the benefits of not engaging or quitting smoking, and the barriers that prevent a person from not engaging or quitting smoking. If the Health Belief Model is for understanding behavior, the Ottawa Charter is a framework design to plan health promotion actions and interventions. The Ottawa Charter is the first international conference on health promotion designed to achieve Health for All by the year 2000 and beyond (Carrin, Buse, Heggenhougen & Quah, 2009, p. 65). According to the Ottawa Charter, improvements in health can be achieved through determinants of health such as peace, education, food, shelter, income, stable ecosystem, sustainable resources, social justice and equity (Lorraine & Hernandez, 2011, p. 172). The Ottawa Charter also reiterated that as health educators, it is essential that they advocate, enable, mediate, endorse and secure commitment to health promotion actions, and call for international action (Lorraine & Hernandez, 2011, p. 172). Health promotion actions are aimed towards building healthy public health policy, creating supportive environments, strengthening community action, developing personal skills, reorienting health services, and moving into the future (Lorraine & Hernandez, 2011, p. 172). The Ottawa Charter called for unity and active participation of international countries to raise the quality of health of people through health-promoting activities. Health Promotion and Interventions Using the Ottawa Charter Health promotion and intervention and the Ottawa Charter are interrelated because health promotion practices address the determinants of health, particularly health-related behaviors (Linsley, Kane & Owen, 2011, p. 26). Health promotion interventions vary in focus (individual or population) and in approach (medical, behavioral, socio-environmental). A. Health Promotion Interventions for Smoking 1. Medical Approach Screen population at risk to engage in smoking such as men, young people, adult, and pregnant women. Monitor and publish incidence of smoking per community level (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 85). Educate the community by providing relevant information on the short and long term effects of smoking on physical fitness, health, appearance, expenditures, environment, economy, and society (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 75). Use different communication strategies depending on the population and institute health education about smoking in schools and community centers. 2. Behavioral Approach Provide health education through health warning labels, telephone help services, media campaigns, school-based programs, and cessation services (Fleming & Parker, 2007, p. 8). Make some social marketing and promotion strategies against smoking through anti-smoking advertisements, sponsorship prohibited or restricted by legislation, value-added promotions, and minimum pack size (Fleming & Parker, 2007, p. 8). 3. Socio-environmental Approach Gather and use the support from parents, voluntary groups, local and national opinion formers such as Action on Smoking and Health (ASH), Coronary Prevention Group, and Parents Against Tobacco to enhance participation of community in the battle against smoking (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 82). Use the local, national, and international media appropriately to promote health and to campaign on the harmful effects of tobacco smoke to encourage participation (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 82). Maximize also the informal settings such as youth clubs and organizations to strengthen community action (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 82). Encourage young people to take step in the campaign against smoking to develop their awareness and active participation in tobacco smoking (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 82). Coordinate with the local, district, and regional government to maximize political resources in setting up programs and campaigns against smoking (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 85). Build a healthy public policy by promoting health and safety regulations such as the Control of Substances Hazardous to Health Act (Tollafield & Merriman, 2005, p. 66). Create policy against all forms of tobacco promotion including products and companies (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 87). Advocate the increase in tax of tobacco to lend the increased tax on preventive programs and treatment of diseases related to tobacco smoke (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 87). Restrict young people from engaging into smoking by implementing a strict age requirement policy (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 87). Improve health warnings against tobacco. Make it more attractive, retentive, tougher, and more prominent to the young population (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 87). Limit production of tobacco to ensure that access are limited only to the smoking population and young people won’t have extra resources to buy tobacco (Royal College of Physicians of London, 1992, p. 87). References Ashton, H. & Stepney, R. (1982). Introduction. Smoking: Psychology and Pharmacology (p. VII-IX). London: Tavistock Publications Ltd. Carrin, G., Buse, K., Heggenhougen, K. & Quah, S.R. (2009). Alma-Ata and Primary Heath Care: An Evolving Story. Health Systems Policy, Finance, and Organization (p. 59-81). Oxford: Academic Press. Fleming, M.L. & Parker E. (2007). A Social History of Public Health. Health Promotion: Principles and Practice in the Australian Context (3rd ed.) (p. 1-26). New South Wales: Allen & Unwin. Linsley, P., Kane, R. & Owen. S. (2011). Health Promotion Theory. Nursing for Public Health: Promotion, Principles, and Practice (p. 25-38). Oxford: Oxford University Press. Lorraine, B. & Hernandez, M. (2011). Philosophical Reflections on Health and Health Practices. Foundation Concepts of Global Community Health Promotion and Education (p. 163-190). Massachusetts: Jones & Bartlett Learning, LLC. Royal College of Physicians of London. (1992). Intervention Strategies. Smoking (p. 75-94). London: The Lavenham Press Ltd. Schneider, M.J. (2011). Social and Behavioral Factors in Health. Introduction to Public Health (3rd ed.) (p. 209-330). Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, LLC. Skolnik, R.L. (2008). Culture and Health. Essentials of Global Health (p. 97-112). Massachusetts: Jones and Bartlett Publishers, Inc. Sutton, S., Baum, A. & Johnston, M. (2004). Context and Perspectives in Health Psychology. The SAGE Handbook of Health Psychology (1st ed.) (p. 1-26). London: SAGE Publications, Ltd. Tollafield, D.R. & Merriman, L.M. (2005). Foot Health Education and Promotion. Clinical skills in treating the foot (Reprint Ed.) (p. 63-78). London : Elsevier Limited. Read More