The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model - Essay Example

THE RED LOTUS HEALTH PROMOTION MODEL by Introduction The existing methods, used to evaluate design and implement health promotion initiatives give priority to principles of empowerment and participation; they do not focus on ways of putting these principles into actions. Models such as the Hawe, Degeling, and Hall Needs Assessment and Planning model and Program Management Guidelines from New South Wales Health are technically oriented. They give a description of what to do, rather than emphasizing on values and principles that guide actions. Despite the numerous literature research on health promotion, there is no evidence of the current health promotion models that use values and principles to guide action in a systematic process (Judd, 2001). The shortcomings of these models are addressed by the Red Lotus health promotion model which advocates for a value and principle system to guide actions in all aspects of health promotion process. Existing Health Promotion Models Hawe, Degeling, and Hall Needs Assessment and Planning model conducts an assessment to obtain a comprehensive picture of the health issues and problems facing the community. Through this assessment, practitioners can guide their actions towards health intervention initiatives aimed at improving health conditions. The assessment process is divided into two stages. First, identifying health problem priorities. During this stage, data is collected and analysed to determine what health problems are critical so that priority to health problems is set (Hawe, Degeling & Hall, 1990). The magnitude of a specific health problem determines its priority in terms of needs to be addressed as soon as possible. Second, analysing the health problem. The aim of this stage is to gather more data about the factors that lead to the identified health problems. Once enough data is collected and analysed, priorities are set on how to address the health problems identified. Values and principles of health promotion such as community empowerment and participation are then used to describe how to solve the health problems. The shortcoming of this model is that it takes a technical orientation approach to solving health problems. For example, it describes how health promotion problems should be addressed without putting emphasis on values and principles to guide actions and yield positive results. The Program Management Guidelines from New South Wales Health gives a guideline of steps to follow to guide actions. The guidelines given reflect actions that may occur simultaneous. It gives guideline on how to organize and plan the health promotion programs to ensure efficiency, coordination, cooperation, cost effectiveness and good time management. It gives directions on how to engage the community to ensure their participation and value addition. Health promotion initiatives focus on community wellbeing (Raeburn & Rootman, 2008). Therefore, it is fair and prudent to involve the community in health promotion initiatives and programs. Guidelines on developing health promotion goals and vision are also provided. This ensures that all actions focus on a common health objective and in the fulfilment of health promotion principles such as holistic and equitable health for all. The guidelines give directions on how to carry out community health assessments and prioritize health issues. These activities aim to centre and focus the health promotion activities on the goals and vision of the initiatives/programs. The guidelines also cover other areas including development of health evaluation plans, implementation and monitoring of health improvement plans. More guidelines focus on evaluation processes and measurement of the success of health promotion initiatives. The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model The Red Lotus model aims to address the above challenges and shortcomings of health promotion methods. The model seeks to provide and incorporate the holistic, ecological and salutogenic concepts into a single model to enhance health promotion. The focus of the model is to use values and principles to guide actions in all phases of health promotion process from need assessment to evaluation. The distinguishing feature of the Red Lotus model is the explicit application of values and principles in all areas of modern promotion initiatives. For instance, values and principles are applied to determine the paradigms of health, assessing needs, planning, implementation and evaluation processes. The model overcomes the shortcomings of earlier models (Green & Kreuter, 2005). For example, it gives values that guide actions rather the technical orientation of describing what should be done without saying how it should be done. In a nut shell, this model is wholistic because it addresses the needs and requirements of all phases of health promotion process, starting from assessment all through to the evaluation. The model is represented by the red lotus plant. The model is built on the existing models of health promotion. It responds to the need for health professionals to understand the complex issues surrounding health promotion and to react to them appropriately. The model differs from others in that it uses a system of principles and values to guide actions in all phases and aspects of health promotion process such as determination of paradigms, assessing needs, planning, implementation and evaluation processes. The red lotus plant was used to symbolize the model because its structures and qualities are similar to those of current health promotion. In fact, the system is a representation of major components of the model (Parker 2007). The plant is unique in different ways, so is the health promotion model. The model is unique and distinct in incorporating various aspects to ensure a wholistic view of the health promotion process. The holistic paradigm of the Red Lotus model appreciates the fact that health interrelates with spiritual, social, psychological and physical wellbeing. Furthermore, it recognizes that good health and ill-heath aren’t mutually exclusive and they exist simultaneously. This is different from the biomedical behavioural health concepts that regard health to include elimination of diseases/unhealthy behaviour. The ecological aspect of the model appreciates that the community lives, work and interact with ecosystems. The health of individuals is determined by biological factors, people’s behaviour, social, economic and political environments, natural and artificial built environments. All the above arts of the ecosystems interact and have a bigger impact working together rather than working in isolation. In addition, the ecosystem incorporates physical components of connectedness, complementarity, risk and non-locality. These components distinguish ecological science from the science of reductionist/positivist that derives understanding of the whole from understanding of individual parts. Salutogenic component of the model creates health for a sustainable tomorrow. It lays emphasis on concepts that led to creation and support of improved health, happiness and addition of meaning to life. These concepts are developed through the processes of paradigm determination, assessment of needs, planning, evaluation and implementation (Green & Kreuter 2005). Physical Qualities of the Red Lotus Plant in Relation to Health Promotion The plant is 50 by 150 above centimetres above the water level. Its leaves are round and greenish-blue and don’t float, rather, they stand erect, cupped over the water. In evaluating the plant’s culinary characteristics, its root tubers and seeds are edible. They can be eaten raw, steamed or fried. The root tubers can be used to make soups, sweet and sour foods, salads and beverages for a cooling effect. The seeds are edible when raw, dried, crashed to pastes, popped like popcorns, ground into bread flour or roasted to be used as a hot beverage. The young stems and leaves are used in salads or as wrappers for food parcels (Crotty 2004). Older leaves can be used as disposable cups and plates. The flower petals are used to garnish a variety of dishes while the stamens flavour tea. The plant has wholistic use in that all its parts are edible and can be used in multiple different ways. This compares with the model that addresses various aspects of health promotion process. The plant has numerous medicinal values. It provides vitamins A, B and C in addition to calcium, iron, potassium and phosphorous. The flowers are used to detoxify, tone, calm, astringe, diuretic and anti-inflame. The flowers’ stamens strengthen kidneys while the stalks treat gastric ulcers, excess menstruation and post-surgical bleeding. The pod calms nerves, reduces anxiety and nervousness, high blood pressure, eye problems and lack of sleep (Low & Rodd 2006). The stem makes juice that treats diarrhoea, strokes, flu, irritation and over sweating. The juice strengthens the liver, spleen and heart. The roots are ground into flour that is used to treat ringworms and other dermatological conditions. In addition, the roots aid in stopping nose bleeding, increase blood circulation, remove toxins, increase energy and span of life. The plant has spiritual importance in many cultures the world over. The flowers signify purity and inspiration since it emanates from the mud without being defiled and thus signify spiritual consciousness. For example, in the Indian myths, the plant symbolizes eternity and good fortunes and is embedded in Indian architecture. Other cultures appreciates the plants beauty and spiritual value. In Egypt, the plant was embedded in royal carvings, while Chinese philosophers have written extensive literature concerning the spiritual significance of plant. The Contribution/Relevance of the Red Lotus Health Promotion Model to Health Promotion in the 21st Century The model brings new and exciting concepts of health promotion in the 21st century. For example, earlier health promotion models such as the Need Assessment model were technically oriented. They described what should be done without showing how it should be done. The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model explicitly applies a system of health promotion values and principles in describing how actions should be coordinated to promote health and solve health issues. The model overcomes the shortcomings of earlier models. For example, it gives values that guide actions rather the technical orientation of describing what should be done without saying how it should be done. In a nut shell, this model brings a wholistic aspect to health promotion because it addresses the needs and requirements of all phases of health promotion process, starting from assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation (Hawe, Degeling & Hall 1990). The model help medical professional to overcome the challenges involved in proactively and purposefully enacting a connection of values and values across all phases of the health promotion process. The challenge is addressed by the ecological, salutogenic and holistic dimensions of the Red Lotus Model. The introduction of a value and principles system approach to health promotion on the 21st century is a key contribution of the Red Lotus Model. The value system is structurally explained by the stems and roots of the red lotus plant. The Stems represents the three domains of health promotion principles that are contained in the new principles and values system of the model. A system is described as a set of interconnected and interdependent parts that collectively from a whole entity. A value is a concept/idea that is worth pursuing and useful. Each value is connected to a principle that explains the code of conduct for enacting the value. The value and principles system is divided into 3 categories i.e. philosophical, ethical and technical domains. The principles and values that support the above domains are interdependent and connected to collectively give a whole dynamic system of values and principles (Keleher 2005). The stem of the model includes the philosophical, ethical and technical principles and unite them as one support structure that forms a conduit for implementing the values. Furthermore, every domain had a bundle of principles that are related to one another. The roots of the model symbolize the values held in the principles and value system. Every principle is connected to a value in the root of the model. For instance, the holistic health concept is a value in the system that describes how health can be viewed from a spiritual aspect in modern health promotion. The concept is tied to a principle that ensure that health incorporates spiritual, psychological, social and physical wellbeing. The model introduced a philosophical way of understanding and improving modern health promotion. The values and principles contained in the philosophical domain of the model represents concepts that are valued and crucial in modern health promotion. For instance, usage of constructionist epistemology is a philosophical value. The principle which effects the value involves construction of knowledge via interactions within and among health professionals with the participation of the community. The interactions supports the participation principles in the Ottawa Health charter. A practical example of philosophical contribution to modern health promotion is described below. When a health practitioner/professional considers the health aspect of a specific program, he is guided by the philosophical domain of the Red Lotus model. The model guides him to use the holistic paradigm value and the principle which states that health concept involves interrelation of the spiritual, social, mental and physical health dimensions. When the Practitioner works with the Lotus model, he critically reflects on the existing health paradigms and determines if they are consisted with the holistic health aspect. In case of any inconsistencies, the practitioner makes strategic plans to advocate for mediate or facilitate reorientation of the paradigms. The model has contributed to the ethical guidance of human actions in health promotion. The values and principles in the ethical domain of the model assist in provision of guidance to the humane or ethical actions to follow in the health promotion process. For instance, use of evidence based practice is an ethical consideration value that is tied to the principle basing medical practice on evidence of need, effectiveness, and credible theoretical foundations. I n modern health promotion process, when a practitioner considers where to focus his efforts, he is guided by the ethical dimension of the Red Lotus Model. He is guided to focus on the value of equity based community priorities (Lowe 2002). The principle of prioritising actions to the most vulnerable and needy in the communities ties the above value. Equity based priorities call for work to be prioritised to address the needs of the most disadvantages community members before other more advantaged individuals obtain help. The concept of equity is of critical importance as health promotion faces criticism for choosing to work with the more developed, easily accessible sections. This widens the disparity gaps in health care issues. Therefore, failure to use equity concept to prioritise community needs is considered unethical and inhumane. While working with the Red Lotus Model, the practitioner critically reflects on current and proposed community priorities. He determines the equity of the community priorities to develop strategic plans to advocate for, and facilitate reorientation of focus towards returning equity where there are pronounced lack of balance. A further influence of the model is an introduction of best technological practices in health promotion. The technical domain of the values and principle system gives guidance on the humane approach to health promotion practices, which is referred to as good/best practice (Low & Rodd 2006). The value of the practitioner is effected by working with societies as an ally and tapping on resources for the societies. For instance, the technical domain of the model is at play when a practitioner devices the strategies to use to promote a health promotion program. The model guides the practitioner to use a value of comprehensive action. In addition, he is guided to follow the principle of combining several strategies to address the complex health problems. When he works with the model, the practitioner reflects on current/proposed portfolio of strategies and evaluates the mixture of strategies. If this mixture excludes action areas of the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion, he forms strategies that advocate for and facilitate the expansion of the strategy portfolio. Apart from introducing a value and principle based system, the model revolutionised the health promotion process. The process was made better through establishing clear, concise and efficient ways of establishing the environmental determinants of health, need assessment, planning, implementation and evaluation. The model identified the environmental factor that interacts with people’s characteristics to determine health outcomes (Lowe 2002). These factors include the social, economic, political, build and natural environments. A critical reflection of the above factor can determine the success of a health promotion program. By understanding how the factors work to influence health outcomes, a practitioner can maximize on these factors to yield positive health outcomes. Understanding hoe environmental factors interplays with human characteristics has strong implications in ecological and ecosystem science. For example, health promotion practitioners understand how ecological science affects the health outcomes. In the ecological system, there are factor that he can influence such as social and build in environment. He maximises on these as he hopes that external factors such as natural, economic and political environments will favour his health promotion efforts. The model expanded the components of the needs assessment to include several areas of community life and perspectives. The model categorized needs assessment to focus on three areas. First, the type of needs that a health promotion practitioner must assess. They included emotions that people felt and expressed, comparative and normative medical problems. Second, data needed for need assessment. The data is collected from current and new sources, both primary and secondary (Crotty 2004). The data refers to people’s traits and environmental factors that determine health outcomes. Third, the range of processes involved in needs assessment. These pin decision processes allow all people affected directly/indirectly by a health issue to participate in decision making to solve it. The expansion of need assessment components ensures a comprehensive view and determination of health promotion needs in the community. The involvement of the community in seeking solutions to health issues satisfies the principles of the Ottawa Health promotion charter. In addition, it creates a just society with equitable prioritising of health promotion needs, to bridge the health disparity gap. The model improves efficiency and effectiveness in modern health promotion planning. This is done by identifying seven basic components in health promotion planning. People are recognized as the primary and secondary co-activists in planning. The people who are directly affected by priority health concerns must be involved in the planning process. Secondary co-activists are people who are indirectly affected by priority health issues. Practitioners must work with primary co-activities in providing health solutions that best suit their health problems (Antonovsky 2006). Partnerships between practitioners and people form another component of planning. The two must work together in setting priorities and making sound decisions that affect health outcomes. Priority health concerns is a planning component that identifies a range of factors that directly or indirectly affect health outcomes. Evidence of health issues is collected from primary and secondary sources and is used to conduct new research on issues affecting the community health. The model contributes to efficiency, effectiveness and success in health promotion planning. The model improves the implementation of modern health promotion programs by suggesting four components of the evaluation process. Support is a critical consideration while implementing a program. Primary and secondary co-activists provide the necessary support to implement health promotion programs. Support actions include mobilising, securing and maintenance of the required financial, human and capital resources. Responding to anticipated opportunities in evaluation enhances the effectiveness and success of the health Promotion program (Parker 2007). Collecting process evaluation data is a component that ensures that all deviations in the implementation process are corrected to avoid negative health outcomes. In addition, communicating the progress of strategic implementation is of utmost importance to the success of the health program. It enables them to see the clear picture of the entire health promotion process and their contribution to positive health outcomes. Therefore, the Red Lotus Health Promotion Model motivates all the stakeholders involved in health promotion programs and facilitates tracking of errors in the implementation process and their correction so that health outcomes are not negatively affected by errors and omissions. The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model contributes to a systematic step by step evaluation of health promotion programs. The advantage of a systematic approach is that it allows measurement of performance at all levels of the health promotion process. It enables the stakeholders to measure success per unit of efforts contributed in the entire process of health promotion. The evaluation process is based on process evaluation data. The assessment determines the program’s readiness in impacting and evaluating outcomes. During evaluation, evaluation data is analysed to identify trends and points of success/failure. The information on trends and findings is disseminated to stakeholders who have capacity to respond. The responses from stakeholders are used to improve the health promotion process to increase positive health outcomes for future programs (Low & Rodd 2006). The systematic evaluation process makes it easier for stakeholders to measure performance and develop strategies to mitigate failure in future programs. Evaluation allows the practitioner to measure the success of the health promotion programs and respond to the shortcoming appropriately. Therefore, The Red Lotus Model makes it easy to evaluate health programs and measure performance. It allows practitioners to identify failure factors and correct them to allow future health programs register positive health outcomes. The Relevance of the Red Lotus Health Promotion Model The relevance of the model is in ensuring the sustainability of modern health promotion programs. Sustainability factors are considered through assessment of future viability of the health program. These factors are based on evaluating outcomes in relation to potential future impact. The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model ensures sustainability by streamlining the process of health promotion. Streamlining is achieved through harmonization of all stages of health promotion process, focusing on major components of the process that influence success and involving all the stakeholders in decision making (Lowe 2002). As a result, wasteful efforts are eliminated, errors are identified and corrected and the process is closely monitored to ensure success. This results in efficiencies and cost effectiveness. The resources such as labour, funds and other capital resources are optimally utilised to increase the projects sustainability in the future. Sustainability of a health project is very critical in solving health problems. Health promotion practitioners must borrow the principles, values and concepts of the Red Lotus model to ensure survival, growth and sustainability of health promotion projects. Does the Model Enable Practitioners to proactively and Purposely Put into Action a Connected System of Values and Principles across all The Faces of a Health Promotion Process? The model allows the practitioners to develop a system of values and principles across all phases of a health promotion process. The distinguishing factor of the model is development of a values and principle system to actions in a health promotion program. This is achieved by developing values that are enacted by use of principles that relate to identified value. Every action in the health promotion process is guided by the system of values and principles (Keleher 2005). The stems of the red lotus plant represents the values and principles system of the Red Lotus Health promotion Model. A system is a term that refers to a set of individual parts that are collectively organized to form a whole entity. Values are concepts/ideas that are worthy, useful or desirable. Principles refers to codes of conduct for enacting values. Each value is effected by a principle that describes the code of conduct for enacting that value. The system of values and principles is divided into 3 domains namely, technical, ethical and philosophical domains. Values and principles in these domains are interdependent and connected to make a collective and dynamic system that guides actions in the entire process of health promotion. The stem of the model houses the ethical, philosophical and technical principles. It holds them collectively to from a single support structure and act as a conduit for effecting the values. Every domain has a bundle of related principles (Hawe, Degeling & Hall 1990). The roots of the Red Lotus model signify values in the values and principle system. Every principle in the stem connects to a value in the roots. For instance, the holistic health concept is a value in the system that describes how health can be viewed from a spiritual aspect in modern health promotion. The concept is tied to a principle that ensure that health incorporates spiritual, psychological, social and physical wellbeing. Therefore, the values and principles system allows practitioners to proactively and purposefully put into action a connected system of values and principles across all the faces of a health promotion process. How the Model Incorporates the Principles of the Ottawa Health Promotion Charter. The model has incorporated the health promotion principles described in the Ottawa Health Promotion Charter. The principle of empowerment is incorporated in the model by allowing communities to gain greater control over decisions that affect their health. The model advocates for inclusion and involvement of people in decisions that directly affect them (Judd 2001). The communities are allowed to participate in the health promotion, especially the planning process. The Red Lotus Health Promotion model advocates for involvement and participation of community members in finding solutions to their health problems. The practitioners work together with all the stakeholders such as funding agent, community members and policy members to make decisions and develop solutions. The practitioners sent evaluation reports to all stakeholders to solicit their response concerning the performance of the health programs. The holistic principle is taken into account by the holistic health paradigm of the Red Lotus Model. It incorporates all areas that influence health such as spiritual, mental social and physical dimensions of wellbeing. The equitable principle is addressed in the model by emphasizing on equitable basis of setting health priorities. The model states that priority of need should be given to the most disadvantaged in the community. This will bridge the disparity gap in health care and ensure social equity and justice (Green & Kreuter 2005). The model addresses the sustainability factors of any health promotion model. The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model ensures sustainability by streamlining the process of health promotion. Streamlining is achieved through harmonization of all stages of health promotion process, focusing on major components of the process that influence success and involving all the stakeholders in decision making. The model uses multi-strategies to deal with different issues in the health promotion promotions. The strategies work on different areas to ensure proper planning, efficiency and preparedness at all stages of the health promotion process. Why the Model is Superior to other Models. The current health promotion models give direction on the stages and activities of health promotion from the need assessment to the evaluation processes. Although these methods, used to evaluate design and implement health promotion initiatives give priority to principles of empowerment and participation, they do not focus on ways of putting these principles into actions. The models offer less guidance that would assist health professionals to put the principles into practice. For instance, models such as the Hawe, Degeling, and Hall Needs Assessment and Planning model and Program Management Guidelines from New South Wales Health are technically oriented (Antonovsky 2006). The models give a description of what to do, rather than emphasizing on values and principles that guide actions. Despite the many literature on health promotion, there is no evidence of the current health promotion models that use values and principles to guide action in a systematic process. A major challenge in health promotion, is the over use and the resulting realization of principles and values in all phases of the process of promoting health. All these challenges and shortcomings are addressed through the Red Lotus health promotion model. It advocates for a value and principle system to guide actions in all aspects of health promotion. Conclusion The existing health promotion models don’t incorporate a values and principles system. These concepts are only discussed in literal way and are not applied across all stages of health promotion processes. Practitioners face the challenge of enacting a set of values and principle in determining health paradigms, assessment of needs, planning, implementation and evaluation. The Red Lotus Health Promotion Model incorporates a system of values and principles (Crotty 2004). 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