The Challenges and Benefits of Using a Health Promotion Approach - Essay Example

Public Health Promotion Approach al Affiliation) Introduction The corpus of mental health entails facets such as; spirituality, emotions, behaviors, relationships as well as thoughts that enhances individuals’ capacities to solve various life challenges therefore promoting the essence of human well-being. Research has indicated that mental health includes individual’s capacities such as: The capacity to adapt to various environments; confidence and the ability to begin lead healthy relationships. In addition, the perspective of various issues ascribed to mental health varies from one mental health professional to another. This has been majorly attributed to the fact that research undertaken among these professionals to facilitate the understanding of mental health issues differ with regard to the methodologies, theories and language used to undertake the study. Stakeholders such as psychologist, sociologists, non-governmental organizations and governments have developed and implemented various approaches directed towards reducing various health challenges that arise due to cognitive problems. The level of efficacy among these approaches differs to a great extent; however, some of these challenges have shown a great level of relationship. Another most obvious characteristic of these challenges is the fact that they have benefits and to some extent demerits. This discussion will focus on the various approaches that are used to promote mental health among different populace and their associated challenges as well as benefits, specifically those that are applied towards reducing problems caused by depression. Discussion Public Health Approach to Address Challenges Caused by Depression Depression one of the most common mental health challenges that are in the contemporary society. Most psychologists have described depression as disorder that affects an individual’s moods by causing continuous feelings of sadness as well as loss of interests in various human activities (Aguirre, 2008). In addition, depression has been cited as mental health challenge that can also affect an individual’s physical capacities and emotions by creating variation in an individual’s mode of thinking and behavior (Aguirre, 2008). One of the most common approach to addressing various levels of depression as a mental health challenge is the application of the Public Health Approach. Specifically, this approach involves the application of medical and psychological strategies geared towards changing the behaviors, lifestyles and coping mechanisms to challenges caused by depression. Public health approaches are closely related with the reduction of depression as a major health challenge in the contemporary society (http://www.cdc.gov, n.d). Within the spectrum of public health approach, there is the essence of creating public awareness as a means of reducing challenges ascribed to depression at different levels. Public awareness in the spectrum of public health promotion among populaces entails the application of psychological dimensions of solving challenges of depression. This approach can be applied in different levels i.e. community or local level, meso-level and the national levels. The concept of psychological mental health promotion within the spectrum of public health promotion involves provision of skills aimed at improving individuals’ capacities towards solving and adapting to mental challenges caused by depression. This procedure can be applied in the dimension of health education, through a process of one-on-one session, teaching of stress management techniques, promoting group work and providing the affected individuals with materials for personal assistance as they strive to solve depression. Benefits of Public Health Promotion to Solving Depression in Populations There are various benefits that have been associated with the application of the public health approach towards solving challenges ascribed to different levels of depression. Most of these benefits are greatly related to the positive mental health approaches that are undertaken during this process. The first benefit of this approach towards solving depression as a mental health challenge is that: Public health approaches that focus on the application of positive psychology have been cited as more effective as compared to other approaches (Lahtinen, Raeburn, Jenkins & Joubert, 2005). The concept of positive psychology entails a scenario whereby stakeholders engaged in solving challenges associated with depression focusing on assessing the positive attributes and characters of individuals; the results of this study is aimed at improving individuals’ well-being by encouraging them through counseling to focus on their positive characters and attributes, thus enhancing the efficacy of reducing problems of depression. Another benefit of public health approach as means to solve challenges of depression experienced in populations is the fact that in some cases, it may involve the formulation of public health policies and other health promotion strategies used as benchmarks. Specifically, the policies may involve creation of supportive environments for people undergoing depression for instance: Creating a participatory approach for the community members to engage themselves towards identification of strategies directed towards reducing problems caused by depression; therefore enhancing public health. In addition the concept of public health through the application of public awareness in regard to provision of skills for solving depression creates a sense of resiliency and optimism among the affected persons. This facilitates the process of positive adaption to mental challenges caused by depression. In this case, the essence of resiliency is a scenario where individuals are capacitated to adapt and solve problems caused by depression as they master various issues ascribed to their life processes (Herrman, Saxena, & Moodie, 2011). Moreover, research has indicated that the application of public health approach towards solving depression has been described as effective owing to the fact that it entails the assessment of various social facets as well as economic inequalities that may create depression among individuals. This enables decision-makers to formulate effective strategies geared towards solving the challenges associated with depression. The process of undertaking public health promotion at the national level as a means to solve depression attracts the attentions of various stakeholders i.e. government departments, non-governmental health organizations et cetera (Herrman, Saxena, & Moodie, 2011). The involvement of various stakeholders towards solving various levels of depression is crucial in the process of enhancing health. These stakeholders usually contribute proper and effective resources therefore, facilitating the efforts of solving mental health challenges. Public Health Approaches directed towards solving depression as a mental health challenge are also effective in solving problems experienced by a large group of people or even groups of people suffering from depression. For example, the strategies that are usually undertaken by group counseling or awareness sessions create platform for solving depression faced a particular group or even populations. This is an effective means of reducing the amount of resources that would have been used to undertake individual counseling or awareness therapy sessions. Challenges of Public Health Approach as a means to Solve different Levels of Depression Despite the fact that there are numerous benefits associated with public health approach as a means to reduce or prevent challenges of depression, there are also some challenges that have been associated with this methodology (McQueens & Jones, 2007). To begin with, research has shown that it is a population oriented approach that integrates various many aspects of life that extends beyond the simple traditional modes of treatment as well as social care: This has created a major challenge owing to the fact that it makes an attempt to influence and change certain aspects of the society that are deeply enrooted into social and cultural as well as economic values, thus reducing the efficacy of the intervention. Public health approaches applied at the community level may be effective owing to the fact that they deal with a small number of people with minimal interference of polices and regulations. However, at the national level, government polices and plans that directly affect populations i.e. those that affect availability of roads, jobs, housing et cetera, may interfere with the psychological processes of individuals especially when they are in the process of counseling; these may interfere with the efficacy of the public health approach hence creating a major barrier towards the success of the approach (McQueens & Jones, 2007). Additionally, psychologists and social scientists have argued that economic facets play a major role in the determination of mental health of individuals. The efficacy of the public health approach may be affected by the economic status of individuals, for example research has shown that poverty has been the major factor of depression among certain populaces; this the approach may not be effective especially when it does not involve the application of strategies that focus on capacity building. Moreover, in some cases, it requires the use of huge financial resources to undertake public campaigns geared towards reducing depression among a particular populace; this may be hindered in the case that the concerned stakeholders are faced with a challenge of financial constraints. Consequently, the efficacy of public health promotion approach as a means to solve depression may also be hindered by issued of inequity and lack of access to certain social services. Some members of the populations may not be in a position to access the counseling processes and the awareness programs. This may hinder the efficacy of this process as a means to solve mental depression experienced at different levels. Conclusion The corpus of public health approach as a means to reduce certain challenges caused by mental health, specifically depression, creates a wide perspective that incorporates the entire well-being of the society. In as much as public health approaches entails creating awareness and other forms of education, it should also include aspects such as; social analysis, political, economic and environmental analysis in order to facilitate efficacy of the strategies geared towards resolving cognitive distress such as Depression. The assessment of mental health of various populations provides imperative information to the concerned stakeholders. For instance: This assessment may lead to the provision of information such as, number of people experiencing depression hence leading to proper budgeting of mental health resources. Bibliography Aguirre, B. A.2008. Depression. Westport, Conn.: Greenwood Press. Herrman, H., Saxena, S., & Moodie, R.2011. Promoting mental health: concepts, emerging evidence, practice. Geneva: World Health Organization. Lahtinen, E., Raeburn, J., Jenkins, R., & Joubert, N.2005. Strategies for Promoting Mental Health among Populations. Brussels: CamScanner. McQueen, D. V., & Jones, C. M.2007. Global perspectives on Mental Health promotion Effectiveness. New York, NY: Springer. Public Health Approach.n.d.. Public Health Approach. Retrieved March 31, 2014, from http://www.cdc.gov/aging/pdf/cib_mental_health.pdf Read More