Health promotion practice
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Health promotion practice · May 2012
LetterIs health promotion the starting point of primary cardiovascular care in low- and middle-income countries like Nepal?
Cardiovascular diseases (CVDs) are on the rise in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs) but have not received adequate priority. With a lack of concrete policy and programs, the present emphasis of CVD management in most LMICs is on curative aspects. Nepal is a prototype in this trend as it is treatment centric, particularly in urban areas. A major drawback of cure-centrism is that it requires both larger funds and more skilled manpower--both of which are limited in Nepal and other LMICs. ⋯ Health promotion is practiced in Nepal in connection with many health care programs and could be used to include CVD preventive strategies. The authors believe this to be a first step to increase health literacy toward CVD in the general population which may help bridge limited funds and manpower that the current curative-centric CVD strategy requires. Thus, health promotion strategies should be a tempting option for many LMICs and deserve further explorative attention.
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Health promotion practice · Nov 2011
Eliminating inequities in health care: understanding perceptions and participation in an antiracism initiative.
Antiracism training for staff of health care institutions is a promising intervention strategy to address racial and ethnic disparities in health care. In 2001, Southern County Public Health Department (SCPHD) staff completed a mandatory Dismantling Racism (DR) training, and some continued with an optional DR process to challenge institutional racism within their agency. ⋯ Perceived relevance and impact of the DR process on the organization and staff were also major factors affecting participation. Improvements for implementing such efforts including the consideration of institutional power and other implications for addressing racial health care inequities through antiracism initiatives are discussed.
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Health promotion practice · May 2011
Knowledge translation strategies using the thinking about epilepsy program as a case study.
In many areas of health promotion and health care there is a need to bring new knowledge from research into practice (knowledge translation). Relevant research alone is not usually sufficient to achieve the ultimate outcome(s) of interest. This study aims to address this gap by outlining practices and outcomes involved in moving research findings into action using the example of the Thinking About Epilepsy program. ⋯ The process of moving research knowledge into action is discussed explicitly in terms of who the policy makers are, what action is desired, the role of partners, and funding. Using a case study approach the authors have illustrated the importance of starting knowledge translation at the beginning, not at the end, of the research project. The principles discussed in this article can be extended past epilepsy and applied to move research findings relevant to other health conditions, health promotion activities, products, and technologies into action.
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Health promotion practice · Mar 2011
Basic priority rating model 2.0: current applications for priority setting in health promotion practice.
Priority setting is an important component of systematic planning in health promotion and also factors into the development of a comprehensive evaluation plan. The basic priority rating (BPR) model was introduced more than 50 years ago and includes criteria that should be considered in any priority setting approach (i.e., use of predetermined criteria, standardized comparisons, and a rubric that controls bias). ⋯ For these reasons, several modifications are recommended to improve the BPR model and to better assist health promotion practitioners in the priority setting process. The authors also suggest a new name, BPR 2.0, to represent this revised model.
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Health promotion practice · Oct 2009
Beyond the cathedral: building trust to engage the African American community in health promotion and disease prevention.
Effective efforts to eliminate health disparities must be grounded in strong community partnerships and trusting relationships between academic institutions and minority communities. However, there are often barriers to such efforts, including the frequent need to rely on time-limited funding mechanisms that take categorical approaches. This article provides an overview of health promotion and disease prevention projects implemented through the Community Outreach and Information Dissemination Core (COID) of the Center for Minority Health, within the Graduate School of Public Health at the University of Pittsburgh. ⋯ Based in large part on the success of the community engagement activities, in 2007, the National Center on Minority Health and Health Disparities, National Institutes of Health, designated the CMH as a Research Center of Excellence on Minority Health Disparities. COID major initiatives included the Community Research Advisory Board, Health Disparity Working Groups, Health Advocates in Reach, Healthy Class of 2010, and the Healthy Black Family Project. Lessons learned may provide guidance to other academic institutions, community-based organizations, and health departments who seek to engage minority communities in changing social norms to support health promotion and disease prevention.