The 131st Annual Meeting (November 15-19, 2003) of APHA

Abstract #67527

Eunhee Cho, MPH, School of Nursing, University of Pennsylvania, 420 Guardian Drive, Philadelphia, PA 19104-6096, 215-898-4150, choeunhe@nursing.upenn.edu

Background: Even though health promotion has been a major goal in community health nursing, the concept of 'health promotion' has been seldom defined and interchangeably used with disease prevention and health protection. Objective: To clarify the concept of health promotion in the community. Methods: A Wilsonian concept analysis was undertaken with references that are searched from MEDLINE, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and Sociological Abstracts. Result: Antecedents, attributes, and consequences of health promotion were identified, and model, borderline, and contrary cases were constructed from the attributes in order to illustrate the concept of health promotion. Based on this analysis, the definition of health promotion is positive lifestyle changes and positive environmental changes for any movement on the health continuum toward enhanced health, well-being, and health related quality of life at the personal level and enhanced empowerment, participation, and equity at the community level. The positive lifestyle changes are active health promotion because individuals can make decisions about their activities for health promotion; however, positive environmental changes are passive health promotion. This health promotion is influenced by the antecedents such as individual characteristics, social relationships, social environments, and physical environments. Conclusion: Health promotion is not the same as disease prevention or health protection. However, it is difficult to achieve health promotion without disease prevention and health protection. This is because health promotion is an overarching concept that includes both disease prevention and health protection.

Learning Objectives:

At the conclusion of the session, the participant will be able to:
• Recognize the role of public health nursing within the broader system of health care.
• Identify current public policy debates in public health.
• Recognize what policies will be needed for successful delivery of public health nursing.

Keywords: Health Promotion, Community

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.