Health Promotion

“Health promotion, when viewed though the lens of the WHO (1986) definition of health becomes ‘a process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve their health…a mediating strategy between people and their environment, synthesizing personal choice and social responsibility in health’ (WHO, 1984).

Health promotion is both a philosophy (a way of being) and a practice (a way of doing). Empowerment is central to health promotion. Empowerment is a term used to describe processes through which experiences of powerlessness are transformed and actions taken to change the physical and social conditions that create inequalities. Empowerment describes the intentional effort of creating more equitable relationships whereby there is greater equality in resources, status and authority (social justice).” (Collaboration for Academic Education in Nursing, 2007).

The concept of health promotion places emphasis on “the role of persons, groups, and organizations as active agents in shaping health practices and policies to optimize both individual wellness and collective well-being” (Stokols, 1996, p. 283).