Foundations in Public Health and Health Promotion Assignment Sample

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Introduction

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This reflective essay has demonstrated the understanding of the reflective practices in public health education under which adequate knowledge can be fostered. It is also to be stated that by focusing on the perspectives related to theoretical and practical knowledge, adequate professional competence and personal growth can be ensured. I will also focus on the different kinds of learning outcomes that I have studied during this module. Different kinds of perspectives related to the reflection diaries have also been included in this research. This diary has also been focused on the reactions, thoughts and understanding of key issues under the healthcare. This practice will not only support my arguments and reflections but also illustrate the breadth and depth of my engagement with the subject matter.

Critical Reflection on Learning and Thinking Development

During this week's exploration of personal and professional values, I encountered the profound ways in which our values underpin our understanding of health. The session has helped me to a self-inquiry about my biases and assumptions regarding what constitute 'good' health, challenging me to broaden my perspective beyond my own cultural and personal biases.

Gibbs reflective model

Description

In Week 1 "The opening lecture by Simon Rowlands laid the groundwork for understanding the intrinsic values that drive the field of public health. The session emphasized the importance of equity and social justice as core principles that should guide our efforts in health promotion."

The foundational concepts were also introduced in the first week by my tutors and it has also become the cornerstones of my understanding of public health and health promotion. The key principles of equity and social justice are not just aspirational goals but are operational necessities in the pursuit of health for all (Marmot and Wilkinson, 2006). It has different kinds of implications on a national scale where policy-making must strive to minimize health disparities. On the other hand, at a global scale challenges are amplified by the diverse socio-economic and cultural landscapes.

This week's session with Sam Davis catalyzed re-evaluating my preconceived notions about health. Previously, I have uncritically accepted societal norms about health without considering the diversity of values that exist within various cultures and professional paradigms. Engaging with my peers and reflecting on our varied perspectives has underscored the importance of cultural competence in health promotion. It is identified that, it has enhanced my different kinds of perspectives related to thinking of health issues.

My teacher’s session on the determinants of health related health inequalities has provided me a detailed understanding of the sociological lens through which to view public health. Through this perspective, I have also identified that medical issues are also linked to the structure of our societies."

Week 4 has been provided a detailed understanding of the social determinants of health. The stark presentation of health inequalities has also promoted the impact on communities. The knowledge has also promoted my focus from individual behaviour change to a more systemic approach. It has also helped to me recognise the need for societal changes to combat these inequalities. Policy changes related root causes of health disparities are also required for the enhancement of health equalities as the government imposes different kinds of policies to regulate health issues at the national level.

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Feelings

Ethics in health promotion has also helped me to understand the moral dimensions of public health interventions. The ethical aspects related to the distribution of resources have made question how to ethically navigate the field (Green and Tones, 2019). On the other hand, the ethical considerations were also discussed in Week 8. It has further deepened my appreciation for the complexity of health promotion. The principles of justice, beneficence and non-maleficence have also guided me to promote health aspects related to person-centred care within an organisation.

The themes explored in these weeks are inextricably linked to the learning outcomes of this module. I have also understood the in-depth subject matter and it has also been helping to understand the determinants of health. My ability to reflect critically has been honed and it has also helped me understand a descriptive account of health towards a more nuanced and ethically informed perspective.

Evaluation

I have also demonstrated a comprehensive understanding of the concepts of health. The determinants of health and the pervasive nature of health inequalities have also promoted the requirements of Learning Outcome 1. This reflective journey has enhanced my academic knowledge but has also been transformative on a personal and professional level. Challenging and reshaping my values within the field of public health promotion are also required to promote different kinds of perspectives.

Ethics in health promotion and public health are critical in guiding perspectives to conduct and decision-making of initiatives related to community well-being (Fleming and Baldwin, 2020). The ethical principles have been ensuring the interventions respect individual autonomy. It has also been helping individuals to make informed decisions about their health. It has also been helping to identify the need for beneficence and non-maleficence. It has also been ensuring that programs related to prevention of harm. Ethical considerations have also beenn accountability and transparency in the formulation and implementation. On the other hand, it has also been ensuring that they are evidence-based and community-oriented. Respecting cultural diversity are also paramount aspects of health equality promotion. On the other hand, ethics in health promotion and public health are also about balancing individual rights with collective aspects. It has been providing for interventions that for fair and it is related to respectful of diverse values and circumstances.

Analysis

Furthermore, I have identified that health inequalities has created challenges to my value system. It has helped me to consider the role of justice and equity in health. On the other hand, I have also observed that promotion of the ethical aspects are needed to be promoted adequately. The session in Week 5 was instrumental in broadening my understanding of the spectrum of health promotion approaches. The medical or preventative model with its focus on reducing disease risk factors and it has also been promoting an empowerment approach that emphasizes capacity building and enabling individuals to gain control over their health. It has been criticized for its paternalistic and top-down methodology and it has also been lauded for its participatory nature but can be challenging to implement on a large scale due to its resource-intensive nature (DIEFENBACH, 2009).

Through focusing on the Health Belief Model and the Social Cognitive Theory, I can understand the perspectives related to how health behaviours are formed and how they can be changed. The examination of models such as the Health Belief Model (HBM) and Social Cognitive Theory (SCT) in Week 6 has allowed me to appreciate the psychological underpinnings of health behaviour. These models are also crucial in designing interventions that aim to modify individual behaviors (O'Neil, 2019). However, they can be critiqued for placing a significant onus on individuals and it has also been neglecting the wider social determinants of health that shape these behaviours.

In terms of this, the journey of critical reflection has expanded my understanding of health and its broader determinants. It is also identified that ethical commutment are also needed to be promoted in terms of managing health ineqaulities. On the other hand, I need to focus on the action oriented approaches through which adequate understanding can also be ensured.

It is identified that role of psychology in health promotion has been providing a comprehensive understanding of human behaviour (Labonte and Laverack, 2008). Through application of theories, psychologists can develop strategies related to healthy perspective. Furthermore, regular physical activity and cessation of harmful habits have also been creating different kinds of issues. It is also necessary for the health professional to focus on maintaining behaviour change. Enhancement of mental health improvement can be ensured through the application of appropriate health equalities. It is also identified that components of overall health related to cognitive-behavioural therapy are needed to focus on the enhancement of health perspectives. Moreover, psychology has also been helping in overcoming barriers to health behaviour change by addressing factors such as motivation and perceived risk.

Conclusion

It has also been playing a critical role in the enhancement of health messages. On the other hand, interventions related to socio-economic and individual contexts are also related to the enhancement of different kinds of perspectives. Furthermore, it has been ensuring that health promotion activities are more effective and equitable. Psychological support is essential in helping individuals cope with the illness and health practitioners can also use this to provide support (Laverack, 2017). It is necessary to focus on the treatment plan and maintain a good quality of life. Cognitive and social aspects can also be promoted by considering the entire spectrum of human experience. It has also been promoting more person-centred, holistic and public health outcomes.

Public Health and Health Promotion

Globalization, ideologies and sustainability has expanded my understanding of public health beyond national borders. It has highlighted the interconnectedness of health issues and the need for global cooperation. In Week 10, the discussion on globalization has underscored the transnational dynamics of health challenges such as pandemics and non-communicable diseases. The session has made it clear that health promotion must adopt a global perspective. It has also been recognizing the health determinants related to national boundaries. The global outlook has also necessitated an understanding of various ideologies and the principles of sustainable development as they relate to health.

My tutor has provided me with a practical framework for implementing health promotion strategies. It is identified that through focusing on the perspectives related to health promotion through which socio-ecological contexts have also been promoted.

The concept of 'settings' for health promotion has had a profound impact on my approach to public health strategies. Healthy Cities has taken different kinds of initiatives and policy changes in specific settings have also been fostering better health outcomes. It is identifed that health promotion principles on both a national and global stage are applicable for the management of different kinds of perspectives (Naidoo and Wills 2010). It has also been adapting strategies to fit the cultural and social fabric of each setting.

It is identified that through focusing on the perspectives related to learning outcome 2, it can be stated that my tutor has discussed different theories and principles related to health perspectives. It has also identified that public health and health promotion in a national and global context are also required for the enhancement of my understanding related to different theories and models. My reflections from the weekly sessions illustrate the vital importance of embedding values such as equity and sustainability into health promotion practices. It has also been identified that the need for a global collaborative approach has been identified as health issues within national borders.

Furthermore, this section has evaluated the different aspects of public health and health promotion against a backdrop of national and global contexts. I have demonstrated a comprehensive grasp of the complex interplay between the principles guiding public health. The realities of implementing health promotion strategies have also been diverse in settings and cultures (Naidoo and Wills, 2016).

Empowerment and transformative education have been presenting aspects related enhancement of awareness of health inequalities. It has also been promoting the acquisition of information and the development of critical and reflective capacities. Empowerment in this context has enabled individuals to recognize and utilize their innate potential and capabilities (Phw.nhs.wales, 2022). It has also been fostering a sense of self-efficacy and agency. It has also been involved in equipping them with the skills, knowledge, and attitude. It is also necessary to make informed decisions and assert their rights. On the other hand, transformative education is also concerned with inducing a profound shift in consciousness. It has also been leading individuals to question and reassess their perspectives, values and behaviours (Peimani, Nasli-Esfahani and Shakibazadeh, 2019). It has also imposed challenges for learners to critically analyze the structural aspects of society.

This approach has also employed critical pedagogy, participatory learning and reflective practices to encourage deep, personal, and collective reimagining (Phw.nhs.wales, 2022). On the other hand, empowerment and transformative education have also fostered a learning environment that is dynamic and responsive. It has also been nurturing individuals related to promoting ethically minded and equipped to navigate and shape an increasingly complex world.

Approaches to Public Health and Health Promotion

The implications of these models and approaches for practice and policy are significant. In terms of this, an adequate application of these models can inform targeted interventions that are sensitive to the complexity of individual behaviors and the broader socio-economic context. In terms of the policy, understanding the merits and limitations of different approaches is vital for developing comprehensive health strategies that are both effective and equitable (Palfrey, 2018). Policies must balance the need for individual behavior change with initiatives that address systemic issues contributing to health disparities.

In terms of this, the heterogeneity of health systems and cultural contexts have been necessitating adaptable and culturally appropriate health promotion strategies. The WHO's Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion remains a relevant guide and it has also been emphasizing the need for creating supportive environments (Peimani, Nasli-Esfahani and Shakibazadeh, 2019). It has also been strengthening community actions and reorienting health services towards the promotion of health rather than just the treatment of disease.

It can be stated that a critical analysis of the various models, approaches, and methods in public health and health promotion have been highlighting the importance of an integrated approach. It has also been combining individual-level interventions with broader policy initiatives that address social determinants of health (Andermann, 2016). This section has endeavored to reflect upon these aspects and it has also been considering their implications for practice and policy within both national and global health contexts and it has also been addressing the objectives of Learning Outcome 3.

Health promotion encompasses various approaches, each with unique objectives and strategies to enhance individual and community health. The Medical or Preventive approach is primarily concerned with reducing disease incidence and premature mortality by implementing broad interventions such as immunization and screening programs targeted at entire populations or specific high-risk groups. This approach is often characterized by its focus on reducing specific health risks and preventing diseases before they occur.

The Behaviour Change approach aims at encouraging individuals to modify their behaviors for healthier lifestyles. It often involves strategies to increase physical activity, improve diet, and reduce harmful habits like smoking and excessive alcohol consumption. This approach relies heavily on understanding and influencing individual motivations and barriers to change.

In contrast, the Educational approach focuses on providing knowledge and information, enabling people to make informed decisions about their health. This can involve health education programs, public awareness campaigns, or providing resources and information to help people understand the implications of different health behaviors.

Empowerment is another critical approach in health promotion, aiming to enable individuals to gain control over their health decisions and actions. This approach involves enhancing people's skills, confidence, and capacities to influence their health and the factors that underpin it. It's about moving beyond mere participation to ensuring that individuals have a real and meaningful influence on health decisions that affect them.

The Social Change approach seeks to modify the broader determinants of health by changing policies, laws, and environments. This approach recognizes that health is influenced by a wide range of social, economic, and environmental factors and aims to create a society where making healthy choices is possible for everyone. It involves advocating for changes in legislation, promoting rights-based approaches to health, and working towards a more equitable distribution of health resources.

Disciplinary Foundations

Reflective Diary Extract

We started by investigating the origins of public health and recognised it as a fusion of several disciplines. My teacher gave historical context while also highlighting the contributions of epidemiology, sociology, and psychology to essential public health understanding.

The multidisciplinary character of public health and health promotion has resulted in a rich tapestry of perspectives that inform its methods and activities. In addition, epidemiology has supplied quantitative aspects for understanding illness spread and determinants. It has also enabled me to track health trends and evaluate solutions. Psychology has also encouraged many different sorts of individual behaviour, which is critical for building effective health promotion programmes.

These disciplines have produced challenges in terms of overlapping and oftentimes contradicting each other. On the other hand, epidemiology, sociology, and psychology have all focused on quantitative difficulties. Public health difficulties and problems are also linked to both evidence-based and person-centered components.

As a result of the interdisciplinary approach, my awareness of health as a complex and multidimensional entity has grown. It has also encouraged teamwork and the utilisation of each area's strengths in order to address the complicated web of factors influencing health. In this context, the integration of environmental science and public health has highlighted the critical issue of climate change's impact on health. It can give light on how healthcare policies affect healthcare prices and access.

These interdisciplinary perspectives have also informed my understanding of health promotion as a dynamic field that must constantly adapt to changing public health challenges. The importance of concept and approach flexibility, as well as the utility of mixing multiple techniques, has also been underlined (Alderwick et al., 2021). To establish robust and comprehensive health promotion strategies, cross-disciplinary collaboration is essential.

Furthermore, research into the disciplinary foundations of public health has reinforced the significance of a multidisciplinary, holistic approach (Alderwick et al., 2021). It has aided me in reconciling opposing viewpoints and incorporating them into my thinking and practice. I've also stressed the need of remaining adaptable and informed by a diverse set of disciplines. It has also helped us to understand health and well-being. This contemplation has heightened my interest in Learning Outcome 4. It has also highlighted how the interaction of several disciplines enriches the subject and informs public health practice.

Policies and politics have also played a role in health promotion, dictating how societies prioritise, manage, and implement initiatives to increase population well-being (Kumar and Preetha, 2022). It has also influenced public and legislative interest in health-related issues. They develop and implement policies that have a significant impact on lifestyle choices and health behaviours, such as food safety, pollution, and access to healthcare. Budgeting for health education, infrastructure, and services is a major political decision (Kumar and Preetha, 2022).

It has also been determining the reach and effectiveness of health promotion efforts. Furthermore, politics has been critical in forging cross-sector partnerships. It has also advocated for healthy laws and addressed health disparities. It has also ensured the continuous monitoring and development of health programmes (Palfrey, 2018). On the other hand, the success of health promotion has been predicated on the execution of policies and governance mechanisms. It has also underlined the importance of long-term political commitment and careful policymaking in ensuring better health outcomes for everybody.

Reflection diary

Week	Date	Key Messages & Concepts	Challenges & Surprises	Impact on Practice	Points of Confusion	Follow-Up Actions
1	Sep 25	Introduction to public health principles	Surprised by how wide-ranging public health is	Considering wider factors that influence health	Clarifying the scope of public health	Review public health frameworks
2	Oct 2	Professional values in public health	Had to reflect on my own biases about health	Embracing ethical considerations in practice	Understanding how values affect health promotion	Discuss with a mentor about professional values
3	Oct 9	The role of empowerment in health promotion	Surprised by the effectiveness of empowerment in education	Implementing empowerment strategies in community work	Balancing empowerment with practical outcomes	Research case studies on empowerment in health promotion
4	Oct 16	Determinants of health and health inequalities	Depth of social factors affecting health	Advocating for policies addressing social determinants	Difference between inequality and inequity	Read more on social determinants of health
5	Oct 23	Approaches to health promotion	Variety of approaches and their application	Tailoring approaches to specific community needs	Choosing the most effective approach	Attend a workshop on health promotion strategies
6	Oct 30	Models of health promotion	Learning about the Health Belief Model	Applying health models to program design	Integrating models with complex behaviors	Study the application of the Health Belief Model in campaigns
7	Nov 6	Psychology's role in promoting and improving health	Impact of psychological factors on health behavior	Using psychological insights to inform interventions	Psychological theories in practice	Enroll in a webinar on health psychology
8	Nov 13	Ethics in health promotion and public health	Complexity of ethical decision-making in public health	Integrating ethics into daily practice	Interpreting ethical guidelines in complex cases	Join an ethics committee discussion or seminar
9	Nov 20	Policy and politics in health promotion	The influence of political climate on health initiatives	Advocating for health in political discussions	Navigating political influences in health promotion	Arrange meetings with policymakers to understand current health policies
10	Nov 27	Global context for health	Impact of globalization on health	Adapting to global influences in health planning	Global health versus local health initiatives	Collaborate on an international public health project
11	Dec 4	Setting approaches to health promotion	Challenges of setting-specific strategies	Implementing setting-specific health promotion strategies	Tailoring strategies to various settings	Visit different health promotion settings to observe strategies
12	Dec 11	Revisiting key concepts and module evaluation	Reflecting on the learning journey and its complexities	Enhancing professional practice based on the module’s insights	Assessing personal growth and knowledge	Complete a reflective journal on the module's impact

Conclusion

I have endeavoured to delve deeply into the various aspects of public health and health promotion as outlined by the module's learning outcomes. By revisiting my weekly reflections, I have unravelled the complexities of health concepts, determinants, and inequalities, and critically examined the multifarious approaches, models, and methods that underpin the practices in this field. Additionally, I have explored the disciplinary foundations that form the bedrock of public health and health promotion.

The journey through the module has been one of continual growth and challenge. It has reshaped my perspectives, broadening my understanding from a narrow biomedical view of health to a comprehensive, inclusive framework that considers the vast array of social, psychological, and environmental determinants. The critical appraisal of various health promotion models and approaches has equipped me with a more sophisticated toolkit for analyzing and designing interventions that are sensitive to the needs and complexities of diverse populations.

Moreover, the interdisciplinary nature of public health has fostered an adequate appreciation for the synergy that arises from integrating varied disciplinary. The appreciation has been prompting the importance of a collaborative and adaptable approach in the face of global health challenges. It can be stated that this critical reflection has been enhancing my academic learning of my personal and professional aspects. It has also been promoted as a promotion to the power of reflective practice in forging a well-rounded, critically aware public health practitioner. In terms of this, I have understood different kinds of aspects related to challenges with a commitment to equity, justice and the relentless pursuit of health for all.

References

• Alderwick, H., Hutchings, A., Briggs, A. and Mays, N. (2021). The impacts of collaboration between local health care and non-health care organizations and factors shaping how they work: a systematic review of reviews. BMC Public Health, 21(1). doi:https://doi.org/10.1186/s12889-021-10630-1.
• Andermann, A. (2016). Taking action on the social determinants of health in clinical practice: A framework for health professionals. Canadian Medical Association Journal, [online] 188(17-18), pp.474–483. doi:https://doi.org/10.1503/cmaj.160177.
• DIEFENBACH, T. (2009). NEW PUBLIC MANAGEMENT IN PUBLIC SECTOR ORGANIZATIONS: THE DARK SIDES OF MANAGERIALISTIC âENLIGHTENMENTâ. Public Administration, 87(4), pp.892–909. doi:https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1467-9299.2009.01766.x.
• Fleming, M. L. and Baldwin, L. (eds) (2020) Health promotion in the 21st century : new approaches to achieving health for all. Sydney: Allen & Unwin
• Green, J. & Tones, K. (2019) Health Promotion: Planning and Strategies. 4^th. Ed. London, Sage.
• Kumar, S. and Preetha, G. (2022). Health promotion: an Effective Tool for Global Health. Indian Journal of Community Medicine, [online] 37(1), pp.5–12. doi:https://doi.org/10.4103/0970-0218.94009.
• Labonte, R and Laverack, G. (2008) Health promotion in action: from local to global empowerment. Basingstoke, Palgrave Macmillan.
• Laverack, G. (2017) Health promotion in disease outbreaks and health emergencies. 1st edn. CRC Press.
• Marmot, M. and Wilkinson, R.G. (2006) Social Determinants of Health. 2nd ed. Oxford, Oxford University Press.
• Naidoo, J. and Wills, J (2010) Developing practice for public health and health promotion. 3rd edition. Bailliere Tindall Elsevier.
• Naidoo, J. and Wills, J (2016) Foundations for Health Promotion. Fourth Edition. Elsevier
• O'Neil, I. (2019) Digital health Promotion : a critical introduction. Cambridge, UK: Polity Press.
• Palfrey, C. (2018) The future for health promotion. Bristol, UK: Policy Press (Policy Press scholarship online)
• Peimani, M., Nasli-Esfahani, E. and Shakibazadeh, E. (2019). Ottawa charter framework as a guide for type 2 diabetes prevention and control in Iran. Journal of Diabetes & Metabolic Disorders, [online] 18(1), pp.255–261. doi:https://doi.org/10.1007/s40200-018-0381-3.
• Phw.nhs.wales (2022). Principles of Community Engagement for Empowerment. [online] Available at: https://phw.nhs.wales/news/rules-of-community-engagement-relinquish-your-power-so-that-communities-can-take-control/principles-of-community-engagement-for-empowerment/.
• Scriven, A. (2017) Promoting Health: A Practical Guide. 7th Ed. London, Scurati.