Health Promotion in Diabetic Patients

Running head: HEALTH PROMOTION 1
Health Promotion in Diabetic Patients
(Author’s name)
(Institutional Affiliation)

HEALTH PROMOTION 2
Introduction
According to World Health Organization (WHO), health promotion goes beyond the
normal health care ("The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion", 2018). It involves making the
health as an agenda of policymaker in all related health sectors at different levels through
directing them and making them know the results health consequences brought by their decisions
in order to enforce them to have responsibilities for health ("The Ottawa Charter for Health
Promotion", 2018). Therefore in 1986 Ottawa health conference, various strategies were
endorsed to help develop a support and interrelated groups in developing and maintaining actions
toward health promotion intended to support the wellbeing of individuals and community
completely. In order to enforce this, all parties including the government, media, individuals,
healthcare providers, institutions, nongovernmental organizations and the community are crucial
("The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion", 2018). To enforce this, five basic strategies were
advocated during the Otawwa charter which includes creating a supportive environment,
developing personal skills, strengthening community actions, building public health policies and
reorienting health services ("The Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion", 2018). These five
strategies go hand in hand with Australian health priorities as a way to promote the health of the
entire population and reduce the inequalities that exist among different groups (Kemppainen,
Tossavainen & Turunen, 2012). Diabetes has been recognized as one of the Australian health
priorities as it is a common disease that affects most of the people in the country (Green,
Brancati & Albright, 2012). Nurses and midwives have a core responsibility in reducing the
prevalence of diabetes and its effects on health promotion. This study tends to demonstrate how a
nurse can apply the five strategies from Ottawa charter to promote health promotion for diabetes.

HEALTH PROMOTION 3
Developing personal skills
This strategy involves modifying the behaviors and habits of an individual in order for
them to notice that they can make changes that can lead to reduced risk of developing various
diseases and illnesses (Flynn, 2015). Nurses use this strategy to educate the public using strategic
suitable skills in order to make improvements of peoples health ("The Ottawa Charter for Health
Promotion", 2018). These skills include communication, enhancing decision making, time
management, problem solving and assertiveness, (Green, Brancati & Albright, 2012), According
to WHO there are seven basic skills a nurse need to educate patients in order to manage and
promote health promotion in diabetes (Flynn, 2015). This includes educating the public the need
of healthy eating, performing physical exercises, health checkups, and monitoring, the need to
adhere with medications prescribed, problem-solving strategies, ways of reducing the extra risks
and healthy coping (Kemppainen, Tossavainen & Turunen, 2012). Nurses should educate the
public the need for healthy eating which includes eating all three nutrients; proteins, fat, and
carbohydrates in correct quantities to reduce instances of obesity and overweight. Physical
activities are among the most effective strategies for controlling the effects of type 2 diabetes
since it helps to control blood glucose levels.Nurses need to demonstrate which physical
activities are helpful and how they need to be done. In addition to that, the public need to be
aware of frequent blood glucose check-ups and the methods of monitoring, how to take
medication at home and self-management and problem-solving when it comes to diabetes
management (Kemppainen, Tossavainen & Turunen, 2012). Other than that, nurses should
educate the public about risk reduction among diabetes patients especially injuries since they do
not heal fast and healthy coping through psychological support.
Reorienting Health Services