Health Promotion Theories and Policies: A Critical Analysis

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PUBLIC HEALTH PROMOTING PUBLIC
HEALTH AND WELLBEING

In this essay, there is a vivid description of the health promotion principles along with
smoking prohibition-related policies. In this aspect, different theories and models of
health promotions are also discussed including social cognitive theory, ecological model
and many others. All of these discussions will provide a thorough understanding of the
core concepts of well being of human beings through health care and promotion based
policies across the world.
1. Discuss health promotion theories and apply health promotion principles (LO1)
Health promotion based theories and models are very crucial in the development of
program planning. All of these theories and models have a great role in the identification
of diseases, their intervention planning related activities development along with making
a great awareness among the peoples, mainly these are very crucial in the rural area based
programming. In enormous primary and secondary sources of information, there is a
vivid description of the health promotion based theories and models which play a crucial
role in providing the idea and knowledge of health behavior to the people. Some most
important health promotion and behavior related theories and models are ecological
models, the health belief model, Transtheoretical model or changes of stage theory
model, social cognitive theory, a theory of reasoned behavior or planner action model.
All of these model related discussion and explanations are discussed below.
Ecological model:
In this model, there is a great emphasis on the interrelationships of human beings, social
and physiological environment. According to this ecological model, there are enormous
factors which are liable for disease manifestation and creation in human beings. Such
factors are intrapersonal factors, interpersonal factors, institute or organization based
factors, community-based factors, public policy related factors. Intrapersonal factors are
knowledge, idea, educational qualifications of peoples, along with their attitude and
personality. Interpersonal factors are the procedure of interactions with other persons,

which are the responsible thing in making interaction or creating hindrances in the way of
health related promotions (Jacquet et al. 2019). Institutional or organization based factors
are mainly the rules and regulations of certain places which promote best health practices
and provide good health to their employees. Community-based factors are mainly rituals,
behaviors of particular groups or others. On the other hand, the most crucial one is public
policy based factors. These factors are local, corporate or federal government related
policies. All of the government enacted public policies to help in disease prevention
along with promoting some best health practices to protect people from the manifestation
of different kinds of diseases. Above all, this ecological model interacts with all of these
related factors which helps in early detection of diseases, ints control procedure and
management related activities. Project HEART, CRCCP are very popular projects
designed according to this ecological model (Piasecka et al., 2019).
Health belief model:
According to this model, early diagnosis of diseases occurs after following the changes in
behaviors or health behaviors. In this theoretical model, it is believed that all diseases
provide an earlier sign to the human body before its complete manifestation (Feng et al.,
2018). From the signs of behavioral changes diseases are diagnosed here and then actions
are taken accordingly. Basic thing in this health promotion related theory is peoples
personal belief about their health conditions, issues, and syndromes. It is very easy to
predict individuals health-related beliefs which is very much connected with health-
related behaviors also. Such behaviors are perceived susceptibility, perceived benefits,
perceived severity, and self-efficacy. According to this theoretical model, there was a
great health promotion named Michigan Model For Health, where a health promotion
programming was designed to protect school going children from alcohol consumption
along with an awareness camp for protecting them from drug or alcohol, obesity,
malnutrition, and other physical malaise.
To implement this model, there should be two steps. In the primary level, it is crucial to
find out that, in an entire population which portion of people is at risk. It will help them
to filter from others. Then, health promotion activities are continued over the vulnerable
peoples. In this model, it is lessened to the peoples that how they will be able to interact
with other influencing factors to remove all the barriers in the way of successful disease

prevention. This model can be implemented alone or in a hybrid nature. Here, the most
crucial thing is cues to action. On the other hand in this model, it is emphasized to help
peoples to be independent about disease prevention programming. It will help them to be
self-confident which is enlisted in the key points of theory, named as Self-efficacy.
Maintenance of this model in health promotion related places makes all the campaigns as
meaningful and apt for a particularly vulnerable or target population (Guidry et al.,2019).
Trans-theoretical model or changes of stages model:
In this model, it is highlighted that, how the particular human being is able to change
their actions or interaction procedures or behavior due to the manifestation of any causal
organism of diseases. According to this model, there are certain stages through which the
behavior of human beings is changed step by step, those steps are discussed here.
Precontemplation: In this stage, people would have no desire to make or perform any
kinds of change.
Contemplation: In this phase, people have started the desire to make some change in their
activities or performance in the near future.
Action: In this phase, the behavioral pattern of human behavior changes according to the
situations (Alsulaiman et al., 2018).
Maintenance: In these phases of change, there is a change in human beings behavioral
pattern for a long time.
Termination: People completely gives up the desire to return back to the previous
negative habits which may lead him to a severe health issue.
Social cognitive theory:
The social cognitive theory explains the importance of human beings personal
experiences, other activities of the surrounding, along with environmental factors in
happening of diseases in human beings (DelGiudice et al., 2018). All of these things are
very much crucial in disease establishment. Maintenances of Social cognitive theory
provides the assistance of social supports to the peoples through enhancing their
expectation level, self-confidence level, and utilization of observation-based learning, and
other reinforcing activities. All of these units are the game changer in the health
promotional activities. Key components of this social cognitive theory are self-efficacy,
behavior-based capabilities, expectation rate, expectancy rates, self-controlling activities,

observational learning, and reinforcing. All of these units make enhanced self-confidence
level. It makes a reinforcement among peoples. All of these things are very helpful in
diagnosis, analysis, and controlling of diseases.
Theory of reasoned action:
In this theory, there is an assemblage two closely related theories which are the theory of
reasoned actions and theory of planned actions. According to this theory, there is an
intention of human beings behavior is completely controlled by their impulse or intention
to perform a particular action. In this theory, it is propounded that, particularly human
behavior is controlled by persons self-attitude towards the performance of the action and
subjective norms for the action. In this aspect, subject norms are very crucial which
includes all the objects related to the social and environmental factors. Following this
theory provides a positive surrounding to the peoples and helps them to make positive
protections from disease establishment. In Virginia, there is a health promotion program
named SIP Smarter where this behavior based theory is followed in alcohol consumption
activities. Here, activities include educational programming to combat cervical cancer.
Mainly rural women were the target population in this programming where the theory of
actioned behavior was followed and managed.
In this discussion, there is a vivid explanation of different health promotion based
theories. All of these theories are utilized alone or hybridized with other theories
according to the situation to protect a particular population from all kinds of health-
related issues. These theories and models are emphasizing over human behavior related
activities. It provides great mileage to the health officials when Governments of different
countries will be more cautious to implement different policies. Maintenances and
peoples awareness are highly crucial to perform all of these theories and models also.
2. Debate the role of social, economic and public health policies in shaping health
promotion and care provision in developed and developing countries (LO4)
Health-related policies are very much crucial to provide a framework which aims at
reducing the habits of smoking among the entire population. As a result, there will be

some improvement in the death rate related to smoking oriented diseases like cancer,
heart diseases, and others. In most of the developed and developing countries, health-
related policies restrict public place smoking and this habit has saved the lives of many
young people's also as passive smokers are affected in a high rate without cautiousness.
Though smoking products originating from tobacco is the highest economic one. In most
of the developing countries, implemented tax on tobacco products is a lion share of the
national incomes. In this aspect, the implementation of restrictions through the enactment
of public policies may provide a negative reflection upon the nation or country also. But,
above all, public health, safety, and hygiene is a highly crucial issue. From this point of
view in most of the countries now enormous laws and policies are enacted to save
millions of lives from fatal diseases like cancer, liver-related diseases, and much other
life taking issues. In the United States, the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco
Control Act was also implemented by President Barack Obama in 2009. According to
these rules, trading of cigars, e-, and all other tobacco-related smoking products become a
ban in the USA market. According to this rule, all of these products are also banner
mainly for the minor girls and boys (Kasten et al., 2018). To make a social awareness
regarding health and safety, this law 0provides the guidelines to print some pictures of
fatally affected one through smoking habits to make people aware of such a bad habit.
Displayed health-related warnings will make people cautious before consuming those
products. From all of these guidelines of public policies will be helpful to make an
awareness against diseases. It is observed that the smoking habit was initiated mainly in
the developed countries like U.S.A, America, and many others and along with time such
habit becomes spread in other parts of the world including less developed countries such
as Asia, Africa. In this aspect, health-related social policies are also taking a great part in
making a cautiousness among the family members. It is observed that, at the beginning of
1980 to 1990, there was a very slow rate of smoking habit whereas along with time this
habit has grasped the entire society. In this context, health promotional campaigns along
with social policies are very crucial. This policy makes interpersonal communication-
based awareness among people. It helps peoples to be free from all kinds of bad habits
like smoking, consuming alcohol and others like addiction towards drugs, e cigars. By
the 20th century, a vigorous social campaign has programmed to make a social awareness

about the consumption of tobacco, e-cigars, and others. To take a serious step for this
prevention, Government has taken several policies such as enhancing the prices of
tobacco and smoking products, making restrictions in the availability of this products,
creating enormous restrictions for consuming smoking products, along with making
social campaigns through disclosing horrible information about the effects of cigarette
smoking. Along with developed and non-developed companies, there were several
policies taken by international organizations also like World Health Organizations
(WHO). In the initial time of 2003, WHO had signed the Tobacco control treaty (TCT)
with other countries and statutory bodies which are acting till present as the framework
and regulatory body to protect tobacco consumption (Livesley 2018). This social
programming is renowned as the WHO framework convention on Tobacco Control. After
the establishment of such an international body, there were many controls imposed on
tobacco. Such as, making a strict control over the tobacco-related products, providing
health-related displays of the tobacco products packets, But, in this time most of the
developed countries like United States, Canada, United Kingdom, and many others have
not made the effort to completely ban this tobacco product for economical perspectives.
All of the social, public and economic policies implemented across the world have the
same motto. All of these policies have implementations to reduce the utilization of
tobacco products as much as possible and at a quick rate. All of these policies have the
way to promote health consciousness, discourage peoples from this habit to save lives of
themselves and their next generations also as sometimes it is also provides by scientists
that, tobacco consumption create a great barrier in generative information consistency
and create genetic dysfunctionality related diseases. In this aspect, the Government of
U.K and U.S have also enacted the clean air non-smoking policies aiming to protect the
nonsmoker persons and cessation-related efforts. No single trial can remove such a curse
like smoking from society but a joint trial from Governments of enormous countries,
national and international organization can achieve such a big goal(Saeidi et al., 2018).
3. Analyze the strengths and weaknesses of alternative approaches to financing, organizing
and delivering public health care. (LO5)
Health care related financing is a highly approached topic in health promotional
activities. It is one of the core component of the health system and health-related

promotional activities. It is found to be present in enormous primary and secondary
sources of information that, the health sector has been suffering from finance-related
issues or weaknesses such as allocation of funds, mobilization procedure of funds, proper
utilization, accounting system, fraud, payment related incentive distributions, and others.
In this aspect, good governments have the role to provide and allocate proper and
sufficient funds to the health sectors also along with public, private and voluntary sectors.
The proper financial system has the strength to harmony maintenance among all the
health-related sectors in an integrated and organized manner where peoples from all strata
of society will be able to enjoy health-related facilities (Ring et al., 2018). Proper
governmental rules are needed to provide health-related equipment and services to the
peoples. In this way, it is also observed that along with time there is a great change in the
resource allocation in the financial systems. It is found that, in 1975, in U.K, the ration of
the private and health sector was 76:24 whereas it was improvised into 74%: 26% in the
last phase of 1979. Along with the improvement of medical treatment systems and
policies, there is a change in society is also observed. In the modern era, it is also
observed that a great portion of the public fund is now concentrated in the medical and
health-related sectors. It has helped the medical sector also to be refurbished enough to
cater millions of peoples in a sufficient model. Along with the improvement of finance-
related activities across the world, it is observed that it is highest in Canada near about
$72 dollar. Now, this is proved from Canada that, along with the concentration of
financial resources it helps the country to make a sufficient investment behind the health
system of its nationals and Canadians are now enjoying a higher life expectancy rate,
medical assistance, IoT related treatment systems and many others. Health policy
implementation has helped this OECD country to expect a higher amount of energetic
life, proper maintenances of earning, highly advanced lifestyle and higher economic
development. From this discussion, it is observed that health promotions have the power
to promote socio-economic growth and development of a country also. To organize the
health sector it is crucial to follow the basic five steps which are keeping the environment
as healthy and clean, detecting the disease in a proper way, diagnosis of disease through
medical equipment and other methods, treating diseases in a prudent manner and help
peoples to live a healthy life. It has the strength of human welfare. When a particular

population of an area will get the scope to go through the proper medical treatment
system, it will help them to strengthen their physical and mental health. Like, Canada
peoples from the entire world will be able to expect a long spanned healthy life. It will
also strengthen the economy of the country also. When nationals from a particular
country will be able to enjoy a happy and healthy life without any kind of bad habits like
smoking, drinking, and others it will help them to live a healthy life in an energetic
manner. As a result, people will be engaged in activities like the business, trade, and
others. From this discussion, it is observed that, organizing the health sector has the
strength of peoples health and safety, proper awareness regarding bad habits like
smoking, alcohol consumption and others. On the other hand, it has the weakness also
that, when a particular organization lacks from organizing related issues, then it can not
continue its operations in spite of having all kinds of professional personnel and others
(Simon et al., 2018). Proper organization and integration of a health sector is the only
organization which can provide a healthy life, long life expectancy rate and less death
rate to its peoples. Weakness in the organization of health sectors results in making
peoples deficient of knowledge and awareness. Detection of disease, analysis, diagnosis,
and all other health promotional activities are closely related to the organizational
structure of health sectors. Without organizational structure and integrity, finance or any
other resources will not be utilized also.
Health care delivery is the most crucial part in the health sectors. It denotes all the
activities related to health-related services which the health care sector offers to the
peoples (Liu et al.,2018). In most of the developing countries, there are many market
participants among which the entire delivery system acts. Health care delivery system has
the strength to make health-related services available for all and providing all kinds of
medical facilities in a cost and time effective manner. Organized health care systems will
be able to cater their nationals, citizens and service users in an integrated manner along
with their physicians, nurses, medical detectors, and others in a step by side manner. The
main weakness of this delivery system across the world is communication power related
disabilities of medical service providers, proper knowledge of diagnosis of the newly
registered medical service providers and nursing professionals, along with overloaded
condition. In this aspect, post joining training of verbal and nonverbal communication

along with proper study and experience gathering time are highly needed to make all the
health promotional policies as a helpful one.
It can be concluded from the entire discussion that, smoking-related enormous policies
are enacted in different corners of the world. In this aspect, proper knowledge, awareness,
restricted utilization of smoking products are highly crucial. All of these things are
variable in nature depending on the lifestyle and awareness level of peoples. All the
national and international organizations have the role to make awareness campaigns
across the world and make all the world aware of all ings of smoking-related diseases. It
will help all the countries towards their socio-economic growth and development.

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