Health Promotion and Illness Prevention: A Nursing Perspective Essay

This essay examines the crucial role of health promotion and illness prevention, specifically within the context of nursing practice. It focuses on a health promotion program designed for women, targeting mental wellbeing and the prevention of violence, and explores the application of the Ottawa Charter's five action areas: constructing healthy public policy, creating a supportive environment, development of personal skills, strengthening community actions, and reorienting health services. The essay highlights the significance of health education, health literacy, and the pivotal role of nurses in providing guidance, support, and education to individuals and communities. The program's effectiveness and its alignment with the Ottawa Charter's principles are discussed, emphasizing the importance of nurses in promoting positive health outcomes and addressing the needs of vulnerable populations through evidence-based practices and community engagement. The essay concludes by underscoring the necessity of health promotion programs in improving overall health status and empowering individuals with knowledge and skills.

Running head: NURSING HEALTH PROMOTION AND ILLNESS PREVENTION
HEALTH PROMOTION
Name of the Student:
Name of the University:
Author Note:

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Introduction
Health promotion is an efficient activity that would help individuals in understanding
and have control of their health status. Health promotion would also help in identifying any
major risks factor and improve the overall lifestyle of an individual. It would act as a strategy
to change and alter the change in behaviour and lifestyle of the individual for better health
(Rootman & O’Neill, 2017). For achieving an effective health outcome and optimal health
status, individual needs education and awareness about any preventable illness and manage
any acute disease. Nursing professionals are the frontline healthcare provider, and it is
essential and responsibilities of them to provide effective health education to every individual
seeking care. This essay intends to examine the significance of health promotion along with
health education as well as the effectiveness of the implementation and practice with the
consideration of the major role of nursing professionals in it.
Description of the Health Promotion Program
The target population considered for this essay are women, and the health promotion
activity is related to the mental wellbeing and prevention of any violence. Women are
considered s vulnerable group as they possess many risks against violence or any sexual
assault with the addition of any reproductive health issues. Thus, all these factors may impact
on the mental wellness of the individuals. The health promotion program includes seminars
and workshops that would address this population and provide multiple effective measures.
The program includes developing the knowledge, skills, processes along with the strategies to
strengthen the ability of the women to connect with others or society and improve in the
mental wellbeing. The practice of any other activity that would integrate multiple other works
such as socialising or laughter therapy would enhance the mental wellbeing (Tremayne &
Sharma, 2019). This program also focuses on bias-free activity such as free from any kind of

2HEALTH PROMOTION
discrimination or violence. Thus, the major activities are social inclusion which would
enhance and assist in managing mental wellness as it involves social relationships or any
involvement in groups. In addition to activity, there is an emergency support system that
would address any violence against any women irrespective of age group. For formulating
and facilitating an effective education program about mental illness and wellness, there is a
need for appropriate information and particular knowledge. Thus, nursing professionals play
an effective role in providing and counselling the population.
Overview of Ottawa Charter
It was developed in 1986, where the first conference was held on health promotion
and discussed the importance of health promotion. Thus, there was a development of five
action areas that need to be implemented and used while formulating any health promotion
activities. The major five action areas are constructing healthy public policy, creating a
supportive environment, development of personal skills, strengthen community actions,
future action as well as reorient health services (World Health Organization, 2020). These
actions need to be implemented in the formulation and implementation of every health
promotion activity or program (Flynn, 2015). Thus, for the effective formulation of a health
promotion program for women in providing health promotion in addressing mental wellness
and violence against women, the Ottawa charter action area is essential and important.
Healthy Public Policy
It is the first action area of the Ottawa charter, and it states that the policymaker needs
to formulate the policy with prioritising the health. It also involves the fiscal measures,
legislation and organisational changes (Fry & Zask, 2017). It was keeping this as the first
action plan, the health promotion program of mental wellbeing and violation against women.
The program considers control of decision making, stereotyped gender role, male peer

3HEALTH PROMOTION
showing aggressiveness or disrespect and violence against women as the major element of
violence and causes of mental wellness. Thus, the policy needs to be formulated, keeping
health as a priority. Thus, the Ottawa charter action is necessary here.
Supportive Environment
Creating a supportive and efficient environment is the another action area of the
Ottawa charter. Health along with environment of the individual are interconnected, and
therefore, the health promotion program must provide a supportive environment (Dugani,
Bhutta, & Kissoon, 2017). In this health promotion activity of mental wellbeing and
violation, the program includes an effective support system where the nurses would assist
them in understanding their issues and identifying any violence. The program includes
effective health education program regarding the wellbeing of mental health. This program
also operates with a framework that can recognise the impact of social or political status on
women.
Strengthen the Community Actions
It is another action of the Ottawa charter which describes that the participation of the
community in the formulation and application of the program would strengthen the
framework and results in optimal health outcome. The mental wellbeing and violation against
women program have implemented the program that is designed for supporting the
community. The feedback is welcomed for any alternatives change or necessary measures
(Dodson, Good, & Osborne, 2015). The program for the violation activity is often guided
with the local government authority, and their inputs are considered. Thus, this program is
meeting the another action area of the Ottawa charter.

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Development of personal skills
It is the one of the action area of Ottawa charter which states the necessity of
information, education along with the skill of the individuals. The health promotion program
conducts multiple workshops and seminars that would provide the necessary information
about the causes and impact of mental wellbeing along with the knowledge of multiple types
of violence against women (Eckermann, 2016). Thus, the workshops aim in providing health
education to the vulnerable group that is to every woman of the community. Further, it would
also enhance the health literacy of women.
Health Services Reoriented
It is the final action area of the Ottawa charter for planning as well as implementing
health promotion program or activity. This states that governments, multiple institutes,
nursing professionals or any community group and individuals are accountable for effective
health promotion (Thompson, Watson & Tilford, 2018). Thus, there should be a shift to an
effective health system that prioritise health promotion activities or services rather than
curative services. Therefore, the health promotion activities for the women would not only
improve the health status; however, would also generate awareness and increase the
knowledge of the individuals.
Importance of Ottawa Charter
It is important for considering the five major action areas for formulating and
implementing any health promotion program. The health promotion program for women was
essential for the community as there are increased cases of issues in the mental wellbeing.
The awareness and education of multiple types of violence towards women in the community
are necessary. The action areas would benefit from proving better and enhance the results of
health promotion. Another benefit would be such health promotion program implementing all

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the action area would address every determinant of health. Further, this health promotion
program would be based on the values of social justice (Owusu-Addo, Edusah & Sarfo-
Mensah, 2015). There would be empowerment for the individuals of the community to be
involved and provides the necessary inputs and feedback for the formulation of the health
promotion activity or program.
Role of Nurses
The health promotion program and activity involves and addresses the issues in the
health status of the individual or the community. The program includes health education
about mental health and multiple measures or types of violence. Besides, it also involves
health teaching. Thus, the nursing professionals would play an effective role in providing the
relevant information and guidance of measures or control to the individuals for efficiently
(Maijala, Tossavainen & Turunen, 2016). The support system would be included with the
nursing professionals, where the individuals would get the relevant assistance on their health
status. It is also important to understand that if the nursing professionals would be considered
in the health promotion framework, then every interaction or communication with the
individuals or community would be an educational intervention. Moreover, nursing
professionals are a higher level thinker and mostly implement evidence-based practice
(Saunders & Vehviläinen-Julkunen, 2016). They are more approachable for the community,
and the individuals would also show trust in the model of health promotion.
The individuals in the community would gain health literacy with the help of health
education as well as awareness provided within the health promotional program.
Conclusion
From the above discussion, it can be concluded that the program of health promotion
is essential in addressing the needs and issues faced by the vulnerable group. In this essay,

6HEALTH PROMOTION
women were considered as targeted population, and the health promotional program was
focused on the mental wellbeing and violation against the women. The Ottawa charter action
areas were implemented and used as guidance for the formulation of the health promotion
program. This program would be benefitted with the Ottawa charter’s action areas. The
nursing professionals play a vital role in providing health teaching and health education to the
individuals of the community. Thus, the health program addresses the health education as
well as health literacy effectively along with efficiently. The overall and optimal health status
would be achieved with the health promotion program.

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