Health Promotion: Assessing the Ottawa Charter's 21st Century Impact

This essay examines the continuing relevance of the Ottawa Charter (OC) in the 21st century, arguing for its significant impact on health policies and health promotion (HP). It highlights the OC's role in promoting individual control over health, fostering environments conducive to health at individual, community, and policy levels. The paper discusses how the OC has influenced public health initiatives, such as in Canada and the UK, and supported programs addressing issues like tobacco use and obesity. While acknowledging the OC's importance, the essay also addresses associated challenges, such as a lack of consensus on methodological and epistemological stands. The conclusion emphasizes the need for continued efforts to address challenges and achieve equitable access, underscoring the OC's enduring relevance.

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HEALTH PROMOTION
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HEALTH PROMOTION
Introduction
This paper is in support that the Ottawa Charter (OC) is still applicable in the twenty one
century. This is because OC has an important impact on the development of health policies as
well as the development of the various disciple of health promotion (HP). According to some
researchers, HP refers to a process that promotes control over individuals to enhance their health.
The main purpose of this charter remained to create a complete description of health that would
allow people as well as groups to fulfill their needs as well as adapt to their surroundings leading
to an improved social, mental and physical health (Thompson, Watson and Tilford 2018). Some
researchers affirm that the Ottawa charter is not only useful in maintaining physical wellbeing; it
is also essential resources needed for everyday life. The purpose of this paper is to revisit some
of the essential strategies and actions for HP to comprehend the importance of the OC in the
twenty first century.
Some researchers argue that the use of this OT has led to the establishment of a major
integration in the activities of HP as a specific role of public health (PH) in nations such as
Canada and the United Kingdom, where health promotion remains regarded as a major factor in
some functions of public health along with different aspects such as surveillance, protection and
prevention.
OC has also created supporting conditions as well as environments for action at
individual level, community level As well as policy level (Hancock 2011). For instance, the
execution of the assessment tool for health has stimulated the need to offer fairness in healthcare
(Bell and Williams 2016). Other researchers further specify that the creation of global
community institutions aids in the generation of health environment that is supportive for
example Healthy communities, or Healthy Municipalities in the Americas.

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Lastly, some researchers affirm that in the aftermath of this charter (Ottawa Charter)
efforts were carried out to encourage on programs of HP to solve issues such as tobacco use,
nutrition, alcohol, obesity among others. All these learned towards public policy thru the
promotion of individual skills. Therefore it can be said that a total of four action and strategies
suggested in the OC have been implemented As well as adopted well in various nations.
Though the OC is quite essential in the 21st century, there are various challenges
associated with it. According to some researchers, the main challenge of this charter remains the
lack of consensus of methodological, epistemological and consensus stands, which contributes to
institutional precariousness and territorial imperatives (Wilberg, Saboga-Nunes and Stock 2019).
Conclusion
Thus it is true that important progress has been made regarding public policies and
community action, there are challenges regarding equity promotion linked to all the areas of
action of the document. This paper therefore support that the OC will remain relevant till
equitable access is attained. Even though OC remains relevant in the twenty one century, actions
should be taken to solve some of the challenges associated with the Ottawa charter.

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References
Bell, J. and Williams, K., 2016. Health promotion: Health promotion-an important role for
community pharmacies. Australian Pharmacist, 35(3), p.48.
Hancock, T., 2011. The Ottawa charter at 25. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 102(6),
pp.404-406.
Thompson, S.R., Watson, M.C. and Tilford, S., 2018. The Ottawa Charter 30 years on: still an
important standard for health promotion. International Journal of Health Promotion and
Education, 56(2), pp.73-84.
Wilberg, A., Saboga-Nunes, L. and Stock, C., 2019. Are we there yet? Use of the Ottawa Charter
action areas in the perspective of European health promotion professionals. Journal of Public
Health, pp.1-7.