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Essay Unit 8 - Promoting Public Health
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Unit 8 task 2Health promoters help the public by bringing attention to health-related issues that are
affecting society the most. They help to improve the overall health and well-being of
individuals and communities by educating and empowering them to make healthy choices,
while advocating for policies to benefit individuals’ health. (Zippia, 2020)
Health promoters play vital roles on a local, national, and global scale in promoting health,
preventing diseases, and improving overall well-being. On a local scale, health promotors
work closely with local organizations, schools, and healthcare providers to address the
specific needs in that particular demographic area. In Derbyshire the biggest contributors
that can lead to ill health are smoking, physical activity, poor diets, mental health, drinking
over the recommended units of alcohol and sexual ill health. To address these issues they
provide recourses, facilitate healthcare services, and organise various campaigns tailored to
prevent, educate, and support people (Derbyshire County Council, 2024) On a national level
health promoters play key roles in shaping health policies, strategies, and recourses that
impact the health of the entire population. In England the Department of Health and Social
Care is responsible for setting national health goals, developing public health policies that
adhere to the governments objectives, and troubleshooting. (Department of Health and
Social Care, 2014) From 2021 the Department of Health and Social Cares new approach is to
put in place interventions, campaigns, and programs to address major public health
concerns, such as tackling obesity, improving mental health and promoting physical activity.
(Department of Health and Social Care, 2021) On a global level, organizations like the World
Health Organization (WHO) plays an essential role promoting health and well-being on a
global scale. Health promoters within WHO work together with governments, non-
governmental organizations, and other international partners to address global health
challenges. WHO’s focus is on strengthening governance, improving health literacy and
raising awareness of social and personal influences. (World Health Organisation, 2021)
Monitoring the populations health is crucial because it allows us to better understand the
country's overall health. They can monitor health by collecting data on a regular basis, which
allows them to identify emerging health issues. When the patterns and trends are detected
early it gives time to put in place interventions and preventative measures. This information
helps the Department of Health and Social Care in planning to see where they need to
prioritise resources. (EUPHA, 2014) In order to promote health and reduce health
inequalities it is important to identify those most at risk, such as children and the
unemployed. Children are more vulnerable to ill health such as obesity for a variety of
reasons, including their incapacity to make independent decisions. If their parents eat
unhealthy foods, their children are more likely to eat the same, increasing their chances of
being obese. Unemployment is a big risk to people's health since those without jobs may
suffer financially which can limit their access to good meals and safe exercise facilities. This
lack of resources may contribute to an increased risk of obesity among the unemployed.
Furthermore, if a person is unemployed, they are likely to become depressed as they feel
less valued which can also lead to stress and anxiety which can alter sleep patterns and lead
to unhealthy coping techniques, increasing the risk of weight gain. (University of Cambridge ,
2015)
, One strategy to promote public health and well-being is through targeted education, which
involves providing individuals and communities with knowledge, resources, and skills to
make informed health decisions. The "Change4Life" campaign pathed the way for better
health. It is one example of targeted education strategies that was developed by Public
Health England (PHE) that promotes healthy eating and raises awareness of the effects of an
unhealthy lifestyle. Change4Life raises public awareness to people on the impact of poor
eating habits using a variety of platforms, like tv adverts, online resources and educational
materials, For example, the campaign emphasises the dangers of eating too much sugar, salt,
and saturated fats, which are significant in processed foods and sugary drinks. Some of the
consequences include risk of obesity, type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and other chronic
health conditions. It offers practical advice on how to make smarter food choices, read food
labels, and cook nutritious meals at home. (Public Health England, 2018)
One method for protecting public health and well-being is intelligence gathering, which
entails collecting, evaluating, and interpreting data to identify developing health risks and
trends, allowing for early intervention. The Change4Life programme is an example of this.
Change4Life gathers and evaluates population health data to identify areas that are facing
the most problems and require attention. For example, the campaign could use national
surveys, the Central office of Information or electronic health records to track changes in
obesity rates across demographic groups and geographic regions to determine which areas
require additional assistance to focus more recourses in that community.
Socioeconomic support is important in illness prevention and control because it addresses
underlying socioeconomic determinants of health such poverty, education, and access to
healthcare. This is important as it helps to eliminate health inequalities and improve health
outcomes for all individuals. Noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are also known as chronic
diseases, they affect the surrounding factors including genetics, environment, and
behavioural factors. Noncommunicable diseases mainly affect low, middle-income countries,
and mainly the older generation. One noncommunicable disease to focus on is obesity,
change4life is aimed to change their lifestyle and behaviours. (World Health Organization,
2023)
When reviewing how change4life tackles NCDs it is shown that the current health policy
aims to address people’s behaviours towards their eating and exercising habits. They do this
by providing information to support individuals and allow them to access a healthier way of
living. Specific information includes PHE’s campaign about teaching parents to be food smart
and to be more aware of what their children are eating using the Be Food Smart App. Public
Health England have shown that childhood obesity is increasing as children are consuming
more than 11g of sugar just at breakfast time which is half the daily recommended amount.
Raising awareness to parents about healthy eating is crucial as in a survey it was shown that
84% of parents whose children was eating over half the recommended serving considered
their child’s breakfast healthy. (Public Health England, 2017) This approach was successful as
there were over 500,000 installs of the app and the review showed that the app supported
healthier food purchasing, goal setting behaviour and targeted interventions for childhood
weight control. (Mahdi, Michalik-Denny and Buckland, 2022)
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