PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH PROMOTION
Health promotion is defined as the actions taken to develop a high level of wellness and is accomplished by influencing individual behavior and the environment in which people live.
Levels of Prevention
- Disease prevention is aimed at avoidance of problems or minimizing problems once they occur.
- Primary prevention is the total prevention of a condition.
- Secondary prevention is the early recognition of a condition and the measures taken to speed recovery.
- Tertiary prevention is the care given to minimize the effects of the condition and prevent long-term complications.
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- Preventive care should involve assessment for people at risk for specific disorders.
Nursing Role in Health Promotion
- Nurses have played key roles in prevention in such areas as prenatal care, immunization programs, occupational health and safety, cardiac rehabilitation and education, and public health care and early intervention.
- Nurses in all settings can meet health promotion needs of patients, whether their practice is in a hospital, clinic, patient's home, health maintenance organization, private office, or community setting.
- Health promotion is primarily accomplished through patient education, an independent function of nursing.
- Health promotion should occur through the life cycle, with topics focused on infancy, childhood, adolescence, adulthood, and older adultsFor infancy, teach parents about the importance of prenatal care, basic care of infants, breast-feeding, nutrition, and infant safety
- For childhood, stress the importance of immunizations; proper nutrition to enhance growth and development; and safety practices such as use of car seats and seat belts, fire prevention, and poison proofing the home
- For adolescence, focus on motor vehicle safety; avoidance of drug, alcohol, and tobacco use; sexual decision making and contraception; and prevention of suicide.
- For adulthood, teach patients about nutrition, exercise, and stress management to help them feel better; also teach cancer-screening techniques, such as breast and testicular self-examination, and risk factor reduction for the leading causes of death—heart disease, stroke, cancer, and chronic lung disease.
- For older adults, stress the topics of nutrition and exercise to help people live longer and stay fit, safety measures to help them compensate for decreasing mobility and sensory function, and ways to stay active and independent
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