Health promotion

Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over and to improve their health. Health promotion requires addressing not only behavioural risk factors but also the risks linked to conditions in which people live (housing, income, education,  health system etc.), better known as the social determinants of health. Health education as a tool for health promotion focuses on building individuals’ and community capacities through educational, motivational, skill-building and consciousness-raising techniques, including communication of information and the aim is to enhance health literacy. According to the Ottawa Charter on Health Promotion five strategic areas guide the health sector in the process of engaging in comprehensive health promotion action. These five strategic areas are:

• building healthy public policies  
• creating supportive environments 
• developing personal skills 
• strengthening community action 
• re-orientating health services.