Health Promotion Approaches

Definition - 

• Aims to prevent ill health
• Focuses on preventative measures such as immunisation and screening
• An example of this approach - "Catch the vaccine, not the flu" and the TV campaign to encourage the uptake of the HPV vaccine.

Strengths - 

• based on medically sound advice that has been throughly researched
• led by experts including doctors etc. who can be trusted
• materials used can be shokcing which engages people
• history of success e.g. smallpox vaccine lowered cases to almost zero
• cost effective for the government - easier to prevent that to treat

Weaknesses - 

• side effects put people off taking up vaccinations e.g. flu vaccine gives you the flu
• it ignores the holistic person - the social and environmental factors are not considered
• it reinforces the medicalisation of life - screening and injections are the answers
• enourcages the dependecny on treatments
• long waiting lists
• targeting is too narrow e.g. breast screening is for women over 50 only

Definition - 

• it acknowledges the importance of the socio economic environment in health behaviours
• led by policy makers and health planners
• e.g. smoking ban

Strengths - 

• when behaviour changes, so does attitudes. e.g. smoking ban left smokers agreeing that passive smoking is unacceptable
• information reaches large groups of people
• it recognises that society and not just the individual should be involved in promoting healthier lifestyles
• support is usually available e.g. helplines

Weaknesses - 

• people dislike the idea of being told what to do and so they rebel against it
• people may feel targeted/intimidated 
• needs a large scale approach which may take a long time to implement due to the need for consultation and development of policies and laws

Definition - 

• provides info to encourage individuals to make chocies about their health behaviour
• e.g. talks in schools/workplaces about how exercise benefits health or the effects on the body of different foods

Strengths - 

• can de delivered to a large group e.g. classroom
• info is well researched and so is therefore convincing
• gives something for the target group to take away with them 
• allows individuals to make up their own mind
• can be time constrained e.g one hour session

Weaknesses - 

• assumes that the target group can read and write
• people may feel they are being told what to do
• target group may become bored and so it will not work
• people may take away info and never look at it again and so it is difficult to know if learning has taken place

Definition - 

• aims to encourage people to take up healthier behaviours to improve their health
• e.g. 5 a day campaign is to encourage greater consumption of fruit and veg

Strengths - 

• encourages peronal change to show how they can take action e.g. "go walking" tv advert
• speaks to people like they are adults to encourage them to take responsibility
• provides straight forward info

Weaknesses - 

• behaviour is not easy to change e.g. sitting in front of tv every night
• people dislike being told what ro do e.g. 5 a day campaign

Definition - 

• aims to gain the target audiences attention by showing frightening images to change their behaviour
• e.g. tv adverts in dangers of smoking

Strengths - 

• grabs attention of audience as it is usually very emotive and realistic
• info scares people into changing a habit
• images may have a lasting effect

Weaknesses - 

• some issues can cause anger for some people if they have experienced that issue
• can be expensive as they approach is usually advertised on tv
• images can be so disturbing and so the message becomes unclear as the audience are too frightened