“The Ottawa Charter defines health promotion as the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve their health” (Fry & Zask, 2017, pp. 901-912; World Health Organization, 1986, p. 1). Action areas and strategies for health promotion are proposed in the Charter, where empowerment, participation and equity core values are articulated (Fry & Zask, 2017; World Health Organization, 1986). Health service reorientation, personal skill development, community action development, supportive environmental creation, and healthy public policy establishment are the key action areas described (Fry & Zask, 2017; World Health Organization, 1986). Mediation, enablement, and advocacy are the key strategies presented where health promotion involves societal interests being mediated, health potential enablement, and optimal health advocacy (Fry & Zask, 2017; World Health Organization,1986).
“The Ottawa Charter has provided a framework for public health practitioners and decision-makers to explore practices that promote alliances emphasizing the process by which health is produced and who benefits from public health programs and policies” (Potvin & Jones, 2011, pp. 244-248). Within the public health domain, health promotion has been institutionalized and consolidated for 25 years (Potvin & Jones, 2011). High-income countries have been associated with health promotion due to a WHO EURO document (Potvin & Jones, 2011). In 1998, the Ottawa Charter vision was recognized through the Resolution on Health Promotion (Potvin & Jones, 2011). Health promotion strategic implementation and priority translation by Member States was urged, and WHO received a mandate for health promotion (Potvin & Jones, 2011). “Embedding health promotion within the coordinating authority for health in the UN system supported the process that led to the adoption in 2005 of the Bangkok Charter for Health Promotion in a Globalized World” (Potvin & Jones, 2011, pp.244-248). Countries of middle and low incomes are involved in health promotion through the Bangkok Charter where global dialogue with regional representatives took place (Potvin & Jones, 2011).
Public health systems have been transformed and permeated through health promotion at the national level (Potvin & Jones, 2011). For example, public health function integrates health promotion as recognized through documents of public health policy and laws in Quebec and the UK (Potvin & Jones, 2011). In addition, a Ministry of Health Promotion has been created in Ontario, Canada (Potvin & Jones, 2011). “In the states of Western Australia and Victoria in Australia, Switzerland, Thailand and Austria foundations have been established by legislation with specific mandates for health promotion” (Potvin & Jones, 2011, pp. 244-248).
Objectives of population health enhancement and health inequality reduction have been proposed through plans (Potvin & Jones, 2011). For instance, community inclusion and housing are addressed in the 15 objectives laid out by Sweden through the Health on Equal Terms program (Potvin & Jones, 2011). Health disparity reduction and health promotion goals were identified in the 2010 Declaration on Prevention and Promotion (Potvin & Jones, 2011).
Health promotion through governmental instruments is a third trend (Potvin & Jones, 2011). Policy development components consisting of well-being and health helps to achieve government objectives according to the 2010 Adelaide Statement on Health (Potvin & Jones, 2011). This comes from the understanding that economic and social conditions shape health (Potvin & Jones, 2011). In accordance with health equity; policies, programs and projects are evaluated through the Health Impact Assessment (Potvin & Jones, 2011).
For these reasons, I believe that on a global level and in Canada, the Ottawa Charter has had a significant impact.
Although I am currently not working in the Public Health field, my desired profession is to be a Public Health Educator. I possess a strong passion for health promotion, as is emphasized through my volunteer position at the Healthy Sexuality Clinic in Mississauga, Ontario where I was involved in sexual health promotion through the means of education provision. Health promotion is critical to public health education as active and healthy lifestyles are taught through programs developed by Public Health Educators where health sustainment and disease prevention are advocated (Masters in Public Health Degree Programs, n.d.). Public health program implementation and development targeting harm reduction and the prevention of substance use is guided by the Substance Use Prevention and Harm Reduction Guideline, 2018 to which the Ontario Public Health Standards holds as a reference (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2018). The guideline specifies the requirement for an approach to health promotion that is comprehensive to be used by boards of health in program implementation and development (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2018). As a tool for consideration, boards of health are presented with a brief outline of the strategies pertinent to the Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2018). This shows that the Ottawa Charter has an impact on my field of desired profession (Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care, 2018).
References
Fry, D., & Zask, A. (2017). Applying the Ottawa Charter to inform health promotion programme
design. Health Promotion International, 32(5), 901-912.
https://doi.org/10.1093/heapro/daw022
Masters in Public Health Degree Programs. (n.d.). How do I become a public health educator?
https://www.masterspublichealth.net/faq/how-do-i-become-a-public-health-educator-2/
Ministry of Health and Long-Term Care. (2018). Substance use prevention and harm reduction
guideline, 2018
https://www.health.gov.on.ca/en/pro/programs/publichealth/oph_standards/docs/protocols_guidelines/Substance_Use_Prevention_and_Harm_Reduction_Guideline_2018_en.pdf
Potvin, L., & Jones, C. M. (2011). Twenty-five years after the Ottawa Charter: the critical role of
health
promotion for public health. Canadian Journal of Public Health, 102(4), 244–248.
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/21913576/
World Health Organization. (1986). Health promotion.
https://www.euro.who.int/__data/assets/pdf_file/0004/129532/Ottawa_Charter.pdf
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