Health promotion international
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A long and yet unfinished history of investigating how individual capabilities and social processes explain or predict health indicates that poor education, low literacy, poor health and early death are strongly linked around the world. However, the complexity of those relationships is not fully understood. ⋯ To explore the utility of this model, we examine selected pieces of the public discourse about terrorism and bioterrorism that dominated the mass media during the anthrax threat in the United States during 2001. We conclude that this model of health literacy is useful to analyze health communication, to aid in constructing more understandable and appropriate health communication, and ultimately can lead to the development of a new measure to assess health literacy skills in individuals.
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The importance of public policy as a determinant of health is routinely acknowledged, but there remains a continuing absence of mainstream debate about the ways in which the politics, power and ideology, which underpin public policy influence people's health. This paper explores the possible reasons behind the absence of a politics of health and demonstrates how explicit acknowledgement of the political nature of health will lead to more effective health promotion strategy and policy, and to more realistic and evidence-based public health and health promotion practice.
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Problem gambling has recently emerged as a significant public health issue. While most efforts target adult pathological gamblers, there is growing concern that adolescents and young adults represent the highest risk group for gambling problems. ⋯ This framework applies denormalization, protection, prevention, and harm-reduction principles to youth gambling problems and describes primary, secondary and tertiary prevention objectives. A foundation for the development, implementation and evaluation of comprehensive, multi-level health promotion and prevention strategies for youth problem gambling is provided.
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This paper describes how the use of bicycle helmets in Sweden has changed for different categories of cyclists from 1988 to 2002, and it also estimates future trends in voluntary wearing of bicycle helmets up to the year 2010. Observational studies of the use of bicycle helmets were conducted once a year from 1988 to 2002 at 157 sites in 21 cities. The subjects observed were children cycling to school (average n = 5471/year) and in their free time (average n = 2191/year), and adults cycling to workplaces and on public bike paths (average n = 29 368/year). ⋯ However, during the last 5 years of the study period (1998-2002), none of the categories of cyclists studied showed an upward trend in helmet wearing. It is estimated that approximately 30% of cyclists will wear helmets voluntarily by the year 2010, if helmet promotion activities are continued at the same level as previously. The results suggest that Sweden will probably not reach its official goal of 80% helmet use unless a national bicycle helmet law is passed.
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This paper presents the results of a participatory research project conducted by the Tokyo Citizens' Council for Health Promotion (Citizens' Council) to enhance vision sharing, thereby aiding the implementation of Healthy Town initiatives. The Citizens' Council conducted a survey to elucidate citizen interests and expectations regarding Healthy Towns. The project had three stages: (i) a survey; (ii) dissemination of the results; and (iii) evaluation of the impact of the survey's findings. ⋯ The research results were disseminated to the general public, community groups and members of the Citizens' Council. The results substantiated citizen views, which were then incorporated into plans towards realizing Healthy Towns initiatives. This research effort generated a vision of the creation of Healthy Towns by the participation of citizens in a megacity.