MHST 631: Unit 2 Activity 7- Looking Ahead Reflection on Health Promotion

Throughout MHST 631 Health Promotion I, I look forward to the opportunity to explore health promotion and population health as I work through the assignments. Health promotion is the process of societal to individual level initiatives to provide people the control over and ability to improve their health (World Health Organization [WHO], 1986). The Ottawa Charter focuses on the five calls to action strategies for health promotion to bring forth change as a) building healthy public policy, b) create supportive environments, c) strengthen community action, d) develop personal skills, and e) reorient health services which are achieved through various levels of society (Public Health Agency of Canada [PHAC], 2023; WHO, 2023). Population health aims to improve health outcomes of an entire population while addressing health disparities from a comprehensive set of factors known as the social determinants of health (PHAC, 2012). For population health, the concept of health is viewed as capacity or resource in which social determent of health factors contribute to health and the ability for one to improve health (PHAC, 2012). Therefore, one can consider population health is answering the ‘what’ by addressing what is influencing or determining one’s health and health promotion is answering the ‘how’ by enabling people to have control over improving their health through various strategies aimed to decrease health disparities (Hamilton & Bhatti, 1996).

Although I have had opportunities throughout my various professional roles, health promotion is a topic that I am passionate about but also feel I have potential knowledge gaps. My goal is to understand the Population health promotion model and how to apply this model to health promotion strategies. My exposure to this model is primarily academic in nature and not practical experiences. By the end of the course, I am hopeful that I can improve my knowledge of how the model cubes are interconnected and build the blueprint for action on a health promotion topic. My final goal, which is also what I am looking for most to learn is how a socio-economic model can be applied to health promotion for a specific population. I am nervous about overcoming challenges of health promotion initiatives being objective and applicable at all societal levels. Social determinants of health are what health promotion initiatives attempt to address to decrease disparities but can be a challenge to make improvements for.

This course is facilitating myself in exploring the health promotion topic of social isolation and loneliness within the senior population of those within health institutions. Social isolation refers to the lack of social connection from having few people to interact with (NIH National Institute on Aging, 2021; Regional Geriatric Programs of Toronto [RGP], 2019). Loneliness refers to the emotional response of feeling alone but may not be representative of a person’s “desired or actual social relationships” (NIH National Institute on Aging, 2021; RGP, 2019, p.79). RGP notes that “one in five Canadians, mainly older adults, experience some degree of loneliness” (2019, p.79). Social isolation and loneliness can potentially impact a person’s physical and/or mental health and functional status (RGP, 2019). The COVID 19 pandemic highlighted the health disparities senior populations within institutions faced based off concerns of risk/benefit analysis leading to public policy restrictions and terms like confinement syndrome referring to the clinical issues being seen in relation the increased confinement of older adults (North Simcoe Muskoka Specialize Geriatric Services, 2020).

As I move forward to explore social isolation and loneliness within the target population, the biggest challenge will be overcoming COVID 19 influence and addressing root factors that are prevalent despite a pandemic. Objective initiatives will be a challenge to be applicable within various institutional settings with various sources of regulations. Through this course, I am hopeful to learn how various societal levels are interconnected and can be barriers and facilitators of positive changes to enable population health improvements.

References

Hamilton, N. & Bhatti, T. (1996). Population health promotion: An integrated model of population health and health promotion. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/population-health-promotion-integrated-model-population-health-health-promotion.html#toc

NIH National Institute on Aging. (2021, January 14). Loneliness and social isolation - tips for staying connected. https://www.nia.nih.gov/health/loneliness-and-social-isolation/loneliness-and-social-isolation-tips-staying-connected#:~:text=Social%20isolation%20is%20the%20lack,while%20being%20with%20other%20people

North Simcoe Muskoka Specialized Geriatric Services. (2020, October). Key Messages- Confinement Syndrome.  https://assets-global.website-files.com/6290eca5e783d67fd9e49206/62a22c87eff0dc022d9d62ca_2.KM%20Confinement%20Syndrome.pdf

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2012). What is the population health approach? Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/population-health-approach.html

Public Health Agency of Canada. (2023). Social determinants of health and health inequalities. Government of Canada. https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/health-promotion/population-health/what-determines-health.html

Regional Geriatric Programs of Toronto. (2019). Social Engagement Toolkit. Senior Friendly 7. https://assets-global.website-files.com/6290eca5e783d67fd9e49206/62a22cfe68d863f269d92678_3.Social%20Engagement%20Toolkit.pdf

World Health Organization. (1986). Ottawa charter for health promotion, 1986 (No. WHO/EURO: 1986-4044-43803-61677). World Health Organization. Regional Office for Europe. https://www.canada.ca/content/dam/phac-aspc/documents/services/health-promotion/population-health/ottawa-charter-health-promotion-international-conference-on-health-promotion/charter.pdf