The thesis is concerned with finding strategies of community development suitable for health promotion and a matching method of evaluation. The thesis contains two literature reviews. The first examines the history and practice of community development, the problems in the field of drug abuse prevention, especially in its evaluation, and recent developments in health promotion within the context of the new public health movement. The second literature review chapter examines qualitative methodology and in particular recent developments in the use of case studies. The design of the study in the thesis utilises multiple-case studies and explanation-building with data matrix construction as the method of analysis. Two multiple case studies of thirteen and twelve cases respectively use data from the Community Approach to Drug Abuse Prevention (CADAP) Project. Detailed analysis of ten matrices are presented for the First Stage Multiple-Case Study and three for the second. Major conclusions are drawn about how a successful performance in the processes of preparation and training in community development lead to later successful community activity. Whether the preparation and training is done by staff of the CADAP Project or by trained staff of host organisations makes no difference to this outcome. Conclusions are drawn about community development in general, its application to health promotion and its evaluation.

Today is one of the reasons that Sweden works for improved public health to reduce the incidence of the most common diseases. The eleven objectives are the key determinants of public health work and are thus assigned as the common positions for players to work towards the same goal. The purpose of this study was to examine which aspects of health promotion in Sweden examined in the scientific articles. The method is a literature review based on scientific articles. Searches have been conducted in the databases SAGE Journals Online, ASSIA and Cinahl. The exclusion and inclusion of the articles have a query template obtained form the basis for assessing the quality of scientific articles. This study aimed to investigate which aspects of health promotion in Sweden as described in the scientific articles. None of the aspect that was presented in the literature can be regarded as sensational addition to the aspect of humor that was considered could be regarded as a possible factor in health promotion. The reviewed articles shows that school, workplace and health care seen as arenas where it is possible to carry out work on health while reach out to many people. The results also showed that the factors self-esteem, confidence and empowerment are important to the work of health promotion.

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Dissertation (Ph.D.)--University of Toledo, 2009. / Typescript. "Submitted as partial fulfillment of the requirements for The Doctor of Philosophy Degree in Psychology." Bibliography: leaves 79-87.

The problem of research: the competence of healthy lifestyle promotion and general abilities. The aim of research: to evaluate nurses' readiness for the health promotion of patients. Tasks of research: 1. To carry out a review of human health conception and alternation of nurses' activity . 2. To find out the nurses' attitude towards importance of healthy lifestyle promotion and the level of knowledge while analyzing distinct aspects of healthy lifestyle. 3. To find out nurses' competence to promote patients' healthy lifestyle. 4. To evaluate nurses' lifestyle. 5. To foresee measures for successful promotion of healthy lifestyle. Methods of research: they are theoretical, empirical, mathematical statistical . The analysis of literature allows to state that in the Lithuanian Health Program the main attention is given to the coordination and development of health promotion activity in our community, and one of the principal activity spheres becomes the promotion of healthy lifestyle. The competence of an educator (a nurse is in this case) often determines the quality of this work (his/her knowledge, abilities, experience and value attitudes). The analysis of research data showed that 96  of respondents consider the promotion of healthy lifestyle to be necessary. They connect the importance of promoting the healthy lifestyle not only with disease prevention, i.e. help for healthy people, but also with assurance of life quality... [to full text]

<p class="Abstract">Objectives: To establish existing evidence about church-based health promotion in Scotland; to explore the perceptions and attitudes concerning church-based health promotion from faith leaders, churchmen and women, health professionals and community members in Dundee, Scotland; and to establish the level to which health promoting activities currently occur in and are organised by places of worship in Dundee. <p class="Abstract">A mixed-methods approach utilised a grounded theory methodology to generate and analyse data arising from 43 semi-structured interviews with various stakeholders that comprised three cohorts: health promotion professionals (n=9), representatives of Christian and non-Christian faith communities (n=24), and community members ≥ 50 years (n=10).&nbsp; In addition, one focus group (n=4) was conducted, and a self-administered questionnaire was distributed to representatives of all faith communities in Dundee (response rate 70%, n=71). <p class="Abstract">The majority of participants in all cohorts expressed an interest in the concept of church-based health promotion and could readily envision its application in their area of work. Representatives of most faith communities identified multiple physical and volunteer assets, as well as social supports that could be directed toward healthy living activities.&nbsp; However, in spite of many obvious positive elements,&nbsp; health promotion experts and church leaders had&nbsp; not previously recognised the potential for places of worship to become community ‘settings’ for health promotion.&nbsp; A number of interviewees proposed that this was due to communication limitations and misconceptions that have created barriers to developing working relationships.&nbsp; It was apparent to most interviewees that church-based health promotion could both increase capacity in community health development and expand current faith ministries.

Objectives: This study specifically focused on health promotion and physical activity in midlife women. Health promotion in midlife women was examined to determine if exercise could improve the menopausal symptoms and health status in midlife women and if a multi-modal intervention might improve the level of activity in midlife women. The objectives of the study included 1) To identify the relationship between physical activity, menopausal symptoms and health status in midlife women, and 2) To determine the effect of a multi-modal intervention on increasing levels of exercise in midlife women. Methods: The study was conducted in two phases. The first phase included a secondary data analysis of 886 women who took part in the Queensland Midlife Women Health Survey (QMWHS) aged 45-60 years, who were randomly selected from South-East Queensland. In the second phase a randomised, controlled study was conducted on a subset of women who participated in the QMWHS. Women who were allocated to the intervention group (n=47) received an intervention, which combined a multi-modal program of physical activity with health education. Women in the control group continued their normal physical activities (n=66). Results: Findings of this study indicated that increasing exercise was associated with lower psychological and somatic symptoms in midlife women. The study found that exercise was associated with decreasing menopausal symptoms. In the area of health status, significant differences were found between exercise and mental health, vitality, general health and physical function. This study revealed that a multi modal intervention could increase the level of activity in midlife women. There were significant differences in monthly exercise and vigorous activity between the intervention and control groups 3 months after the intervention. Women stated that they felt physical and mentally better and the program motivated them into being more active. They mentioned that the program was easy to understand and follow and the concept of the program was well organized and useful for them. Conclusion: This study showed that exercise might provide a wider health effect on midlife women's health by decreasing menopausal symptoms and improving health status. Exercise counselling is an essential component of healthcare, especially among middle-aged women who are experiencing physical, emotional, and social changes. Health professionals and nurses are in a good position to assist midlife women through providing information about the health effect of exercise. Physical activity should be encouraged for the prevention and reduction of risks for chronic disease and the improvement of health in midlife women. The multi-modal program was effective in increasing levels of activity in midlife women. This is an important finding as exercise is difficult health behaviour to change. Study implications suggest that this type of intervention may provide an effective, clinically manageable therapy for women who choose a self-directed approach to increase their level of activity. This program may offer implications for designing and implementing exercise interventions in further studies.

The Decade of Maori Development (1984-1994) stimulated the re-emergence of distinctly Maori approaches to progressing their own advancement. Maori health promotion is one such approach that has a central concern for improving Maori health outcomes. A range of Maori collectives are providing what they claim to be distinctly Maori health promotion initiatives. However, Maori health promotion has a pragmatic orientation, and this has, at least in part, led to conceptual and theoretical under-development. There is an almost complete lack of empirically and theoretically sound work to conceptualise Maori health promotion. This research programme has focused on identifying the defining characteristics of Maori health promotion. The primary data source for this research programme was three case studies of Maori health promotion interventions. Tipu Ora - a Maori community-based well-child programme; the Plunket Kaiawhina Service - a national Maori focussed initiative located within a mainstream service; and, the Wairarapa Maori Asthma Project - a tribally-based asthma management initiative. The main source of data in each of the case studies was in-depth open-ended interviews with programme participants and stakeholders. Data was also drawn from document review and archival records. The findings of this research indicate that Maori health promotion is based on a broad concept of health, which can be expanded as the basis for a more general argument for Maori advancement. Maori health promotion is the process of enabling Maori to increase control over the determinants of health and strengthen their identity as Maori, and thereby improve their health and position in society. Its defining characteristics have been identified in this research programme, and presented in �Kia uruuru mai a hauora�, a framework for Maori health promotion. The Framework has the potential to provide the basis for a more consistent and rigorous approach to Maori health promotion practice, policy, purchasing, and research. Aspects of the Framework may also have wider application to generic health promotion and other indigenous peoples� approaches to health promotion. This study concludes that Maori health promotion draws primarily on the heritage and new knowledge that arises from Maori and Western experiences. However, it remains grounded in the distinctive concepts and values of Maori worldviews. Maori health promotion is a distinctly Maori process, in step with and indigenous health promotion, but primarily on the determination of Maori to be Maori.

Thesis PlanB (M.S.)--University of Wisconsin--Stout, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references.