Overview
The need for health promotion and education components
in medical missions and faith-based health outreach programs
The significance of health promotion and its impact on morbidity and mortality has been common knowledge in developed countries for the last 30-40 years. The level of adoption into day to day life, however, varies among the global populations. Certainly those that are least benefiting from positive promotion training are the poor and those living in developing counties. More organizations are funneling financial support toward health efforts that work toward reducing morbidity and mortality in general and in particular among those denied access to health promotion and education information or who have limited access to healthcare services. The concept of “global health” acknowledges that the health of populations living on one continent will influence the health of the rest of the world.
In the 2006 World Health Organization’s publication, “Working For Health: An introduction to the World Health Organization”, Dr. LEE Jong-wook, then WHO Director-General, identified the significance of health promotion and conveyed the WHO’s strong commitment to the health and wellness of the nations. He stated,
“The work of WHO affects the lives of every person on this planet,
every day. From the food we eat and the water we drink, to the
safety of the medications we take, and the prevention and control
the diseases that threaten…WHO’s Constitution states that the
‘enjoyment of the highest attainable standard of health is one of
the fundamental rights of every human being.’” (World Health Organization [WHO], 2006a).
Looking specifically at health promotion, the World Health Organization states, “Within the context of primary health care, health promotion is critical to improving outcomes in the prevention and control of both chronic and communicable diseases, and in meeting the health-related Millennium Development Goals, particularly among poor and marginalized groups. In order to accomplish these aims, WHO applies health promotion techniques to health and related social systems, and to a variety of risk factors, diseases and health issues, including oral health.” WHO goes on to state, “Health promotion helps reduce excess mortality, address the leading risk factors and underlying determinants of health, helps strengthen sustainable health systems, and places health at the centre of the broad development agenda.” (WHO, 2006b).
The WHO indicates that 60% of all deaths (globally) are related to chronic diseases (diabetes, stroke, respiratory diseases, cancer, & heart disease). These diseases have been linked, in part, to life style. Global statistics for 2005 indicated that half of those who died from chronic diseases did so prematurely (< 70 years of age) and half were women. (WHO, 2006c). Research has already proven that the onset, exacerbation, or severity of these chronic diseases can be linked to some degree to lifestyle or health behaviors. Morbidity and premature death has social impacts. There is the potential loss of individual productivity and future income and the potential destabilization of the family through the loss of the major decision-makers and/or primary breadwinners. This has been seen numerous times in families dealing with AIDS. The health and financial status of the family impacts the community, which impacts the nation, which impacts the world.
In 1974 the Canadian Ministry of Health and Welfare published what is known as the Lelonde Report. Within it was the epidemiological support of the connection between health, lifestyle, and environmental factors. In the U.S., the government publication, Healthy People further supported the Canadians findings and provided information that would transition healthcare professionals from the old medical model approach that focused on “cure” to a new model which emphasized prevention (Cottrell, Girvan, McKenzie, 2006). The Centers for Disease Control’s statement on health promotion is, “Adopting healthy behaviors such as eating nutritious foods, being physically active, and avoiding tobacco can prevent or control the devastating effects of many diseases. CDC is committed to programs that reduce the health and economic consequences of the leading causes of death and disability and ensure a long, productive, healthy life for all people.” (CDC, 2006).
So, is there a need to integrate health promotion and education into secular or Christian medical outreaches? The answer is yes! However, how it is integrated and when it is initiated will vary in each setting. Over the next several weeks we will discuss several topics including developing/designing a health promotion program, identifying resources for sustainability, evaluating health promotion programs, and exploring the concept of “evidence base” for program need and evaluation. We will address these issues as they relate to developed and developing countries.
Let’s turn now to prevention, promotion, and education from a spiritual perspective. Benny Hinn comments in his foreword for Dr. Don Colbert’s book, Living in Divine Health, that “Healing and divine health are God’s perfect will for mankind. God created Adam as a healthy being-a perfect act of creation. We find no record of sickness until Adam chose to disobey God.” He goes on to say, “God’s plan for man was that he would enjoy divine health. The nature of our very makeup beginning with the structure of each cell supports this fact. Healing is constantly taking place in the human body.” So we can surmise that God’s desire is that we enjoy good health.
Hayford et al.(2002) states in a commentary on Exodus 15:26, “While sin and disobedience are not always the direct causes of sickness, man’s fall into sin is the original and underlying cause of all disease. Those who seek healing will benefit by looking to Christ Jesus our sin-bearer, along with pursuing renewed consecration.” So, does this mean that all the responsibility falls on God or is their an element of responsibility that God intended for man to assume?
Discussion question:
Is God totally responsible for the health of man or is there a role that man was meant to play in his health? If so, what obligation do we have as healthcare providers to support this?
For additional information:
Colbert, D. (2006). Living in divine health. Lake Mary, Florida: Siloam.
Cottrell, R., Girvan, J., McKenzie, J. (2006). Principles and foundations of health promotion and education. San Francisco, CA: Pearson Benjamin Cummings.
Department of Health and Human Services: Centers for disease control and prevention. Retrieved 10/10/06, from http://www.cdc.gov/node.do/id/0900f3ec80059b1a
Hayford J., Chappell, P., Ulmer, K.C., Hayden, R., Huntzinger, J., Matsdorf, G. (Eds.). (2001). New spirit filled life Bible. New King James Version. Nashville, TN: Thomas Nelson.
World Health Organization. (2006a). Working for health: An introduction to the World Health Organization. Retrieved 9/9/06, from http://www.who.int/about/brochure_en.pdf
World Health Organization. (2006b). Health Promotion: Health promotion is integral to and helps advance, WHO’s corporate strategy. Retrieved 9/9/06. http://www.who.int/healthpromotion/about/en/.
World Health Organization. (2006c). Chronic disease and health promotion. http://www.who.int/chp/en/. Retrieved 10/8/06.
|