147 research outputs found
Hunting for health, well-being, and quality of life
Health, well-being, quality of life, and lifestyle are central concepts within health science, although generally accepted definitions are still lacking. Lifestyle can either be seen as an independent variable and the cause of unhealthy behaviour or as a dependent variable, which is affected by conditions in the society. In the first case, the attention is directed on each individual case: maintaining or improving health requires changes in lifestyle and living habits. In this perspective, diet and physical activity are important features for health promotion. In the second case the attention is rather directed on structural conditions in society, for example the food industry, the lunches for children at school, and the âfast foodâ industry should be influenced to protect human health. The structural perspective has, so far, received restricted impact when it concerns prevention and promotion of health. Processes of individualisation in the society have to an increasing extent viewed health as an affair for the individual. The benefits of physical activity, healthy food and beverage, social support, and joy are documented scientifically. In general, the trend towards increasing responsibility for one's lifestyle and health is positive, but might reinforce the inequality in health. With an even harder climate in society there might be a risk that individual health projects undermine the solidarity and the will to accept costs for medical treatment and care for people who risk their health through an unhealthy and risk-taking lifestyle. However, we argue that peoplesâ well-being and quality of life presupposes a society that stands up for all people
Why should ethics approval be required prior to publication of health promotion research?
Issue Addressed: Most academic journals that publish studies involving human participants require evidence that the research has been approved by a human research ethics committee (HREC). Yet journals continue to receive submissions from authors who have failed to obtain such approval. In this paper, we provide an ethical justification of why journals should not, in general, publish articles with no ethics approval, with particular attention to the health promotion context. Methods: Using theoretical bioethical reasoning and drawing on a case study; we first rebut some potential criticisms of the need for research ethics approval. We then outline four positive claims to justify a presumption that research should, in most instances, be published only if it has been undertaken with HREC approval. Results: We present four justifications for requiring ethics approval prior to publication: (i) that HREC approval adds legitimacy to the research; (ii) that the process of obtaining HREC approval can improve the quality of an intervention being investigated; (iii) that obtaining HREC approval can help mitigate harm; and (iv) that obtaining HREC approval demonstrates respect for persons. Conclusion: This paper provides a systematic and comprehensive assessment of why research ethics approval should generally be obtained prior to publishing in the health promotion context. So what? Journals such as the HPJA have recently begun to require research ethics approval for publishing research. Health promotion researchers will be interested in learning the ethical justification for this change. Keywords Publication ethics, research, health promotion, ethics approva
Health promoting settings in primary health care - "hÀlsotorg": an implementation analysis
Background
Sweden, like many other western countries, faces increasing rates of lifestyle
related diseases and corresponding rise in costs for health care. To meet these
challenges, a number of efforts have been introduced at different societal
levels. One such effort is "HĂ€lsotorg" (HS). HS is a new health promotion
setting that emerged in collaboration between the Swedish County Councils and
Apoteket AB, a state-owned pharmacy company. HS's overall aim was to improve
population health and facilitate inhabitants' responsibility for self-care. A
new National Public Health Policy, introduced in 2008, emphasizes more focus on
individual's needs and responsibility as well as strong need for county
councils to provide supportive environment for individual-centred health
services and increased health literacy among the population. In light of this
policy, there is a need to examine existing settings that can provide
supportive environment for individuals at community level. The aim of this
study was to explore HS's policy implementation at local level and analyse HS's
activities, in order to provide a deeper understanding of HS's potential as a
health promoting setting.
Methods
Materials included a survey and key documents related to the development and
nature of HS on local and national levels. A policy analysis inspired by Walt
and Gilson was used in data analysis. In addition, an analysis using the
principles of health promotion in relation to HS policy process and activities
was also carried out.
Results
The analysis illuminated strengths and weaknesses in the policy process, its
actors, contextual factors and activities. The health communication approach in
the analysed documents contained health promoting intentions but the health
promoting approach corresponding to a health promoting setting was neither
apparent nor shared among the stakeholders. This influenced the interpretation
and implementation of HS negatively.
Conclusions
The analysis indicates that HS has potential to be a valuable health promotion
setting for both population and individuals, given the strong intentions for a
health and empowerment building approach that is expressed in the documents.
However, for a more sustainable implementation of HS, there is need for an in-
depth understanding of the health promotion approach among HS stakeholders
For whom is a health-promoting intervention effective? Predictive factors for performing activities of daily living independently
BACKGROUND: Health-promoting interventions tailored to support older persons to remain in their homes, so-called "ageing in place" is important for supporting or improving their health. The health-promoting programme "Elderly Persons in the Risk Zone," (EPRZ) was set up for this purpose and has shown positive results for maintaining independence in activities of daily living for older persons 80 years and above at 1- and 2 year follow-ups. The aim of this study was to explore factors for maintaining independence in the EPRZ health-promoting programme.METHODS: Total of 459 participants in the original trial was included in the analysis; 345 in the programme arm and 114 in the control arm. Thirteen variables, including demographic, health, and programme-specific indicators, were chosen as predictors for independence of activities of daily living. Logistic regression was performed separately for participants in the health promotion programme and in the control arm.RESULTS: In the programme arm, being younger, living alone and self-rated lack of tiredness in performing mobility activities predicted a positive effect of independence in activities of daily living at 1-year follow-up (odds ratio [OR] 1.18, 1.73, 3.02) and 2-year, (OR 1.13, 2.01, 2.02). In the control arm, being less frail was the only predictor at 1-year follow up (OR 1.6 1.09, 2.4); no variables predicted the outcome at the 2-year follow-up.CONCLUSIONS: Older persons living alone - as a risk of ill health - should be especially recognized and offered an opportunity to participate in health-promoting programmes such as "Elderly Persons in the Risk Zone". Further, screening for subjective frailty could form an advantageous guiding principle to target the right population when deciding to whom health-promoting intervention should be offered.TRIAL REGISTRATION: The original clinical trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov. Identifier: NCT00877058 , April 6, 2009
Work-family conflicts and self-reported work ability: cross-sectional findings in women with chronic musculoskeletal disorders
Molecular medicine and concepts of disease: the ethical value of a conceptual analysis of emerging biomedical technologies
Although it is now generally acknowledged that new biomedical technologies often produce new definitions and sometimes even new concepts of disease, this observation is rarely used in research that anticipates potential ethical issues in emerging technologies. This article argues that it is useful to start with an analysis of implied concepts of disease when anticipating ethical issues of biomedical technologies. It shows, moreover, that it is possible to do so at an early stage, i.e. when a technology is only just emerging. The specific case analysed here is that of âmolecular medicineâ. This group of emerging technologies combines a âcascade modelâ of disease processes with a âpersonal patternâ model of bodily functioning. Whereas the ethical implications of the first are partly familiar from earlierâalbeit controversialâforms of preventive and predictive medicine, those of the second are quite novel and potentially far-reaching
A person-centred approach to health promotion for persons 70+ who have migrated to Sweden: promoting aging migrantsâ capabilities implementation and RCT study protocol
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