Defining Health Promotion
Health promotion is defined by the World Health Organization (WHO) as the process of allowing people to maintain control over and enhance their health (Grand Canyon University, 2011). There are three levels of health promotion; primary, secondary, and tertiary. All three levels focus on prevention, but in different respects. In primary health promotion, the goal is to prevent the disease before it occurs. In secondary health promotion, the goal is to identify disease before it can manifest complications. It focuses on promoting healthy behaviors to support the health of the individual and encourages screening activities and treating any early warning signs. In tertiary health promotion, the disease has already been identified and treatment has begun.
Purpose of Health Promotion
In the journal article reviewed on primary health First Steps for Mommy and Me, the purpose of health promotion is to promote healthful behaviors (Taveras, Blackburn, Gillman, et all 2011). In promoting healthful behaviors in postpartum mothers and their infants, complications later in life can be prevented for both. The purpose of primary health promotion is to prevent problems before they occur.
In the article reviewd on secondary health, Concepts and new frontiers for development, the purpose is to prevent progression of diabetes through lifestyle-based changes (Milat, A., O'Hara, B., & Develin, E., 2009). Secondary health promotion activities center around detecting diseases before they occur, especially in those individuals who are at higher risk for developing disease. In the article on tertiary health promotion, Health promotion for people with intellectual disability and obesity, the focus is the preparation of the person with an intellectual disability to understand and monitor his own healthcare needs in order to prevent or control obesity