Health Promotion A Psychosocial Approach

"Stephens' important and timely book provides an urgently needed and insightful synthesis of the previously fragmented field of community health psychology. A wide range of case material from both rich and poor countries is framed within a skilfully articulated set of debates around core issues of theory, practice, research and ethics. This text should be compulsory reading for all practitioners and students of health promotion." Professor Catherine Campbell, Health, Community and Development Group, London School of Economics Can the health of individuals be improved through community health programmes? How can community health promotion programmes be more effective? How is health awareness measured and evaluated? In recent years, health promoters have focused their attention not just on individual lifestyle change, but on daily social and physical conditions that surround the individual. They are now looking towards lifestyle change based on community or socially-based interventions. This book argues for the importance of theoretical explanations that inform investigations of the social context of daily life, the social relations that affect opportunities for healthy lives, and the needs of communities. Examining theories from a critical and values oriented perspective, it looks at current theories of health and health promotion, and discusses why health inequalities exist. The book includes a practical grounding, using examples of community health promotion practice, such as community arts and local community models, based on material and research from Britain, New Zealand, Canada, the USA and South America. The media's role in health promotion is also investigated, drawing on current media theory and examining media representation and the public's interpretative response. Issues surrounding the evaluation of health promotion programmes are also discussed. Health Promotion: A Psychosocial Approach provides a critical and theoretical basis for practice in social and community approaches to health promotion. It is key reading for postgraduate students of health psychology or community psychology, as well as qualified practitioners in public health areas who are developing theory based community programmes.

'Health Promotion' provides a critical and theoretical basis for practice in social and community approaches to health promotion.

"This is a well-organised book. The layout is clear, with references at the end of each chapter, and there are activities and questions for reflection, as well as good use of tables. The editors’ foreword at the beginning of each chapter provides a useful link from the previous material, and gives a sense of continuity. "It will…be a useful addition to a reading list for public health students and anyone interested in promoting mental health in their clients. It will provide a useful platform for debate, and a summary of mental health needs at different points in the life span." Critical Public Health "This text provides an excellent overview for anyone new to mental health promotion or wanting to refresh their learning. ...the book provides a concise argument that mental health promotion has a strong theory base, evidence base and value base for anyone wishing to learn, advocate for or develop its practice." mentalhealth today “This book is a useful overview for mental health promotion and will stimulate practitioners and researchers to delve more into this important topic" The Internet Journal of Mental Health Mental Health Promotion is the first textbook to provide an accessible guide to applied mental health promotion across all age groups, and demonstrates how both principles and theory can be used to underpin mental health promotion. Cross cutting themes at each stage of the lifespan are addressed, including: reduction of inequalities; theory and evidence based practice and culturally sensitive approaches to practice. Key features of the book include: A recognition of the ‘uniqueness’ of different age groups in terms of specific mental health issues A lifespan approach; identifying different health promotion interventions for different age groups Illustrations of how to apply health promotion theory and principles to practice Inclusion of up to date evidence based examples of good practice for different age groups Use of international, national and local examples Mental Health Promotion is essential reading for those working in or studying public health, mental health promotion, social work, nursing, youth and community or community care.

This book offers a comprehensive overview of current research, policy, and practice developments in promoting mental health and well-being. It offers guidance on developing and delivering mental health promotion interventions across a variety of settings internationally. Chapters outline key mental health promotion concepts, implementation processes, and outcomes through empirical findings, practical advice based on successful evidence-based approaches, and templates for action. In addition, chapters answer key “how” questions on practical implementation as well as the “whys”, providing rationales for mental health promotion and identifying the key factors and underlying principles that make these interventions work. The book includes examples of evidence-based practice with 17 case studies of innovative interventions from different international settings. These case studies illustrate the practical aspects of intervention development and delivery and the realities of implementing policies and programes outside of controlled research conditions. Topics featured in this book include: · Interventions that promote gender equality. · Community empowerment models of mental health promotion. · Mental health promotion in the home for children and parents. · Promoting social and emotional learning in schools. · Addressing stress and promoting mentally healthy workplaces. · Mental health promotion within primary health care. · Re-orienting mental health services to mental health promotion for service users and caregivers. Implementing Mental Health Promotion, Second Edition, is a must-have resource for researchers, clinicians and related professionals, and policymakers as well as graduate students across such interrelated disciplines as health promotion, public health, child and school psychology, social work, clinical psychology, child and adolescent psychiatry, health psychology, educational policy and practice, school nursing, occupational therapy, school counseling, and family studies.

What part do behavioural and psychological factors play in the health of an individual? Which theories contribute to health promotion at the individual and community level? How effective are such interventions in improving people's health? Psychology and Health Promotion is the first book to set out in clear and authoritative terms the role of psychological theory in health promotion. It adopts both structuralist and social regulation models of health and health promotion, considering the significance of psychological processes in each case. The authors examine how behaviour and the social environment may contribute to health status and how psychological processes may mediate the effect of environmental conditions. They go on to consider the theory underlying interventions that are aimed at individuals and large populations, and the effectiveness of attempts to change both individual behaviour and the environmental factors that may contribute to ill-health. This highly approachable volume is structured as a textbook and includes a summary and further reading at the end of each chapter, as well as a substantial bibliography. It is designed to provide an invaluable resource for advanced undergraduate and postgraduate courses in health psychology, clinical psychology and social psychology as well as students and practitioners in health and social welfare, including health promotion.

Foundations of Health Psychology brings together top experts to provide a much-needed conceptual base for this rapidly expanding field. Rather than take a medical model approach, the volume examines health psychology from a theoretical, conceptual, and psychological perspective. After presenting an overview of the field's history and methods, the contributors address major concepts of the biopsychosocial approach to health and then discuss applications to health promotion and effective treatment and prevention.