Health Promotion: A Psychosocial Approach

• 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?

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 medias role in health promotion is also investigated, drawing on current media theory and examining media representation and the publics 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.