Many words used to describe health , disease prevention, health education and health promotion are often used imprecisely and interchangeably. To assist with the clarification of some of these issues , the World Health Organisation issued a Health Promotion Glossary in 1998. The following is an extract of some of the Key definitions. Unless otherwise indicated all definitions are from WHO (1997) Health Promotion Glossary. WHO - Geneva

Health education comprises consciously constructed opportunities for learning involving some form of communication designed to improve health literacy, including improving knowledge, and developing life skills which are conducive to individual and community health.

Disease prevention covers measures not only to prevent the occurrence of disease, such as risk factor reduction, but also to arrest its progress and reduce its consequences once established.

Health promotion is the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve

their health.

The science and art of promoting health, preventing disease, and prolonging life through

the organised efforts of society.

The attainment by all the people of the world of a level of health that will permit them to

lead a socially and economically productive life.

Health is defined in the WHO constitution of 1948 as:

A state of complete physical, social and mental well-being, and not merely the absence of

disease or infirmity.

Within the context of health promotion, health has been considered less as an abstract

state and more as a means to an end which can be expressed in functional terms as a

resource which permits people to lead an individually, socially and economically productive

life.

Health is a resource for everyday life, not the object of living. It is a positive concept

emphasising social and personal resources as well as physical capabilities.

Health literacy represents the cognitive and social skills which determine the motivation

and ability of individuals to gain access to, understand and use information in ways which

promote and maintain good health.

Sustainable development is defined as development that meets the needs of the

present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs (WCED 1987). It incorporates many elements, and all sectors, including the

health sector, which must contribute to achieve it.

Supportive environments for health offer people protection from threats to health,

and enable people to expand their capabilities and develop self reliance in health.

They encompass where people live, their local community, their home, where they

work and play, including people's access to resources for health, and opportunities

for empowerment.

That assistance available to individuals and groups from within communities which

can provide a buffer against adverse life events and living conditions, and can provide

a positive resource for enhancing the quality of life.

Social responsibility for health is reflected by the actions of decision makers in both

public and private sector to pursue policies and practices which promote and protect

health.

Social relations and links between individuals which may provide access to or

mobilisation of social support for health.

Social capital represents the degree of social cohesion which exists in communities.

It refers to the processes between people which establish networks, norms, and social

trust, and facilitate co-ordination and co- operation for mutual benefit.

The place or social context in which people engage in daily activities in which

environmental, organisational and personal factors interact to affect health and

wellbeing.

In the context of health promotion, actions taken by lay persons (i.e. non health

professionals) to mobilise the necessary resources to promote, maintain or restore

the health of individuals or communities.

Social, economic or biological status, behaviours or environments which are

associated with or cause increased susceptibility to a specific disease, ill health, or

injury.

Specific forms of behaviour which are proven to be associated with increased

susceptibility to a specific disease or ill-health.

Health services re-orientation is characterised by a more explicit concern for the

achievement of population health outcomes in the ways in which the health system

is organised and funded. This must lead to a change of attitude and organisation of

health services, which focuses on the needs of the individual as a whole person,

balanced against the needs of population groups.

Quality of life is defined as individual's perceptions of their position in life in the

context of the culture and value system where they live, and in relation to their

goals, expectations, standards and concerns. It is a broad ranging concept,

incorporating in a complex way a person's physical health, psychological state, level

of independence, social relationships, personal beliefs and relationship to salient

features of the environment.

A partnership for health promotion is a voluntary agreement between two or more

partners to work co-operatively towards a set of shared health outcomes.

In health promotion, a process through which the different interests (personal, social,

economic) of individuals and communities, and different sectors (public and private)

are reconciled in ways that promote and protect health.

A grouping of individuals, organisations and agencies organised on a non

hierarchical basis around common issues or concerns, which are pursued proactively

and systematically, based on commitment and trust.

Living conditions are the everyday environment of people, where they live, play

and work. These living conditions are a product of social and economic circumstances

and the physical environment - all of which can impact upon health - and are largely

outside of the immediate control of the individual.

Lifestyle is a way of living based on identifiable patterns of behaviour which are

determined by the interplay between an individual's personal characteristics, social

interactions, and socio-economic and environmental living conditions.

A recognised relationship between part or parts of different sectors of society which

has been formed to take action on an issue to achieve health outcomes or

intermediate health outcomes in a way which is more effective, efficient or sustainable

than might be achieved by the health sector acting alone.

Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour, that enable individuals to

deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life.

Investment for health refers to resources which are explicitly dedicated to the

production of health and health gain. They may be invested by public and private

agencies as well as by people as individuals and groups. Investment for health

strategies are based on knowledge about the determinants of health and seek to

gain political commitment to healthy public policies.

Intermediate health outcomes are changes in the determinants of health, notably

changes in lifestyles, and living conditions which are attributable to a planned

intervention or interventions, including health promotion, disease prevention and

primary health care.

Those human and material resources, organisational and administrative structures,

policies, regulations and incentives which facilitate an organised health promotion

response to public health issues and challenges.

Healthy public policy is characterised by an explicit concern for health and equity in

all areas of policy, and by an accountability for health impact. The main aim of healthy public policy is to create a supportive environment to enable people to lead healthy

lives. Such a policy makes healthy choices possible or easier for citizens. It makes

social and physical environments health enhancing.

A healthy island is one that is committed to and involved in a process of achieving

better health and quality of life for its people, and healthier physical and social

environments in the context of sustainable development.

Reference: adapted from Yanuca Island Declaration. WHO (WPRO), Manila, 1995

A healthy city is one that is continually creating and improving those physical and

social environments and expanding those community resources which enable

people to mutually support each other in performing all the functions of life and in

developing to their maximum potential.

A description and/or measurement of the health of an individual or population at a

particular point in time against identifiable standards, usually by reference to health

Health targets state, for a given population, the amount of change (using a health

indicator) which could be reasonably expected within a defined time period. Targets

are generally based on specific and measurable changes in health outcomes, or

intermediate health outcomes.

The health sector consists of organised public and private health services (including

health promotion, disease prevention, diagnostic, treatment and care services), the

policies and activities of health departments and ministries, health related non-government

organisations and community groups, and professional associations.

Health promotion outcomes are changes to personal characteristics and skills, and/

or social norms and actions, and/or organisational practices and public policies which

are attributable to a health promotion activity.

Health promotion evaluation is an assessment of the extent to which health

promotion actions achieve a "valued" outcome.

A health promoting school can be characterised as a school constantly

strengthening its capacity as a healthy setting for living, learning and working.

A health promoting hospital does not only provide high quality comprehensive

medical and nursing services, but also develops a corporate identity that embraces

the aims of health promotion, develops a health promoting organizational structure

and culture, including active, participatory roles for patients and all members of

staff, develops itself into a health promoting physical environment and actively co-operates

with its community.

A formal statement or procedure within institutions (notably government) which defines

priorities and the parameters for action in response to health needs, available resources

and other political pressures.

A change in the health status of an individual, group or population which is attributable to

a planned intervention or series of interventions, regardless of whether such an

intervention was intended to change health status.

A health indicator is a characteristic of an individual, population, or environment

which is subject to measurement (directly or indirectly) and can be used to describe

one or more aspects of the health of an individual or population (quality, quantity

and time).

Health goals summarise the health outcomes which, in the light of existing

knowledge and resources, a country or community might hope to achieve in a

defined time period.

Health gain is a way to express improved health outcomes. It can be used to reflect

the relative advantage of one form of health intervention over another in producing

the greatest health gain.

Health expectancy is a population based measure of the proportion of expected

life span estimated to be healthful and fulfilling, or free of illness, disease and

disability according to social norms and perceptions and professional standards.

Health development is the process of continuous, progressive improvement of the health

status of individuals and groups in a population.

Health communication is a key strategy to inform the public about health concerns and

to maintain important health issues on the public agenda. The use of the mass and multi

media and other technological innovations to disseminate useful health information to

the public, increases awareness of specific aspects of individual and collective health as

well as importance of health in development.

Any activity undertaken by an individual, regardless of actual or perceived health status,

for the purpose of promoting, protecting or maintaining health, whether or not such

behaviour is objectively effective towards that end.

Equity means fairness. Equity in health means that people's needs guide the

distribution of opportunities for well-being.

Epidemiology is the study of the distribution and determinants of health-states or

events in specified populations, and the application of this study to the control of

health problems.

Social epidemiology has evolved as a discipline during the past two decades. Social

epidemiology is the study of health and illness in populations which is informed by a

social, psychological, economic and public policy information, and uses that information

in the definition of public health problems and proposal of solutions. As the discipline of

epidemiology further develops and expands such distinctions will be less important in

the future.

In health promotion, enabling means taking action in partnership with individuals

or groups to empower them, through the mobilization of human and material

resources, to promote and protect their health.

In health promotion, empowerment is a process through which people gain greater control

over decisions and actions affecting their health.

The range of personal, social, economic and environmental factors which determine the

health status of individuals or populations.

Community action for health refers to collective efforts by communities which are directed

towards increasing community control over the determinants of health, and thereby

improving health.

A specific group of people, often living in a defined geographical area, who share a common

culture, values and norms, are arranged in a social structure according to relationships

which the community has developed over a period of time. Members of a community

gain their personal and social identity by sharing common beliefs, values and norms which

have been developed by the community in the past and may be modified in the future.

They exhibit some awareness of their identity as a group, and share common needs and a

commitment to meeting them.

A combination of individual and social actions designed to gain political commitment,

policy support, social acceptance and systems support for a particular health goal or

programme.