COVID-19 and the role of health promoters and educators

Abstract

The role of health promoters and educators in the current and future response to COVID-19 is critical, but, to date, under explored. This opinion paper offers a number of important contributions that this professional group may offer both in the immediate and future strategy of global public health. While the importance of a medical model of health cannot be underplayed, the social model of health suggests that some groups in society are being more disproportionately impacted than others. Health promotion has been committed to reducing inequalities and therefore offers “a voice” to those most marginalised. The paper suggests that bottom-up approaches focusing on building individual and community control is essential and, moreover, the concepts of a settings approach in health promotion, the fostering of critical health literacy and “salutogenesis” may be worthy of further debate and discussion.