Health promotion and palliative care

Abstract

This chapter examines the theoretical perspectives and practical application of integrating health promotion and palliative care, and argues that health promotion approaches can improve end of life experiences when used in conjunction with palliative care strategies. Health promotion is concerned with health across the life span but despite this has paid little attention to health at the end of life. Palliative care focuses on illness experience at the end of life, but often neglects broader issues of health because of its focus on the signs and symptoms of dying. An overview of key concepts, terminology, theoretical constructs, practice principles, and policy contexts for the integration of palliative care and the end of life through the central organizing framework of the World Health Organization’s Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion is provided. Finally, this chapter summarizes the literature and progress in this field, including the gaps that provide indications for future directions.