Abstract
Introduction: In recent years, several research studies have investigated health promotion practices in Saudi healthcare organizations, yet no published literature exists on health promotion practices of primary healthcare professionals working for the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNG-HA). Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a convenience sample of 206 primary healthcare professionals at the MNG-HA. A self-reporting questionnaire was used to investigate the attitudes, awareness, satisfaction, and methods regarding health promotion practices of primary healthcare professionals. Results: Of the 206 primary healthcare professionals surveyed, 58.1% reported awareness of health promotion programs conducted in the hospitals and 64.6% reported that the health promotion system in the hospitals needs to be improved. Language barriers and cultural beliefs were viewed as obstacles to carrying out effective health promotion by 65% and 64.6% of primary healthcare professionals, respectively. The majority (79.9%) of the primary healthcare professionals perceived themselves as having the necessary skills to promote health and 80.6% believed that printed educational materials are the most prevalent method of health promotion/education, whereas 55.8% reported that counseling was the most preferred method of health promotion. Conclusion: The awareness level of health promotion policies, strategies, and programs conducted in the hospitals was not found to be satisfactory. Therefore, widespread training programs are recommended to improve the health promotion system in the hospitals. These programs include facilitating behavioral change, introducing health promotion policies and strategies in hospitals, mandatory workshops, and systematic reminders.
Highlights
In recent years, several research studies have investigated health promotion practices in Saudi healthcare organizations, yet no published literature exists on health promotion practices of primary healthcare professionals working for the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNG-HA)
Nurses play an important role in health promotion by encouraging patients and their families to be part of the decision-making process regarding problems related to their health, improving adherence of patients to long-term therapies, and improving their quality of life.[7,8,9]
Despite the tendency of physicians to focus on diagnosis and treatment of illness after its occurrence, they have an essential role in incorporating health promotion and disease prevention at all levels, including health improvement, risk reduction, early identification of disease, and reduction of complications.[11]
Summary
Several research studies have investigated health promotion practices in Saudi healthcare organizations, yet no published literature exists on health promotion practices of primary healthcare professionals working for the Ministry of National Guard Health Affairs (MNG-HA). Results: Of the 206 primary healthcare professionals surveyed, 58.1% reported awareness of health promotion programs conducted in the hospitals and 64.6% reported that the health promotion system in the hospitals needs to be improved. The role of healthcare professionals including physicians and nurses has been emphasized in the literature.[6,7,8,9,10,11] nurses play an important role in health promotion by encouraging patients and their families to be part of the decision-making process regarding problems related to their health, improving adherence of patients to long-term therapies, and improving their quality of life.[7,8,9] Despite the tendency of physicians to focus on diagnosis and treatment of illness after its occurrence, they have an essential role in incorporating health promotion and disease prevention at all levels, including health improvement, risk reduction, early identification of disease, and reduction of complications.[11] Their role can be effective through providing counseling services where they are required to be updated with relevant guidelines, and ensuring that their recommendations are supported by the best evidence.[12]
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