Health Promotion Work Research Articles

Being Relaxed and Powerful: Children’s Lived Experiences of Coping with Stress

Our aim was to describe and develop an understanding of children’s lived experiences of coping with stress. Twenty‐three Swedish children, ages 10–12, wrote open letters and were interviewed. The phenomenological analysis resulted in three main themes: (i) depending on oneself, others and the world around, (ii) choosing to be a doer and (iii) being in the here and now. We understood the children’s lived experiences of coping with stress as them being relaxed and powerful. The children chose to be active doers or inactive beings and their relationships, as well as their surroundings, helped or hindered their coping. Possible health promotion work is discussed.

“We have a lot of goodwill, but we still need to eat…”: Valuing Women’s Long Term Voluntarism in Community Development in Lima

This paper focuses on recognizing the contribution made to development by grassroots women working on a voluntary basis in long term development projects. Using the example of healthcare, the paper problematizes the widespread move towards an increased reliance on voluntary and third sector provision. Drawing on literature around women’s community activism, the research considers the extent to which women carrying out health promotion work in Peru have taken on this role as more than “just voluntary work,” highlighting their long term commitment during more than a decade of health promotion activities. The paper develops debates around the professionalization of voluntary work, particularly considering the issue of economic remuneration for health promoters, and emphasizing the gendered nature of their voluntarism; concluding by questioning the sustainability of poor women’s long term, and largely unpaid, involvement as the linchpins of community development projects.

Religião e espiritualidade: experiência de famílias de crianças com Insuficiência Renal Crônica

OBJETIVO: Descrever as manifestações de religiosidade e espiritualidade de famílias de crianças com Insuficiência Renal Crônica em diálise peritoneal. MÉTODO: Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, com a característica de estudo de caso com múltiplos sujeitos. A análise de conteúdo adotada foi a de significados, optando-se pelo tipo temático, tendo como referência a promoção de saúde em enfermagem familiar. RESULTADOS: Participaram do estudo quatro famílias, totalizando quatorze participantes. A religião e a espiritualidade se apresentam como recursos importantes para os familiares no enfrentamento da doença crônica, principalmente diante de prognósticos ameaçadores. CONCLUSÃO: Destacamos a importância de compreender a religião e a espiritualidade da família no processo de adoecimento, para o enfermeiro atuar na promoção da saúde.

``It's about focusing on the mother's mental health'': Screening for postnatal depression seen from the health visitors' perspective — a qualitative study

This study examines experiences from the implementation of EPDS as a routine screening for postnatal depression in a health centre seen from health visitors' perspective. A qualitative approach was chosen to shed light on this issue. Six experienced health visitors and one midwife participated in a focus group interview sharing their experiences and expectations. The analysis indicate that the EPDS screening turned out to be a useful tool for the health visitors to adress mental health issues in health promotion and preventive work with mothers and newborns. The EPDS screening shifted the focus in the consultation from the child solely to also encompass the mother and the relation between them. A precondition for this was that the implementation process was gradual and on the health visitors own terms, likewise that there was a follow-up chain including supervision given to the health visitors, in order to provide help for the mothers who need more help than the health centre can offer. Our study shows that acceptability for routine screening with EPDS amongst health visitors is possible to achieve.

The Meaning of Mental Health from Elderly Women's Perspectives: A Basis for Health Promotion

To gain a deeper understanding of the meaning of mental health. Qualitative interviews with 16 women between the ages of 71 and 92. The data were collected and analyzed using a phenomenological approach. The essence of mental health is the experience of confirmation, trust and confidence in the future, as well as a zest for life, development, and involvement in one's relationship to oneself and to others. Creating arenas for encounters confirming the individual's human existence and dignity is an important basis for the psychiatric nurse's health-promotion work.

Assessment of Community Capacity Building Ability of Health Promotion Workers in Public Health Centers

This study was performed to assess the community capacity building ability of health promotion workers of public health centers and to identify influential factors to the ability. The subjects were 43 public officers from 16 public health centers in Busan Metropolitan City. Questionnaire was developed based on 'Community Capacity Building Tool' of Public Health Agency of Canada which consists of 9 feathers. Each feather of capacity was assessed in 4 point rating scale. Univariate analysis by characteristics of subjects and multivariate analysis by multiple regression was done. The mean score of the 9 features were 2.35. Among the 9 feathers, 'Obtaining resources' scored 3.0 point which was the highest but 'Community structure' scored 2.1 which was the lowest. The mean score of the feathers was relatively lower than that of Canadian data. The significant influential factors affecting community capacity building ability were 'Service length', 'Heath promotion skill level', 'Existence of an executive department' and 'Cooperative partnership for health promotion'. According to the result of multiple linear regression, the 'Existence of an executive department' had significant influence. Community capacity building ability of subjects showed relatively lower scores in general. Building and activating an executive department and cooperative partnerships for health promotion may be helpful to achieve community capacity building ability.

Impact of a five-day short course on integration of health promotion into practice in north Queensland

Workforce development is one element of health promotion capacity building. This paper describes the extent to which participants in a five-day short course in health promotion, delivered three times in north Queensland during 2007, reported greater adoption of health promotion within their work roles, and the factors that affected the level of adoption. Out of 54 course attendees, 39 completed a post-course survey five to nine months after completing the course (72% response rate). Additionally, 11 course attendees participated in a focus group or phone interview to explore survey findings. The courses succeeded in providing knowledge, skills, confidence and enthusiasm to undertake health promotion work. Eighty per cent of participants stated they had incorporated health promotion into their work frequently or all of the time since undertaking the course. Lack of understanding of health promotion from co-workers and managers, lack of organisational support and commitment, lack of resources, competing clinical priorities, and lack of time were cited as the main barriers for undertaking health promotion. The course met participant training needs. However, similar training across all levels of staff including management may help to develop organisational capacity, thereby building a more knowledgeable workforce that is supported to undertake health promotion as a core part of an organisation's business.

Pachedu‐Zenzele in the Diaspora: Promoting Sexual Health Amongst Zimbabweans in England

AbstractMigrants have been found to be at enhanced risk for the Human Immune Deficiency Virus (HIV) in comparison with settled populations. As they migrate, they often bring with them their traditions and cultural values, which may influence the ways they access or make sense of health promotion interventions in the host country. In the diaspora, should they experience compromised citizenship, marked by an unresolved immigration status, some may need to remain invisible and this may include not accessing or presenting late for vital health care interventions. Addressing the needs of such invisible populations is key to health promotion work and paramount to public health interests. This paper describes how ever‐changing “traditions”, in particular the notions of Pachedu and Zenzele, were harnessed to develop ethically grounded sexual health care interventions amongst Zimbabweans in Luton, Bedfordshire, England. These interventions were delivered in mundane settings that formed some of the key everyday networks of this population. The reinvention of “tradition” for the purposes of delivering health and social care interventions has been one of the cornerstones of health promotion interventions in Africa, where the rates of HIV are some of the highest in the world. The concept of Pachedu harnessed confidentiality in the delivery of sexual health interventions with Zenzele calling for communal involvement in such initiatives. A key point that resulted in the success of this intervention was partnership work between statutory providers and the local Zimbabwean population throughout the project’s life span. Rather than being construed as passive recipients of health and social care interventions, local Zimbabweans and their statutory partners were engaged in mutual capacity building initiatives. Local Zimbabweans were also engaged and consulted throughout, from the conceptualization of the project, delivery, monitoring, and dissemination of the findings.

Advances in Hearing Conservation Practices: An Interview With Mark Stephenson

Abstract It is estimated that 30 million Americans are exposed to hazardous noise levels at work (Stephenson et al., 2003). The Occupational Safety and Health Act of 1970 created two separate agencies dedicated to promoting worker health and safety: the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) and the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). Research at NIOSH informs OSHA regulations. This report comprises an interview with Mark Stephenson, PhD, Scientific Research Coordinator for the NIOSH noise and hearing loss research program. He provides insights into the latest advances in hearing conservation practices, what works and why. Current hearing conservation practices developed at NIOSH and not yet mandated by OSHA use methods borrowed from evidence-based health communication theories to change the ways individuals view the problem of noise exposure, eliminate barriers that prevent effective hearing protector use, and create a culture of self-efficacy with respect to hear...

PERCEPÇÕES DA COMUNIDADE FRENTE AO PROCESSO DE TRABALHO DA ENFERMEIRA DO PROGRAMA SAÚDE DA FAMÍLIA

RESUMO: O objetivo deste estudo foi verificar a percepção da comunidade na área estudada acerca da atuação da enfermeira no Programa Saúde da Família (PSF). Trata-se de uma pesquisa qualitativa, realizada junto a famílias inseridasno PSF da Unidade CAIC-Vila Maria, localizada no sul do Rio Grande do Sul. Percebeu-se que as famílias participantesdesconhecem a proposta da Unidade de Saúde de sua comunidade, assim como as funções da enfermeira inserida naequipe. Pretende-se, a partir dos dados, subsidiar a enfermeira para o desenvolvimento de ações/atividades de divulgaçãosobre a proposta do PSF, assim como esclarecer as funções da enfermeira que envolvem desde a prestação do primeiroatendimento até atividades que visam a promoção e educação em saúde, bem como o trabalho de organização, gerenciamentoe coordenação de toda equipe.

Health services, health promotion, and health literacy: Report from the State of the Science in Aging with Developmental Disabilities Conference

Background This article summarizes the proceedings of the Health Services, Health Promotion, and Health Literacy work group that was part of the “State of the Science in Aging with Developmental Disabilities: Charting Lifespan Trajectories and Supportive Environments for Healthy Living.” Participants aimed to identify unmet needs related to health and health care and to determine training, research, and policy needs addressing the demands for increasing health care services and resources, end-of-life and palliative care, and health literacy. Methods Key issues addressed included (1) major health-related disparities for adults with intellectual and developmental disabilities (I/DD); (2) the impact of internal and external factors on health care services and resources, end-of-life and palliative care, and health literacy for adults with I/DD; and (3) frameworks that can be used for understanding and promoting health care services and resources, end-of-life and palliative care, and health literacy. Results Group participants identified research and practice needs related to primary care, health promotion, disease prevention, illness care, end-of-life issues, and palliative care. Conclusions Health care services for adults with I/DD may occur in a variety of settings including community-based programs, private practices, and community-based agencies supporting persons with disabilities. Major gaps relate to health disparities due to underdiagnosis, misdiagnosis, less chance of receiving prompt treatment, limited access to providers, lack of research information, transportation barriers, and lack of accessible medical equipment. Models of care including variables related to translation, sustainability, accessibility (e.g., affordability, availability), acceptability (e.g., culturally relevant, satisfaction), and equity need to be developed.

Men's health promotion: a new frontier in Australia and the UK?

The field of men's health has grown markedly over the past few decades. Increased activity specifically relating to men's health promotion in both Australia and the UK has been noted during this period. There has, however, been a reticence to critically examine men's health promotion work within a broader discourse relating to gender and gender relations. Indeed, the vast majority of health-related gender discussion to date has been focused on women's health experiences and their health practices. In this paper, we argue that grounding men's health within this broad gender discourse is important for building an evidence base in, and advancing, men's health promotion work at a range of levels. We specifically explore the research, practice and policy contexts relating to men's health in Australia and the UK, and describe the facilitators for, and barriers to, promoting men's health. We conclude by suggesting that a critical gender lens ought to be applied to current men's health promotion work and provide strategies for researchers, practitioners and policy makers to move towards this new frontier.

Updates in Health Supervision Guidelines for Children, Part 2

<P>This issue of <cite>Pediatric Annals</cite>, the second of two issues devoted to updating pediatric health supervision guidelines for infants, children, and adolescents, takes Bright Futures beyond the practice setting and into the community. Implementing Bright Futures successfully can only be accomplished when all the child health disciplines and organizations in a region or state work together and share a common understanding and language of health promotion and prevention. <cite>Bright Futures Guidelines for the Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents</cite>, third edition, takes into consideration this broad perspective, as the writing for each age-stage section was co-led by a clinician and family partner. Acknowledging the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to child health, Bright Futures was developed for the medical home but with continued and extensive input from an array of community colleagues that brought to this edition a diversity of perspectives facing children and families at this time.</P><h4>ABOUT THE GUEST EDITORS</h4><P>Gregory S. Blaschke, MD, MPH, FAAP, is Captain, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy. Dr. Blaschke is currently the Medical Director of Simulation and a practicing pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics, Naval Medical Center San Diego, California (NMCSD). His academic appointment as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics is at the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, but he also teaches students and residents at the University of California-San Diego. After earning a B.S. in medical sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, he attended the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed his residency training at Naval Hospital, Oakland, California. He taught pediatrics to Family Practice Residents at Naval Hospital Charleston, South Carolina, prior to joining the teaching staff at NMCSD. Between tours at NMCSD, he completed a 3-year General Academic Pediatrics Fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, which included a clinical emphasis on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. While in fellowship, he obtained a M.P.H. with concentration on Clinical Effectiveness from the Harvard School of Public Health and completed the Harvard-Macy Physician Educator program at Harvard’s Medical and Graduate School of Education.</P><P>As NMCSD Pediatrics Principle-Investigator for the San Diego Community Pediatrics Training Initiative (CPTI), he incorporated public health and community perspectives into both pediatric residency training programs in San Diego County. Dr. Blaschke has been involved in local and national faculty development efforts since 1996, conducting site visits at more than 40 training programs. Projects have focused on teaching and learning for faculty, residents, and programs including all aspects of curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation. He was awarded the 2006 AAP National Education award and is a current member of the AAP’s Committee on Pediatric Education. Dr. Blaschke is a former member of the Executive Committee of the Uniformed Services Section of the AAP, which focuses on faculty development and educational initiatives for more than 700 members. He is a current member of the AAP’s Program Advisory Committee for the Bright Futures Education Center, Pediatric Implementation Project, and Users Group. Prior work with Bright Futures includes membership on the Health Promotion Work Group, which assisted in re-development of the “<CITE>Bright Futures: Pocket Guide</CITE>” and creation of educational materials for <a href="http://www.pediatricsinpractice.org" target="_new">www.pediatricsinpractice.org</a>, now also available in print form from Springer Publishing’s <CITE>Series on Medical Education</CITE>. He is a National Partner for Implementation of a 3-volume text of standardized case-based curriculum, “<CITE>Bright Futures Case Studies for Primary Care Clinicians: Pediatric Education in Growth and Development, Behavior, and Adolescent Health</CITE>,” available at <a href="http://www.pedicases.org" target="_new">www.pedicases.org</a>.</P><P>Judith S. Shaw, EdD, MPH, RN, is Research Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and Executive Director, Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) since its inception in 1999. In addition, she is principal investigator for several federally funded projects designed to improve delivery of health care to children.</P><P>Dr. Shaw earned her nursing degree from the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in Boston, and subsequently received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, a master’s degree in public health from Boston University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Vermont.</P><P>Nationally, Dr. Shaw is the co-chair of the AAP’s Bright Future Steering Committee and Education Center Project Advisory Committee and co-editor of <CITE>Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents</CITE>, third edition. In 2007, she received the Director’s Award from the Health Resources Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and also Citizen of the Year from the Vermont Medical Society. She was a 2002 Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Primary Care Health Policy Fellow, a member of the Board of Directors of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association from 1999-2002, and currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Stern Center for Language and Learning in Vermont.</P>

Solvent use among young Irish adolescents — a growing concern for youth workers, teachers and parents?

The research aimed to identify ‘(1) current volatile solvent use practices, (2) health beliefs and perceived effects of volatile solvent use, (3) social dynamics of volatile solvent use, (4) significance of reputation, and (5) barriers to volatile solvent use intervention’ in a sample of Irish adolescents (Carroll et al, 1998, p1; Anderson & Loomis, 2003). Semi‐structured interviews were conducted with 20 adolescents who reported inhaling volatile solvents, during the course of doctoral research (n=1,400) investigating substance misuse among adolescents aged 12 to 18 years in Ireland. Their average age was 13.2 years, and they used a range of substances. Solvent users were found to be most commonly congregated in small peer and sibling groups and one young male also reported using alone. These young people indicated their average age of initiation of inhalant use as 10.3 years and most did not use inhalants after the age of 13 years. This coincided with first‐time alcohol use, at an average age of 12.5 years and experimental use of cannabis in some. All reported some awareness of short‐term medical risks involved in solvent use, and most commented on negative effects, such as headaches, dizziness and vomiting. Teachers, probation and juvenile liaison officers, health promotion and drug education workers, youth workers, social workers, and parents should ‘familiarise themselves with the real world experiences of adolescent volatile solvent users’; in order to develop appropriate and timely drug education interventions (Carroll et al, 1998 p6).

Updates in Health Supervision Guidelines for Children, Part One

<P><CITE>Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents</CITE>, third edition, offers numerous opportunities to improve the quality and delivery of health supervision for infants, children, and adolescents. The authors of the series of articles within this and the next issue of <CITE>Pediatric Annals</CITE> are committed to the highest quality, multidisciplinary health promotion visits for our country’s most valuable resource — our children — in the context of their families and communities. Many authors were involved in the development of <CITE>Bright Futures</CITE>, third edition. The opportunity to work with hundreds of child health professionals who reviewed these guidelines was inspiring. Decreasing the gap between recommended and actual health supervision practices for children in the United States motivated us to embark on this writing project. Our purpose is to challenge all child healthcare professionals to review their own health supervision practices and to provide information and tools to enhance their practice.</P> <h4>ABOUT THE GUEST EDITORS</h4> <P>Gregory S. Blaschke, MD, MPH, FAAP, is Captain, Medical Corps, U.S. Navy. Dr. Blaschke is currently the Medical Director of Simulation and a practicing pediatrician in the Department of Pediatrics, Naval Medical Center San Diego, California (NMCSD). His academic appointment as an Associate Professor of Pediatrics is at the F. Edward Hebert School of Medicine, Uniformed Services University, but he also teaches students and residents at the University of California-San Diego. After earning a B.S. in medical sciences at the University of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, he attended the Medical College of Wisconsin and completed his residency training at Naval Hospital, Oakland, California. He taught pediatrics to Family Practice Residents at Naval Hospital Charleston, South Carolina, prior to joining the teaching staff at NMCSD. Between tours at NMCSD, he completed a 3-year General Academic Pediatrics Fellowship at Boston Children’s Hospital, which included a clinical emphasis on Developmental and Behavioral Pediatrics. While in fellowship, he obtained a M.P.H. with concentration on Clinical Effectiveness from the Harvard School of Public Health and completed the Harvard-Macy Physician Educator program at Harvard’s Medical and Graduate School of Education.</P> <P>As NMCSD Pediatrics Principle-Investigator for the San Diego Community Pediatrics Training Initiative (CPTI), he incorporated public health and community perspectives into both pediatric residency training programs in San Diego County. Dr. Blaschke has been involved in local and national faculty development efforts since 1996, conducting site visits at more than 40 training programs. Projects have focused on teaching and learning for faculty, residents, and programs including all aspects of curriculum development, implementation, and evaluation. He was awarded the 2006 AAP National Education award and is a current member of the AAP’s Committee on Pediatric Education. Dr. Blaschke is a former member of the Executive Committee of the Uniformed Services Section of the AAP, which focuses on faculty development and educational initiatives for more than 700 members. He is a current member of the AAP’s Program Advisory Committee for the Bright Futures Education Center, Pediatric Implementation Project, and Users Group. Prior work with Bright Futures includes membership on the Health Promotion Work Group, which assisted in re-development of the “<CITE>Bright Futures: Pocket Guide</CITE>” and creation of educational materials for <a href="http://www.pediatricsinpractice.org" target="_new">www.pediatricsinpractice.org</a>, now also available in print form from Springer Publishing’s <CITE>Series on Medical Education</CITE>. He is a National Partner for Implementation of a 3-volume text of standardized case-based curriculum, “<CITE>Bright Futures Case Studies for Primary Care Clinicians: Pediatric Education in Growth and Development, Behavior, and Adolescent Health</CITE>,” available at <a href="http://www.pedicases.org" target="_new">www.pedicases.org</a>.</P> <P>Judith S. Shaw, EdD, MPH, RN, is Research Associate Professor of Pediatrics at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and Executive Director, Vermont Child Health Improvement Program (VCHIP) since its inception in 1999. In addition, she is principal investigator for several federally funded projects designed to improve delivery of health care to children.</P><P>Dr. Shaw earned her nursing degree from the Children’s Hospital School of Nursing in Boston, and subsequently received a bachelor’s degree from Yale University, a master’s degree in public health from Boston University, and a doctorate in education from the University of Vermont.</P><P>Nationally, Dr. Shaw is the co-chair of the AAP’s Bright Future Steering Committee and Education Center Project Advisory Committee and co-editor of <CITE>Bright Futures: Guidelines for Health Supervision of Infants, Children, and Adolescents</CITE>, third edition. In 2007, she received the Director’s Award from the Health Resources Services Administration’s (HRSA) Maternal Child Health Bureau (MCHB) and also Citizen of the Year from the Vermont Medical Society. She was a 2002 Department of Health and Human Services Secretary’s Primary Care Health Policy Fellow, a member of the Board of Directors of the Ambulatory Pediatric Association from 1999-2002, and currently serves on the Board of Directors at the Stern Center for Language and Learning in Vermont.</P>

Approaches to developing health in early years settings

Purpose – The purpose of the paper is to consider the opportunities and difficulties in developing health-promotion work in early years settings in the UK. Design/methodology/approach – As the first study of its kind conducted in the UK, a multi-method approach was adopted involving: an overview of health-related guidance and of effective interventions in early years settings to promote health among young children; 26 interviews with key informants in the early years and health fields, regional coordinators for the National Healthy Schools Programme (NHSP) and Foundation Stage regional advisers; a survey of 145 local Healthy Schools Programme coordinators with a response rate of 75 per cent; and six case studies of early years settings representing promising practice in the promotion of health and wellbeing. Findings – There is considerable enthusiasm for health promotion work within early years organisations, and interest in developing such work in early years settings. The study suggests that building on existing early years curriculum frameworks, developing partnerships between health and early years professionals, engaging both parents and practitioners, and adequate national and local resourcing will facilitate development of health promoting work in the early years sector. Practical implications – This paper and the outputs from the study offer useful evidence for health and early years professionals who are developing health-promoting work in early years settings. Originality/value – The paper reports on the first study of its kind in which the perceptions of both early years and health professionals are brought together to consider the issues involved in developing healthy early years practice.

‘Friendship is like an extra parachute’: reflections on the way schoolchildren share their lived experiences of well‐being through drawings

The aim of this study was to create a new understanding of health promotion activities in the classroom setting through children’s perspectives. Nineteen Swedish schoolchildren, ages 10‐ to 11‐years‐old, participated in health promotion work in the classroom. Through drawings and an exhibition discussion analysing their own and each other’s drawings, they shared their lived experience of well‐being and lack thereof. The phenomenological analysis resulted in three themes: (1) friends in good times and in bad; (2) the sunny side of life; (3) the bad and the mean. These themes were understood as friendship being like an extra parachute. Reflecting on the children’s lived experience of well‐being and our own role in the research process, the concept of openness surfaced. This we believe is an important ethical aspect of research with children.

Instituti/zavodi za javno zdravlje Srbije u promenama

The development of public health service in the world and in our country began in the middle of the 19th century. The leading institution of this segment of health system is institute of public health (IPH). The aim of this paper is to analyze the most important changes in the organization and functioning of the IPH in Serbia, within the changes of the health system in the Republic during the lass few years. Analytical and descriptive methods have been used in this paper. The results were obtained by following the work of IPH in the Republic during the last ten years. 24 IPH are currently working on improvement of public health in Serbia (which is for 1 i.e. 4 institutes fewer than in 1998). These health institutions work on a few levels. Health legislative points out their prevention and health promotion work. Regarding the structure, there are five different ways of inner organization of IPH. The number and the structure in particular of employees and associates in these institutions mostly don't satisfy the prescribed standards (12,5% of IPH satisfy the standards). All institutes do not have a centre for health promotion which is the basic unit of public health and prevention. The amount of work done by institutes for the Republic Instrastitute for Health Insurance has been decreasing every year. The quality control procedure was introduced in 2007, in these institutions whereas the other health institutions had done it earlier. There are many problems accompanying obtaining of fess for the work of institutes. Some work is being done regarding the passing of the law on public health. Even though there are some difficulties in their functioning, the IPH remain the most important institutions in the process of protection and improvement of the health of community.

Mental Health Promotion in Irish Schools: A Selective Review

School-based mental health promotion work continues to attract considerable attention in the general health promotion literature. Schools certainly represent one important element in any integrated system of health promotion, with both guaranteed availability of large target groups of pupils and the expertise of experienced teachers. Given high rates of identified youth psychopathology and the recognised inadequacy of youth mental health services, Irish schools are increasingly seen as important locations for preventative mental health promotion work. Some general issues in effective health promotion are outlined. The review then describes the application of a representative selection of mental health promotion resources in Irish schools, and identifies some emerging common elements. Optimising the delivery and selection of resources is then discussed, and one resource is examined. The review concludes with discussion of likely future developments in Irish school-based mental health promotion.

Health promoting factors in public work places

Objectives: The main objective of this study was to explore potential health-promoting work factors and theirspecific associations with self-rated general and mental health, life satisfaction, and low levels ofmusculoskeletal pain among women and men employed in the public sector.Methods: A questionnaire based survey was conducted among 2523 public employees (87% women) in 124work places. The workplaces were distributed between five occupational sectors: the provincial hospital,schools, home care services, domestic/catering, and administrative services. The response rate was 92%.Analyses of variance were used to compare the mean scores of the groups. Spearman’s rank correlation testwas used to assess the associations between the work factors and the health measures.Results: Many of the potential health promoting work factors were associated with the measures of self-ratedhealth. However the correlations differed according to both gender and occupational sector. The maindifferences between the sectors were the characteristics of decision latitude-influence and learning-development with the best conditions in the administrative services and schools, and the worst in home careservices. Men rated higher in decision latitude-influence than women and had significantly better“opportunities to learn new and to develop in the profession”. Having enough time to complete the worktasks had the highest overall correlation with good health. In addition good relations with and support ofsupervisors were crucial for well-being among the employees.Conclusions: The results highlight the importance of high levels of decision latitude-influence, learning-development, and a fair and impartial attitude among supervisors for the promotion of good health in publicwork places.