Topic: workplace safety (1500 words)
Task description:
Discuss the key concepts of health education, empowerment and health literacy and how
they relate to health promotion, community health, and primary health for their chosen
area. Discussions must include how this concepts relate to the role in health promotion.
Format: essay include an introduction, a body detailing the crucial aspects of the topic, a
conclusion and reference list. Layout in double space with block paragraphing (no
indenting).No indent the first line of each paragraph. Page number on the bottom left
corner of page. Font 12 points. APA referencing 10 minimum references no more than
7yrs.old.A mixture of books and journal.
WORKPLACE SAFETY
Introduction
Workplace safety will entail all the practices that help in the prevention of illnesses and also
injury to the workers. The protection of the wellbeing of the employees will ensure they are not
subjected to the high costs of the health insurance benefits. The medical cost will help enhance
the workplace safety for the employees as they will not have any troubles safeguarding their
health to the maximum. The potential job hazards will first be analyzed to ensure the full
protection of the workers. The model to be used in the promotion of workplace safety will be
made possible through the training and buddy systems that eliminates the high susceptibility to
health hazards. The training and education model will efficiently help eliminate work fatlities,
reward and promote safe practices.
The training and awareness creation model will be measured using various factors to determine
its effectiveness in the workplace. These factors have led advancement in the workplace. The
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lower payment of medical benefits is one measurement factor and improvement in a given
workplace. The reduction in the injury frequency among the employees is a vital advancement in
the workplace through the effective workplace safety training model. The lower employee
compensation costs and reduction in treatment frequency will result due to the enhancement of
the workplace safety through the education and training model which will also contribute to the
health promotion in a given firm or company.
Health promotion has become very essential in today’s life. Health promotion is encouraged as it
enables people to have more control over determinants health and their wellbeing in a more
efficient manner (Tones et al, 2013). The effort to increase the control leads to the overall
improvement in the health of individuals. The primary practices and efforts to ensure effective
health promotion are made possible through addressing health prerequisites. The health system is
a major factor that influences the health of individuals. The family patterns, communication,
learning environments and also cultural societies are other factors that influence health. In this
case, the holistic approach to individual empowerment should be adopted for the effective
address of the many health issues (Tones et al, 2013). The health promotion concept builds on
the cultural and social awareness of health and its determinants.
Health education is a major health promotion component. Both have the objective of improving
the access to services and the health related information. Health education that aims at improving
the health and wellbeing of people will entail the dissemination of information, skills and also
the simple health facts to the relevant people that are the society (Rongen et al, 2013). Health
literacy is also vital when it comes to the improvement of primary and community health
because of its positive impacts. Health education aims at ensuring efficient health literacy among
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people by giving them the ability to control their well-being for the better through adherence to
the information disseminated by them regarding their health (Rongen et al, 2013).
Health education is one factor that that has led to the health promotion and improvement which
will include both the primary and community health. Health education will be the practice that
entails the dissemination of information to people in the matter to do with health. The profession
of health education will encompass social health, spiritual health, physical health and also the
environmental health of the individuals (Street et al, 2013). Health education influences the
restoration, promotion and also the maintenance of health in a positive way. Health education has
several concepts that have a major impact on the improvement and promotion of health. Some of
these key concepts are health promotion, social justice, health determinants and also resilience.
Health determinant concept will influence the achievement of well-being for the society and also
mitigate the effects of the others. The social justice concept will entail the promotion of
nondiscriminatory practices, inclusiveness and also fairness (Street et al, 2013). In this case, it is
vital to ensure the people are educated on ways of enhancing social justice while carrying out
their health practices. The nurse is one group of people that can be educated and made aware of
the importance of social justice and its impacts on society and wellbeing of individuals (Rongen
et al, 2013).
Resilience is an important concept that is explored while carrying out the health education
practices. Resilience is simply the bouncing back capacity from adversity as the life events also
have an impact on wellbeing. Resilience been a concept of health education will involve
enhancing protective factors and also addressing the different heath risk factors. In such
instances when resilience is considered, people are informed on the significant ways of
improving and supporting wellbeing among people (Golden et al, 2012). Critical thinking and
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taking action is also emphasized during health education as people are made aware of the factors
that contribute to the improved health. People are taught on how to make quality decisions that
are efficient in the handling of the challenging health situations. Critical thinking concept will be
helpful in ensuring one efficiently challenges the societal related health perceptions,
understanding and also practices that will eventually lead to better health outcomes (Golden et al,
2012).
Health education plays a major role in the improvement of health and its outcomes. Health
educators ought to take the initiative and disseminate the information to all people in the most
appropriate way as there is an excellent relationship between health education concepts and
health promotion (Perez et al, 2013). Learner involvement and also the participation of the
community are vital shared principles of health education. Health educators usually emphasize
on the importance of health promotion. The community is made aware of strategies of handing
the health dangers and also acquiring the necessary information about the illnesses. Health
promotion will only be successful if there is the quality dissemination of the necessary
information to the community (Perez et al, 2013). The information and skills enhance the making
of quality decisions related to the health matters.
Learning that occurs through the health education is the effective communication that is aimed
at improving knowledge, health literacy and also the development of skills that enhances the
improved community health as well as the primary health of the individuals(Sorensen et
al,2012). Health education relates to primary, and community health is not leaving out health
promotion which is the major objective of educating people. Health education will reshape the
daily habits of individuals with unhealthy lifestyles on top of providing the basic health
knowledge and also prevention measures that should be adopted (Sorensen et al, 2012). The
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necessary information instilled in people through health education will by far reduce the health
risks to people after the implementation of the practices taught to the people.
Empowerment is another vital concept of health promotion and the betterment of primary and
community health in general. Empowerment is a central principle when it comes to the health
promotion of individuals and also at the community level (Schwazer, 2014). Empowering people
will give them the more control over their health and also their lives. Empowerment will entail
combating injustice through oppression in a process where people work together to increase
control over things that influence their health and wellbeing. The health empowerment will
encompass the environmental, system and also organizational change. The empowerment model
will address the issues that inhibit the making of informed health choices. Numerous
empowerment programs have been designed and used to improve the people’s health outcomes
(Schwazer, 2014). The empowerment strategies have been used to reduce the health impacts that
deteriorate the condition and well-being of the human beings. The health empowerment
interventions have improved the outcomes that are health related. Some of the areas where these
strategies have been employed are identified as increased awareness and knowledge, improved
self-esteem and efficacy, a greater sense of community and also behavior change (Korda & Itani,
2013). Health promotion occurs through the empowerment strategies that occur in various ways.
It is the role of empowerment to reduce the health disparities and also social exclusion which are
major inhibitors the improved primary and community health. When the individuals and
community are empowered, they collaborate to create some positive changes and challenge the
system for the improvement of the health outcomes which consequently leads to health
promotion (Korda & Itani, 2013). The empowerment concept has several roles when it come
health promotion. These roles include the broadening of support and social network, increasing
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awareness and enhancing behavior change. These empowerment interventions are factors of
health promotion that lead to improving primary and community health (Korda & Itani, 2013).
Health literacy is another important concept of health promotion. Health literacy will efficiently
describe the range of outcomes to communication activities as well as health education. The
health education strategies have the objective of improving the health literacy of the individuals.
Improved health literacy is essential to the empowerment of people. Health literacy will make
people have the ability to use effectively the information they have assessed through various
channels such as health education (Murray et al, 2013). Health literacy concept will entail the
adoption of strategies that help people overcome the structural barriers to health. The
community-based educational outreach and also the better communication personal forms are
emphasized as they ensure the individuals are equipped with the necessary skills and knowledge
defined as health literacy (Murray et al, 2013). The health literacy will empower people to act in
the proper way in the many challenging and changing health circumstances. It is only made
possible through the use and adoption of the social and cognitive skills.
The major concepts and attributes of health literacy include comprehension, numeracy and
reading skills, the capacity to efficient use information to make some informed decisions about
the effective functioning (Sorensen et al, 2012). The health related experience and also literacy
are the main factors that influence the positive health outcomes. Health literacy concept is related
to health promotion due to the impact it has on the improvement of health among individuals.
Some of the impacts of health literacy that lead to health improvement include less use of the
healthcare services, lower healthcare costs, reduced hospitalization cases and also the improved
health status of the individuals and the community at large(Pakkari,2012). Health literacy will
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enhance the ability to adhere to the healthcare recommendations among the patients and also the
improved ability of nurses to assess the patients more accurately (Murray et al, 2013).
Conclusion
Accessing the up to date information is vital when it comes to the making of quality choices and
decisions related to health. Improving the health literacy is a major way of empowering the
people to deal with the health challenges that threaten their wellbeing (Tones et al, 2013). All
these strategies and efforts are aimed at increasing control over the life of individuals as well as
their health. In this case, health promotion will be possible when the various health initiatives are
adopted and implemented in an efficient manner.
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References
Golden, S. D., & Earp, J. A. L. (2012). Social ecological approaches to individuals and their
contexts twenty years of health education & behavior health promotion interventions.
Health Education & Behavior, 39(3), 364-372.
Korda, H., & Itani, Z. (2013). Harnessing social media for health promotion and behavior
change. Health promotion practice, 14(1), 15-23.
Murray, R. B., Zentner, J. P., & Yakimo, R. (2013). Health Promotion Strategies Through the
Life Span: Pearson New International Edition. Pearson Higher Ed.
Paakkari, L., & Paakkari, O. (2012). Health literacy as a learning outcome in schools. Health
Education, 112(2), 133-152.
Pérez, M. A., & Luquis, R. R. (2013). Cultural competence in health education and health
promotion. John Wiley & Sons.
Rongen, A., Robroek, S. J., van Lenthe, F. J., & Burdorf, A. (2013). Workplace health
promotion: a meta-analysis of effectiveness. American journal of preventive medicine,
44(4), 406-415.
Schwarzer, R. (2014). Self-efficacy: Thought control of action. Taylor & Francis.
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Sørensen, K., Van den Broucke, S., Fullam, J., Doyle, G., Pelikan, J., Slonska, Z., & Brand, H.
(2012). Health literacy and public health: a systematic review and integration of
definitions and models. BMC public health, 12(1), 1.
Street, R. L., Gold, W. R., & Manning, T. R. (2013). Health promotion and interactive
technology: Theoretical applications and future directions. Routledge.
Tones, K., Robinson, Y. K., & Tilford, S. (2013). Health education: effectiveness and efficiency.
Springer.