Health promotion and prevention is the process of enabling people to improve and have more control over their health. Together, they have a significant impact on quality of life and life expectancy, ultimately lessening the burden on our health care system.
There is a wide range of cost-effective preventative approaches, including interventions that address the environmental and social determinants of health. Investing in public health can result in broader economic, social and environmental benefits(1).
Health promotion and prevention of disease:
- Involves educating people about how they can live a healthier lifestyle
- Involves action to address those things that most influence health and wellbeing (eg social determinants of health pictured below)
- Targets the population as a whole
- Enables people to increase control over their health, improving it in the context of their everyday lives.
- Gear activities towards promoting health and preventing ill-health, rather than focusing on people at risk of specific diseases(2).
(1) World Health Organisation (2014). The case for investing in public health. TA Public Health Summary Report for EPHO 8.
(2) VicHealth, 2017 reference.
