Content
Discussion
Origins
of Health Promotion Theories
Most health
promotion theories come from the behavioural and social sciences,
borrowing heavily from disciplines such as psychology, sociology,
marketing, consumer behaviour, management and political science.
Such diversity reflects the fact that health promotion practice
is not only concerned with individual health behaviours, but also
with the organization of society and the role of policy, organizational
and community structures in promoting health.
It’s also
important for you to remember that most health promotion theories
were developed by social scientists in the United States. As such,
they reflect predominantly western (American) values and assumptions
and do not account for the diverse range of perspectives influencing
the way health is perceived by different cultures around the world.
Most of the
theories used in health promotion are not highly developed, nor
have they been extensively tested. For these reasons, they may be
more accurately referred to as theoretical frameworks or models
(Nutbeam, 1998).
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As
you read through this module, bear in mind that we have
been selective in the theories presented here. There is
a large literature on other approaches. For an alternative
look, see the Communication Initiative website, which
is steeped in critical theories, theories of social change,
development communication etc. http://www.comminit.com/
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