• General information
• Educational opportunities
• Projects and activities
• Jobs and career information
• Publications
• Faculty and staff
• Archives

Definition of Health Promotion

In its simplest form the word "health" means the absence of disease. In 1940, the World Health Organization (WHO) described health as the "state of complete physical, emotional, and social well-being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity" (Russell, 1975). This widely accepted definition was expanded in the 1970's and 1980's as other components were included: intellectual, environmental, and spiritual health. The balance of all these components is based on the principle of self-responsibility.

The promotion of health provides the pathway or process to achieve this balance. The NCHF emphasizes a sharp distinction between disease prevention and health promotion. Disease prevention focuses on protecting as many people as possible from the harmful consequences of a threat to health (e.g., through immunizations). Health promotion consists of the development of lifestyle habits which healthy individuals and communities can adopt to maintain and enhance the state of well-being. The ultimate goal is the optimization of health. Health promotion addresses individual responsibility while preventive services can be fulfilled by health providers (Healthy People, DHEW. 1979).

Michael O'Donnell, editor of the American Journal of Health Promotion, defines health promotion as the following: "It is any combination of health education, and related organizational, political, and economic intervention designed to facilitate behavioral and environmental changes conducive to health." This definition stresses the interdisciplinary nature of health promotion. Any actions or conditions of living conducive to health are part of the broad domain of health promotion. The following is a sample of health promotion sub-categories:

• Physical fitness
• Smoking control
• Mind-body health
• Spiritual health
• Medical self-care
• Environmental health
• Employee assistance programs
• Nutrition
• Stress management
• Social health
• Weight management
• Work safety
• Prenatal care

The NCHF is committed to promoting health with all its components in order to strive for the desired balance.

Other definitions of international health promotion are on the IIHP page and in an article Health Promotion - An International Phenomenon by Wolf Kirsten - Concepts and definition of health promotion with an international perspective and implications for China. Full and abridged versions.