Health Promotion Over the Life Course

Abstract

For health promotion policy to be effective, it must take into account the historical and social context. The increase in life expectancy and health improvements in this century are impressive, and most persons can now anticipate relatively long lives and good health. Health promotion generally is advanced within a context of competing values, and the consequences of health promotion activities are generally stated in higher probabilities of avoidance of health problems in the future. This probability, rather than direct future consequences, may not be persuasive enough to the population to affect change in activities that provide more immediate and direct gratification, and, thus, attempts at health promotion may not be effective. The dissemination of information on health issues has increased dramatically, and societal values concerning health are changing. Fostering health promotion is associated with costs, both monetary and social, and since these costs rise, the investments in health promotion may be expected to increase. At least two approaches to health promotion exist: one through general information and the shifting of values and a second through intervention programs. For the latter to be effective, they will need to be placed in a systematic program. The basis for a model for such a program is developed here. An outline of the model will be presented in Part II of this article, to be published in a subsequent issue of Research on Aging.