health promotion essay conclusion

Promoting Health: Intervention Strategies from Social and Behavioral Research (2000)

Chapter: conclusions.

Recommendation 21: Greater attention should be paid to funding research on social determinants of health and on behavioral and social science intervention research addressing generic social determinants of disease.

Behavioral and social science research has provided many new advancements in the effort to improve population health, and offers promise for the development of new interventions with even greater utility and efficiency in the years to come. As summarized below, the committee finds that social and behavioral interventions can improve health outcomes across a range of developmental stages and levels of analysis (e.g., individual, interpersonal, and community levels). Further, coordination of intervention efforts across these levels may efficiently and effectively promote healthy individuals and environments.

The committee found compelling evidence that expectant mothers can deliver healthier children as we improve our understanding of the social, economic, and intrapersonal conditions that influence the mother's health status over her life course, not just in the period prior to conception and birth. The physical, cognitive, and emotional health of infants can be improved with comprehensive, high-quality services that address basic needs of children and families. These same interventions assist children to enter school ready to learn. Similarly, adolescents can enjoy healthier life-styles as researchers and public health officials pay greater attention to the social and environmental contexts in which youth operate. These interventions pay great dividends for later health, as poor health habits can be avoided and developmental risks averted.

The evidence also suggests that adolescents and adults can benefit from co-ordinated health promotion efforts that address the many sources of health influences (e.g., family, school, work settings). Opportunities for behavioral and social interventions to improve health do not end during adulthood, however; compelling data indicate that older adults can age more successfully as policies and institutions attend to their social, cognitive, and psychological needs, as well as their physical health needs.

While further research is needed, evidence is developing that elucidates the pathways through which behavioral and social interventions may mediate physiological processes and disease states. This evidence indicates that behavioral and social interventions can directly impact physiological functioning, and do not merely correlate with positive health outcomes due to improvements in health behavior or knowledge. Further refinements of this research will aid in the development of more efficient and effective interventions.

As interventions are developed, special consideration must be given to gender as well as to the needs of individuals of different socioeconomic, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. These attributes powerfully shape the contexts in which individuals gain access to health-promoting resources (e.g., education, income, social supports), the barriers that restrict more healthful life-styles (e.g., demands

of gender roles), and the ways in which individuals in these groups interpret and respond to interventions. Because socioeconomic status exerts direct effects on health, intervention efforts must attend to the broader social, economic, cultural, and political processes that determine and maintain these disparities.

Efforts to improve the health of communities can benefit from specific levers for public health intervention, such as enhancing social capital and enacting public policies that promote healthful environments. While further research is needed to better understand means of manipulating these levers, it is clear that these interventions are most effective when members of target communities participate in their planning, design, and implementation. Communities that are fully engaged as partners in this process are more likely to develop public health messages that are relevant, are more likely to fully “buy in” and commit to community change, and are more likely to sustain community change efforts after research and/or demonstration programs end.

All such interventions are likely to be more successful when applied in co-ordinated fashion across multiple levels of influence (i.e., at the individual level; within families and social support networks; within schools, work sites, churches, and other community settings; and at broader public policy levels). While more research is needed to ascertain how coordination is best achieved and the cost-effectiveness of each component of a multilevel intervention strategy, the evidence from the tobacco control effort suggests that such a multilevel strategy can reap benefits for broad segments of the public. This success can extend both to those individuals at greatest risk for poor health by virtue of their unhealthful behaviors or disadvantaged social, political, or economic status, as well as those at relatively low risk. Such efforts require, however, that funders, public health officials, and community leaders are patient and persist with intervention efforts over a longer period than the 3 to 5 years typically allotted for most demonstration or research efforts.

To best accomplish these goals, researchers must learn to work across traditional disciplinary boundaries, and adopt new methodologies to evaluate intervention efforts. A range of social, behavioral, and life scientists must collaborate to fully engage a biopsychosocial model of human health and development. Further, these researchers must be open to adopting less traditional evaluation approaches, such as qualitative methodologies, and combining these approaches with quantitative methodologies.

In summary, the committee concludes that serious effort to apply behavioral and social science research to improve health requires that we transcend perspectives that have, to this point, resulted in public health problems being defined in relatively narrow terms. Efforts to design and implement multipronged interventions will require the cooperation of public health officials, funding agencies, researchers, and community members. Evaluation efforts must transcend traditional models of randomized control trials and incorporate both quantitative and qualitative methodologies. Models of intervention must consider individual behavior in a broader social context, with greater attention to the social construction of gender, race, and ethnicity, and to ways in which social

At the dawn of the twenty-first century, Americans enjoyed better overall health than at any other time in the nation's history. Rapid advancements in medical technologies, breakthroughs in understanding the genetic underpinnings of health and ill health, improvements in the effectiveness and variety of pharmaceuticals, and other developments in biomedical research have helped develop cures for many illnesses and improve the lives of those with chronic diseases.

By itself, however, biomedical research cannot address the most significant challenges to improving public health. Approximately half of all causes of mortality in the United States are linked to social and behavioral factors such as smoking, diet, alcohol use, sedentary lifestyle, and accidents. Yet less than five percent of the money spent annually on U.S. health care is devoted to reducing the risks of these preventable conditions. Behavioral and social interventions offer great promise, but as yet their potential has been relatively poorly tapped. Promoting Health identifies those promising areas of social science and behavioral research that may address public health needs.

It includes 12 papers—commissioned from some of the nation's leading experts—that review these issues in detail, and serves to assess whether the knowledge base of social and behavioral interventions has been useful, or could be useful, in the development of broader public health interventions.

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103 Health Promotion Essay Topic Ideas & Examples

Inside This Article

Health promotion is a crucial aspect of public health that aims to improve the overall well-being and health of individuals and communities. This can be achieved through various strategies, such as education, advocacy, and policy changes. If you are tasked with writing an essay on health promotion, you may be looking for some inspiration on potential topics. To help you get started, here are 103 health promotion essay topic ideas and examples:

• The impact of social determinants of health on health promotion efforts
• Strategies for promoting physical activity in children
• The role of the healthcare system in health promotion
• The effectiveness of workplace wellness programs
• Promoting healthy eating habits in schools
• Addressing mental health stigma through education and advocacy
• The importance of community partnerships in health promotion
• Promoting smoking cessation programs in underserved communities
• The impact of social media on health promotion campaigns
• Promoting sexual health education in schools
• Strategies for addressing obesity in children and adolescents
• Promoting healthy aging through exercise and nutrition programs
• The role of technology in health promotion efforts
• Promoting vaccination campaigns to prevent infectious diseases
• Addressing substance abuse through education and prevention programs
• The impact of environmental factors on health promotion
• Promoting healthy sleep habits in adolescents
• Strategies for promoting mental health and well-being in the workplace
• The role of policy changes in promoting public health
• Promoting access to healthcare services for underserved populations
• Addressing disparities in healthcare access through health promotion efforts
• Promoting healthy lifestyle choices in college students
• The impact of stress on health and strategies for stress management
• Promoting mindfulness and meditation as tools for improving mental health
• Strategies for promoting physical activity in older adults
• Addressing food insecurity through community-based interventions
• Promoting reproductive health education in schools
• The impact of cultural beliefs on health promotion efforts
• Promoting health literacy in vulnerable populations
• Addressing the opioid epidemic through education and prevention programs
• Promoting access to mental health services in rural communities
• Strategies for promoting healthy relationships and preventing domestic violence
• The impact of social isolation on health and well-being
• Promoting nutrition education in low-income communities
• Addressing the impact of climate change on public health through health promotion efforts
• Promoting smoking cessation programs in pregnant women
• Strategies for promoting physical activity in individuals with disabilities
• The role of peer support in promoting mental health and well-being
• Promoting access to reproductive health services for LGBTQ+ individuals
• Addressing the impact of trauma on health through trauma-informed care
• Promoting access to mental health services for veterans
• Strategies for promoting healthy eating habits in low-income communities
• The impact of social media influencers on health promotion campaigns
• Promoting access to healthcare for homeless populations
• Addressing the impact of food deserts on nutrition and health
• Promoting access to mental health services for immigrant populations
• Strategies for promoting physical activity in individuals with chronic illnesses
• The impact of peer pressure on health behaviors and strategies for resistance
• Promoting access to reproductive health services for incarcerated individuals
• Addressing the impact of social isolation on older adults through community programs
• Promoting healthy aging through social engagement and support networks
• Strategies for promoting mental health and well-being in the LGBTQ+ community
• The impact of trauma on health outcomes and strategies for healing
• Promoting access to mental health services for individuals with substance use disorders
• Addressing the impact of poverty on health through social determinants
• Promoting healthy eating habits in refugee communities
• Strategies for promoting physical activity in children with autism
• The impact of social support on health and well-being
• Promoting access to healthcare for individuals experiencing homelessness
• Addressing the impact of racism on health outcomes through anti-racism efforts
• Promoting mental health awareness and reducing stigma in communities of color
• Strategies for promoting physical activity in individuals with intellectual disabilities
• The impact of trauma on mental health and strategies for healing and recovery
• Promoting access to mental health services for survivors of domestic violence
• Addressing the impact of childhood adversity on health through trauma-informed care
• Promoting reproductive health education in communities with high rates of teen pregnancy
• Strategies for promoting physical activity in individuals with chronic pain
• The impact of social support on mental health outcomes
• Promoting access to mental health services for individuals with eating disorders
• Addressing the impact of discrimination on health through anti-discrimination efforts
• Promoting healthy eating habits in communities with limited access

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Health Promotion Reflective Essay Sample

Health Promotion Reflection and Rationale for the creation of a Poster

Introduction

According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) definition of health refers to not only the absence of disease but complete social, mental, and physical well-being (WHO, 2021). "Health is created and lived by people within the settings of their everyday life; where they learn, work, play and love" (WHO, 1986, pp.3). From a medical perspective, illness refers to the feeling of and health which is personal and innate to the individual. It is often associated with the disease, but the disease may not be declared, such as cancer in its early stages (Boyd, 2000). Health promotion is a means of empowering and enabling a particular target group to use the available resources to promote action-oriented and competent-based health that is sustainable to reduced inequalities (Grabowski et al., 2017). Several tools and instruments are used to relay health promotion messages, such as the use of media, leaflets, one-on-one discussions, and focus groups; nonetheless, the current essay pays particular attention to using the poster as a health promotional tool. The following essay will provide a brief discussion on the process used to develop a health promotion poster (See Appendix 1) and later discuss the application of health promotion strategies for preventing illness and making every contact count across the lifespan.

However, the conceptualization of health by WHO described above has been criticised due to its unrealistic nature, inability to promote health, and lack of distinct parameters to measure it. Hence, Hubers et al. (2011) concept of health and well-being is favoured, which refers to the capacity to adapt and self-manage; this conceptualisation empowers individuals to be a salient force in determining their health. It also means that health is different from one person to the next depending on their situation in need (hence it considers the wider determinants of health). The principles of health promotion include: conceptualising health broadly and positively, involvement in addition to participation, a perspective on the individual setting, health equity, and development of action and its competence (Gregg and O'Hara, 2007). Health promotion strategies should be based on a life-course approach, which involves health promotion and health education measures, which are then supported by protective and preventive measures, with curative approaches being the last line of defence to quality of life and well-being (Eriksson and Lindström, 2008).

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According to an integrated review by Kemppainen et al. (2013), nurses have three roles in health promotion. One is the traditional general role of disease prevention in encouraging healthy behaviour. The second role involves patient-focused health promotion. The nurse identifies health promotion needs in different groups and gives specific advice based on their broad knowledge of various diseases and symptoms. Three, the nurses are seen as managers of health promotion projects through implementing health promotion plans, coordinating educational plans within the health facility and in the community, and being involved in health promotion activities for the person, their family, and even the community.

The poster being applied as a medium for communication transmits the message through graphical synthesis that combines images and text to draw the attention of the intended audience (Akister et al., 2000). The posters are considered a hybrid of paper and speech. This is because they offer more detail than speech but less detailed than paper and allows for more interactivity than both (Boggu and Singh, 2015). A poster should be visually appealing and have slogans and images that pull the audience's attention. A poster has a positive appeal, making it readily transcends public acceptance on an emotional, social, intellectual, sensorial, and economic level (Akister et al., 2000).

Before developing a health promotion strategy, one requires to perform a needs assessment. Information required is with regards to the size and nature of the population, identification of areas of unmet needs as well as those that are already met, the prevalence of the disease or condition one is interested in, the efficacy of available interventions, the available services in addition to their capacity, quality and effectiveness (Lawrence, 2020). The group notably used national statistics to define the UK population's problem, whereby 62% of the population is overweight while over 25% of adults are classified as obese (Public Health England [PHE], 2020). Obesity has been linked to metabolic syndrome, which triggers most chronic conditions such as diabetes heart disease and contributes to the National Health Service's significant disease burden. Complications of being overweight are estimated to cost the NHS 6.1 billion GBP every year (Scarborough et al., 2011).

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Additionally, the group drew information from the current political climate of the COVID-19 pandemic. The COVID-19 pandemic posed two obvious challenges; people were less likely to exercise because of the lockdown, which encouraged weight gain and being obese and overweight increases one's susceptibility to the Coronavirus through a decreased immune response and significantly higher inflammation levels (PHE, 2020). Nurses must recognise themselves as health promotion agents by making every contact count (MECC), which is a role that has been amplified by the Coronavirus, which minimizes community interventions due to the lockdown. Working with patients at the individual level denotes the nurse can tailor the interventions to every contact, consistent with the principles of person-centred care (NICE, 2019). Additionally, the MECC approach is a requirement of all nursing practitioners within the NHS. The team also ensured that the poster was brief per the national institute for healthcare excellence guidelines, which states that the interventions should be between 30 seconds to a couple of minutes for easy delivery during routine appointments where the nurse can take advantage of the contact to foster and promote health through behavioural change interventions. The nurse can use the poster to support the brief advice discussion, and patients can have a reference tool for audio-visual learning (NICE, 2019).

The team also considered the life-course approach in promoting health and well-being. Even though the intervention focused on adults, it recognises the intergenerational approach to health improvement (PHE, 2019). It is important to note that when adults change their diet, it creates a healthy environment for the dependents and children, who will also be exposed to healthier food choices (Caswell et al., 2013). Hence, reducing the likelihood of also developing obesity later in life. Also, the adults being more active will create a mental schema that will encourage them to be more active through the enculturation process (Caswell et al., 2013). Research by Fuemmeler et al. (2013) obesity in parents increases the likelihood of children becoming obese. When parents are obese, the children have a 10 to 12 fold chance of becoming obese.

One of the most salient stakeholders relied upon when making the health promotion poster is the government's department of health and social care (DHSC) new obesity strategy dubbed " Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives" developed in 2020 which aims at getting people fit and healthy to protect themselves against covid-19. The UK government recognises obesity as a ticking time bomb due to the risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19. The NHS services will encourage health practitioners to become coaches of a healthy weight through training delivered by Public Health England. Excess weight is considered by the DHSC (2020) as one of the few factors that can be modified to reduce the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Concerning health, a strategy chosen, the Ottawa charter developed by WHO suggests three dimensions to health promotion that mediate, enable, and advocate (Saan and Wise, 2011; WHO, 2009). The mediation dimension requires coordination of all concerned stakeholders such as government sectors, voluntary organisations, local authorities, the industries, and the media to mediate the different interests in society to achieve better health outcomes (Saan and Wise, 2011; WHO, 2009). The enable dimension focuses on ensuring health equity is attained by reducing current health status differences and ensuring equal access to health resources, ensuring that one has the best health outcomes regardless of one demographic profile. The advocacy dimension aims at improving the conditions of an individual's political, economic, social, cultural, environmental, behavioural, and biological factors to ensure an improved quality of life (Saan and Wise, 2011; WHO, 2009).

The health promotion poster developed focused on their advocacy domain and specifically changed the behavioural factors to improve the individuals' quality of life by reducing their susceptibility to the Coronavirus (WHO, 2009). Health promotion aims to bolster one's personal and social skills development by providing the audience information about health and enhancing their life skills and how to ensure their choices promote their well-being (WHO, 2009).

The potential strategy that will be applied to convey the health promotion poster's information is a caring conversation developed by Dewar, which involves delivering compassionate care to human relationships (Dewar and MacBride, 2017). The 'caring conversations' aim at conversing with the patient at a deeper level and knowing who they are, what is important to them, and the experiences they have had, and their feelings towards them. In having a caring conversation, the nurse ought to have seven key attributes: courage, emotional connection, consideration of other perspectives, curiosity, collaboration, celebration, and compromise (Bullington et al., 2019). It is critical to be open to the patient's experience and point of view for them to field part of the intervention as opposed to being one-sided and providing a prescriptive approach rather than involving them and collaborating with them in developing the intervention, which is consistent with person-centred care (Dewar and MacBride, 2017). The person-centred approach allows for tailoring the nursing communication to consider the patient's disabilities to ensure that they understand the message relayed (Bullington et al., 2019). The caring conversation approach is consistent with the NMC (2018) code, which advocates that communication should be adapted and tailored to meet a person's needs.

Regarding health literacy, the poster used words that were easy to understand (Osborne, 2012). The words aimed to push the audience into understanding that obesity was a modifiable factor in helping them become more resilient to the COVID-19 pandemic. Additionally, the poster used numerous images and applied words sparingly to relay people's message to understand the language regardless of their ethnicities readily. The use of pictures is a universal language that creates visual appeal, and the fact that it transcends language barriers common in London due to the high percentage of black and ethnic minorities (BME) communities (Sany et al., 2020).

In conclusion, using the poster as a health promotional tool was effective, especially if the nurse combined it with less jargon and a caring conversation approach. The caring approach ensures avoidance of a one-size-fits-all approach to the conversational delivery but being considerate of the towards understanding them personally and adopting the approach of delivery to fit their context. It is also critical to underline the fact that the essay adopted Hubers et al. concept of health and well-being as a capacity to adapt and self-manage, which relegates the domain of health as being something that can be modified through behavioural change. The nurse focused on the advocacy role and specifically behavioural modification following the Ottawa charter's health promotion model. Evidence shows that the nurse has a role in health promotion, primarily through making every contact count. This role has been amplified by reducing communal avenues due to the lockdown brought on by the Coronavirus pandemic. Additionally, the poster applied a life-course approach by ensuring that adults in the family understood the role of behavioural change in weight and the benefits gained, extending to their children.

Akister, J., Bannon, A. and Mullender-Lock, H.(2000). Poster presentations in social work education assessment: a case study. Innovations in education and training international , 37 (3), pp.229-233.

Boggu, A.T. and Singh, J. (2015). Poster presentation as an effective communication tool in an EFL context. International Journal of Language and Linguistics , 2 (5), pp.203-213.

Boyd, K.M. (2000). Disease, illness, sickness, health, healing and wholeness: exploring some elusive concepts. Medical Humanities , 26 (1), pp.9-17.

Bullington, J., Söderlund, M., Sparén, E.B., Kneck, Å., Omérov, P. and Cronqvist, A. (2019). Communication skills in nursing: A phenomenologically-based communication training approach. Nurse education in practice , 39 , pp.136-141.

Caswell, J.A., Yaktine, A.L. and National Research Council. (2013). Individual, household, and environmental factors affecting food choices and access. In Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program: Examining the Evidence to Define Benefit Adequacy . National Academies Press (US).

Dewar, B. and MacBride, T. (2017). Developing caring conversations in care homes: An appreciative inquiry. Health & social care in the community , 25 (4), pp.1375-1386.

DHSC (2020). Policy paper -Tackling obesity: empowering adults and children to live healthier lives . [online]. gov.uk. Available at: <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/tackling-obesity-government-strategy/tackling-obesity-empowering-adults-and-children-to-live-healthier-lives> [Accessed  10 March 2021].

Eriksson, M. and Lindström, B. (2008). A salutogenic interpretation of the Ottawa Charter. Health promotion international , 23 (2), pp.190-199.

Fuemmeler, B.F., Lovelady, C.A., Zucker, N.L. and Østbye, T. (2013). Parental obesity moderates the relationship between childhood appetitive traits and weight. Obesity , 21 (4), pp.815-823.

Grabowski, D., Aagaard-Hansen, J., Willaing, I. and Jensen, B.B. (2017). Principled promotion of health: implementing five guiding health promotion principles for research-based prevention and management of diabetes. Societies , 7 (2), p.10.

Gregg, J. and O'Hara, L.(2007). Values and principles evident in current health promotion practice. Health Promotion Journal of Australia, 18(1), pp.7-11.

Huber, M., Knottnerus, J.A., Green, L., van der Horst, H., Jadad, A.R., Kromhout, D., Leonard, B., Lorig, K., Loureiro, M.I., van der Meer, J.W. and Schnabel, P. (2011). How should we define health?. Bmj , 343 .

Kemppainen, V., Tossavainen, K. and Turunen, H. (2013). Nurses' roles in health promotion practice: an integrative review. Health promotion international , 28 (4), pp.490-501.

Lawrence, D. (2020). Planning health services. Oxford Handbook of Public Health Practice 4e , p.402.

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NMC. (2018). The Code: Professional standards of practice and behaviour for nurses, midwives and nursing associates - The Nursing and Midwifery Council . [online] Nmc.org.uk. Available at: <https://www.nmc.org.uk/standards/code/> [Accessed 24 February 2021].

Osborne, M.E.(2012). Health Literacy from A to Z . Jones & Bartlett Publishers.

PHE (2019). Guidance Health matters: Prevention - a life course approach. [online].gov.uk. Available at: <https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/health-matters-life-course-approach-to-prevention/health-matters-prevention-a-life-course-approach> [Accessed  12 March 2021].

PHE (2020). Excess Weight and COVID-19- Insights from new evidence. [online]. assets.publishing.service.gov.uk. Available at: <https://assets.publishing.service.gov.uk/government/uploads/system/uploads/attachment_data/file/907966/PHE_insight_Excess_weight_and_COVID-19__FINAL.pdf> [Accessed  10 March 2021].

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Sany, S.B.T., Behzhad, F., Ferns, G. and Peyman, N.(2020). Communication skills training for physicians improves health literacy and medical outcomes among patients with hypertension: a randomized controlled trial. BMC health services research , 20 (1), p.60.

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Health promotion - Free Essay Samples And Topic Ideas

Health promotion involves the process of enabling people to increase control over, and to improve, their health. Essays on health promotion might delve into the strategies and interventions aimed at promoting health and preventing diseases, the principles of health promotion, or the role of health education and communication. They might also explore the challenges in promoting health in diverse communities, or the impact of policy and environmental changes on health promotion efforts. A vast selection of complimentary essay illustrations pertaining to Health Promotion you can find at PapersOwl Website. You can use our samples for inspiration to write your own essay, research paper, or just to explore a new topic for yourself.

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Conclusion: Addressing the Challenges of Doing Health Promotion Research

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Chapters in this volume are introductory-level presentations of approaches that borrow mainly from the social sciences to knowledge production and of methodological responses to the epistemological challenges of doing health promotion research. The various approaches to knowledge production that compose Part I address two main concerns. The first relates to the moral imperative that health promotion research contribute to the transformative agenda of health promotion and, thus, that a way be found to reconcile values and science. The second refers to the necessary embeddedness of health promotion in context. The added value of the variety of approaches that coexist in health promotion research is to offer an understanding of a wide range of relevant mechanisms and phenomena (from social to psychological to biological) that contribute to health, health inequalities, and the transformative agenda of the field. Chapters in Parts II to V present research practices that originate in a variety of approaches to knowledge production and that provide methodological responses to the epistemological challenges of doing health promotion research. Most introduce methods of organizing the characteristically multidisciplinary and multi-stakeholder conversations of health promotion research in a way that is constructive and respectful and that makes knowledge possible and actionable.

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Conclusion: Characterising the Field of Health Promotion Research

A global participatory process for structuring the field of health promotion research: an introduction, mapping health promotion research: organizing the diversity of research practices.

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Potvin, L., Jourdan, D. (2023). Conclusion: Addressing the Challenges of Doing Health Promotion Research. In: Jourdan, D., Potvin, L. (eds) Global Handbook of Health Promotion Research, Vol. 3. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-20401-2_26

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Effect of an Inflatable Colon on Colorectal Cancer Knowledge and Screening Intent Among Male Attendees at State Fairs in Two Midwestern States, 2023

ORIGINAL RESEARCH — Volume 21 — September 5, 2024

Ami E. Sedani, PhD, MPH 1 ; Kelly K. Rifelj, MPA 1 ; Malcolm S. Bevel, PhD, MSPH 2 ; Cordero McCall, MPH, MBA 1 ,3 ; Mckenzi Rogalla, BS 1 ; Lisa Laliberte, BA 4 ; Kiara Ellis, MSW 5 ; Rebekah J. Pratt, PhD 6 ; Charles R. Rogers, PhD, MPH, MS, MCHES 1 ( View author affiliations )

Suggested citation for this article: Sedani AE, Rifelj KK, Bevel MS, McCall C, Rogalla M, Laliberte L, et al. Effect of an Inflatable Colon on Colorectal Cancer Knowledge and Screening Intent Among Male Attendees at State Fairs in Two Midwestern States, 2023. Prev Chronic Dis 2024;21:240020. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.5888/pcd21.240020 .

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Introduction

Acknowledgments, author information.

What is already known on this topic?

Knowledge and beliefs are factors that enable health behaviors such as participation in early-detection screening. Community education and outreach events are common approaches to fostering health-related knowledge and awareness.

What is added by this report?

Self-guided tours of an interactive, inflatable colon can be an effective and low-resource intervention to increase colorectal cancer knowledge and screening intent among men at state fairs.

What are the implications for public health practice?

State fairs and similar large recreational gatherings can reach populations who may not typically have easy access to or knowledge about cancer prevention and control services.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most-diagnosed cancer among men and women in the US. This study aimed to evaluate the influence of an interactive inflatable colon exhibit on CRC knowledge and screening intent among men attending state fairs in 2 midwestern states.

At the 2023 state fairs in 2 midwestern states, eligible participants (men aged 18–75 y who could speak and read English and resided in 1 of the 2 states) completed a presurvey, an unguided tour of the inflatable Super Colon, and a postsurvey. Primary outcomes were changes in knowledge (actual and perceived) and CRC screening intent from presurvey to postsurvey. We used χ 2 tests to examine differences in survey results between the 2 sites and the association between demographic characteristics and behaviors (knowledge and intentions) before entering the Super Colon exhibit. We used the McNemar test to examine differences in presurvey to postsurvey distributions.

The study sample (N = 940) comprised 572 men at site A (60.8%) and 368 men at site B (39.2%). Except for 1 question, baseline CRC knowledge was relatively high. Greater perceived knowledge was inversely associated with greater actual knowledge. After touring the Super Colon, participants improved their actual knowledge of CRC prevention and self-perceived CRC knowledge. Most participants (95.4%) agreed that the Super Colon was effective for teaching people about CRC.

These findings emphasize the role of community-based educational initiatives in encouraging CRC screening uptake and increasing research participation among men and affirm that the inflatable colon is as an effective educational tool for increasing CRC knowledge and encouraging early-detection screening behavior among men.

Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most-diagnosed cancer among men and women in the US and the second most common cause of cancer-related death in men and women combined (1), with both incidence and death rates higher among men (2). CRC rates among people younger than 50 years (ie, early-onset CRC) have increased by approximately 50% since the mid-1990s; thus, the US Preventive Services Task Force now recommends that average-risk adults start CRC screening at age 45 years (3,4). Moreover, the rate of early-onset CRC is 16% to 30% higher among men than women (5). Given the high incidence of and deaths from CRC among men, prioritizing CRC prevention efforts is a public health imperative.

The association of CRC knowledge and awareness with CRC screening uptake is well established (6–10). Community education and outreach events are common approaches to fostering health-related knowledge and awareness. Despite some data suggesting that special events — especially those that provide onsite screening services — may lead to increases in cancer screening, evidence to date is insufficient to demonstrate that such events are effective at boosting cancer screening (11).

An innovative resource, the inflatable colon — a super-sized model of the human colon through which visitors can walk–– is a tool for teaching about the digestive system and for engaging and educating people about CRC and other colon diseases. Multiple studies have demonstrated that the use of the inflatable colon can improve CRC-related knowledge among young adults, Hispanic people, African American men, and others (12–18). A giant inflatable colon was shown to offer (14) a promising community-level intervention focused on enhancing CRC screening and prevention through a novel population-based strategy; while not independently sufficient, the colon exhibit could complement other evidence-based approaches to CRC prevention and education. To date, however, most participants in inflatable-colon studies have been female (12–15). Additional research is needed to better understand the usefulness of this resource for CRC prevention and control among men. The objective of our study was to evaluate the influence of an inflatable colon as an educational tool to increase CRC knowledge and screening intent among men aged 18 to 75 years attending state fairs in 2 midwestern states.

Study participants

This observational study, which followed the Strengthening the Reporting of Observational Studies in Epidemiology (STROBE) reporting guidelines for cohort studies (www.strobe-statement.org), was conducted in summer 2023, during the final weekends of state fairs in 2 midwestern states. The Medical College of Wisconsin’s institutional review board approved all study procedures, marketing materials, and survey instruments before data collection (approval no. PRO47143). To encourage study participation, advertisements were posted at public community locations, on social media, via email, and on the study website, leading up to the events. To assist with recruitment and study implementation, research staff were recruited from community settings, including local universities, Craigslist, gastroenterology centers, the American Cancer Society, and social media platforms.

Individuals were eligible to participate if they self-identified as male, were aged 18 to 75 years, resided in state A (for site A) or state B (for site B), attended the state fair in their state of residence, and could read and speak English. Before participation, informed consent was obtained from all participants via an Apple iPad or cellphone by using the internet-based IRB-compliant PsychData survey system (Divergent Web Solutions, LLC). Participants could request access to preliminary study results and provide recommendations for future research and advocacy efforts via a community dialogue session held at a later time.

Intervention

The Super Colon, an inflatable educational exhibit through which participants can walk, allows participants to closely observe models of normal and inflamed colon tissue, benign and malignant polyps, and invasive and metastatic CRC. Participants at each study site completed a presurvey, an unguided tour, and a postsurvey. After completing the postsurvey, participants were given a drawstring bag (with study logo on it and an ACS colorectal cancer brochure inside it) and an opportunity to enter a drawing for additional incentives such as gift cards, an iPad, or a television.

Data collection

Data were collected through PsychData surveys completed on iPads or cellphones. We adapted our questions based on previously used survey items (14,17,19,20). The forced-choice surveys had 64 items (56 on the presurvey, 8 on the postsurvey). On average, study completion (presurvey, tour, and postsurvey) took 10 to 15 minutes. The surveys were administered in English. Staff were available to help read questionnaires to participants who needed assistance.

The primary outcomes of interest were changes in CRC knowledge (actual and perceived) and behavioral intent to obtain CRC screening from baseline (presurvey) to intervention completion (postsurvey). Actual knowledge was defined as the comprehensive understanding and awareness of factual information, whereas self-perceived knowledge related to a participant’s own assessment of their understanding or familiarity with CRC. Actual knowledge was assessed by correct responses to 3 true-or-false statements in both surveys. The presurvey (but not the postsurvey) had this statement: “Men at average risk should have their first screening for colorectal cancer at age 35.” The correct answer is “false.” (The inflatable colon did not have information on age at first screening, and we observed that participants were wondering if they had missed the information and needed to walk through the inflatable colon again. Because of the confusion created by the item, we did not assess it at postsurvey.) The first statement assessed at both time points was, “If I have a family member with colorectal cancer, I am at a higher risk of having it too.” The correct answer is “true.” The second statement was, “Removing a polyp from my colon can prevent colorectal cancer.” The correct answer is “true.” The third question was, “Colorectal cancer always has symptoms that you can feel.” The correct answer is “false.”

Perceived knowledge was assessed with 3 items. One was the following true-or-false statement: “I know what a colon polyp is.” The second and third items were questions: 1) “How much do you feel you know about colorectal cancer now?” and 2) “How much do you feel you know about how colorectal cancer progresses now?” Response options were “a lot,” “some things,” and “nothing.”

Lastly, we assessed CRC screening intent with the question, “Do you plan to obtain colorectal cancer screening in the future?” Response options were 1) yes, in the next 6 months, 2) yes, in the next 7 months to 1 year, 3) yes, in 13 months to 2 years, 4) yes, sometime but not within 2 years, 5) no, but have considered getting screened, or 6) no, will not get screened. Participants were categorized as having screening intent if they chose options 1, 2, 3, or 4.

We collected data on the following demographic characteristics in the presurvey: age, self-identified race and ethnicity, sexual orientation, relationship status, educational attainment, type of health insurance coverage, having a regular health care provider, personal and family history of CRC, and history of participation in CRC screening. The race and ethnicity variable was used to reflect membership in a societally imposed marginalized racial and ethnic group and as a proxy for systematic and structural racism. We combined responses for the 2 concepts of race and ethnicity, as recommended due to high nonresponse rates among Hispanic and Latino individuals when separate questions are used (21,22). Categories were combined for cell sizes of 10 or fewer participants.

Statistical analysis

We used SAS version 9.4 (SAS Institute, Inc) to manage data and conduct our analysis in October 2023. We checked data through exploratory analysis statistics, including inspection for missing values and data-entry errors. Because less than 5% of participants were lost to follow-up (ie, did not complete the postsurvey), we excluded from analysis any participant with missing data for the outcomes of interest (ie, we used complete case analyses).

We generated descriptive statistics to examine the distribution of characteristics in the full study sample. We used US Census 2022 data (23) to compare the demographic characteristics of our study participants with the demographic characteristics of the population of men aged 18 to 75 years residing in the 2 states in which the state fairs were held (the population of interest). We used χ 2 tests to examine differences in characteristics by study site and the association between selected demographics and behaviors (ie, knowledge and intentions) before entry into the Super Colon exhibit. We calculated the percentage of participants who responded correctly to the actual knowledge questions, the percentage of participants who indicated they knew what a colon polyp is, the percentage of participants who responded “a lot” or “some things” to the 2 items on perceived knowledge, and the percentage of participants who indicated they intended to be screened for CRC within the next 2 years in the presurvey and postsurvey and by study site. We used the McNemar test to examine differences in distributions from presurvey to postsurvey; a 2-sided P value <.05 was considered significant.

A total of 953 eligible participants completed the presurvey. The final sample comprised 940 men who finished both the presurvey and postsurvey (572 [60.8%] at site A; 368 [39.2%] at site B) ( Figure ). The largest proportion of participants self-reported their race and ethnicity as non-Hispanic White, sexual orientation as heterosexual, and relationship status as either married (site A) or never married (site B) ( Table 1 ). Many participants had completed at least some college, had private health insurance, and reported having a health care provider whom they saw regularly. Slightly more than half of the participants reported having completed a stool-based test or an examination-based test. Most men aged 45 or older had been previously screened for CRC with either a stool-based test or an examination-based test. Approximately 1 in 8 participants had walked through an inflatable colon previously .

A comparison of demographic characteristics at the 2 study sites showed significant differences by age group, race and ethnicity, relationship status, educational attainment, type of health insurance coverage, having a regular health care provider, and completion of a stool-based test ( Table 1 ). Compared with participants at site A, participants at site B were less likely to be non-Hispanic White (75.4% vs 66.6%), married (52.8% vs 45.4%), to have completed college (bachelor’s degree, 40.1% vs 26.3%; master’s degree, 27.5% vs 17.2%), to have private health insurance (79.0% vs 72.0%), and not to have a regular health care provider (33.6% vs 26.1%). Participants at site B were more likely than participants at site A to report ever completing a stool-based test (35.9% vs 21.5%).

In a comparison of the demographic characteristics of our study sample with 2022 US Census data for men aged 18 to 75 years residing in the 2 midwestern states, we found that at both study sites, participants aged 60 to 75 years (site A: 17.8% vs 24.5%; site B: 10.6% vs 25.7%) and participants with high school or less were less frequent in our study samples than in the US Census populations (site A: 11.2% vs 31.3%; site B: 24.2% vs 38.8%). Similarly, participants aged 18 to 30 years (site A: 33.6% vs 24.0%; site B: 32.6% vs 24.0%), participants who never married (site A: 43.4% vs 34.7%; site B: 48.1% vs 35.4%), and participants with a bachelor’s degree or more (site A: 67.6% vs 34.8%; site B: 43.5% vs 28.4%) were more frequent in our study samples than in the US Census populations ( Table 2 ). In addition, at study site B, participants who self-identified as non-Hispanic Black (12.0% vs 5.4%) or Hispanic/Latino (12.0% vs 6.8%) and participants who had no health insurance (12.2% vs 7.6%) were more frequent in our study sample than in the US Census populations.

Knowledge and intentions

Before entering the Super Colon, approximately one-third of participants correctly answered the question about when men at average risk should initiate CRC screening ( Table 3 ). However, most (90.1%) knew that a family history of CRC increases their own CRC risk. Participants of screening age (ie, aged 45–75 y), compared with participants aged 45 years or younger, had significantly greater actual CRC knowledge but less self-perceived knowledge and were more likely to intend to be screened within 2 years.

We observed significant differences in responses to the knowledge and intent items by educational attainment on the presurvey. Participants with some college or less, compared with participants with a bachelor’s degree or more, had greater self-perceived knowledge of CRC on the presurvey (for 2 of the 3 items) but were less likely to answer the knowledge items correctly. Participants with a regular health care provider were more likely than participants without one to know the recommended age to start CRC screening, that removing polyps can prevent CRC, to have lower self-perceived CRC knowledge (for 2 of the 3 items), and to intend to be screened within the next 2 years. Participants who had never completed a blood-based test or an examination-based test were more likely than those who had completed one to have greater self-perceived knowledge (for 2 of the 3 items).

We found significant improvements at both sites from presurvey to postsurvey in knowing that removing a polyp can prevent CRC; in self-perceived knowledge about what a colon polyp is, what CRC is, and how CRC progresses; and in intention to be screened within next 2 years ( Table 4 ). At Site B, from presurvey to postsurvey, participants significantly decreased in knowledge that CRC does not always have symptoms that can be felt (from 84.8% to 79.9%). In the postsurvey, 94.5% of participants agreed that an inflatable colon is an effective tool for teaching people about CRC.

To our knowledge, this study is the first to evaluate the effectiveness of an inflatable colon as an educational tool to increase CRC knowledge and screening intent among men in a state fair setting. In our sample of 940 men aged 18 to 75 years, touring the inflatable colon led to significant improvements in knowledge and screening intent. Apart from the question on when men should have their first CRC screening, our study sample at baseline demonstrated relatively high actual CRC knowledge. Compared with a similar study conducted in Alaska and Canada that used similar knowledge questions, our study demonstrated less knowledge among participants about the appropriate age to start CRC screening (35.6% vs 65.0%) and that CRC does not always have symptoms that can be felt (88.0% vs 92.0%) (14). Conversely, participants in our study demonstrated more knowledge about family CRC risk (90.1% vs 88.0%), with no meaningful difference in understanding the role of polyp removal in preventing CRC (81.8% vs 81.0%) (14).

Among participants with educational attainment of some college or less, 90.9% felt they knew “some things” or “a lot” about how CRC progresses, compared with 87.5% of those with higher educational attainment. However, participants with some college or less had a lower prevalence of correct answers on actual knowledge statements compared with those with higher educational attainment. We observed similar patterns among other subgroups (ie, an inverse relationship between perceived knowledge and actual knowledge) including among participants of screening-eligible age, CRC screening-participation history, and marital status. Subgroups with higher CRC knowledge also had a higher prevalence of screening intent, supporting previous findings that associated higher education levels with higher CRC screening participation (24–26). Participants aged 45 years or younger and racial and ethnic minority men had less knowledge and screening intent than their older and non-Hispanic White counterparts. Given the prominent health disparities affecting racial and ethnic minority populations and the projected increase in CRC-related deaths among adults aged less than 50 years by 2030, heightened research efforts and national funding directed to improving CRC knowledge and screening intent in both the under-45 and racial and ethnic minority populations are imperative (11).

Knowledge and beliefs are important factors that enable health behaviors such as participation in early detection screening. In line with other literature (12–15,17,18,27,28), we observed significant improvements in participants’ actual and self-perceived knowledge about colon polyps and screening intent after they completed the inflatable-colon tour. Our findings support the effectiveness of community education and outreach events in promoting CRC knowledge and awareness. Specifically, our study highlights the value of self-guided tours of an inflatable colon as a low-resource–intensive intervention at such events.

Large recreational gatherings such as state fairs can attract populations that might not otherwise have ready access to or familiarity with cancer prevention and control services (11). These events may also reach groups that differ according to demographic characteristics (eg, education). These differences may be related to the higher rate of screening participation in our sample compared with that observed elsewhere (29–32). Men aged 60 to 75 years and men with a high school education or less were less frequently represented at the 2 study sites than they were in our population of interest. In contrast, men aged 18 to 30 years, never-married men, and men with higher educational attainment were more frequently represented in our study samples than in the population of interest. Specifically, at site B, participants who self-identified as non-Hispanic Black and Hispanic/Latino and participants who were uninsured were more frequently represented in our study sample than in the population of interest. Because the current body of evidence is inconclusive about whether special events effectively enhance CRC screening rates among men, future research is warranted.

Limitations

Although this study contributes to the literature on the effectiveness of using an inflatable colon to improve CRC knowledge, the use of a descriptive epidemiologic approach has limitations related to measurement accuracy, potential selection bias, and the lack of a control group (33,34). Our use of self‐reported data may have increased susceptibility to misclassification (ie, information bias). Although we believe our use of self-reported data did not significantly affect the collection of demographic data, because the use of self-reported race and ethnicity is currently considered the gold standard and less likely to result in misclassification (35), social desirability bias may have influenced our outcomes of interest (knowledge and intent). To address this concern, we incorporated proactive measures into the study design, including collecting no personal identifying information and having at least 1 research staff member nearby while participants completed the presurveys and postsurveys. Although the reliability and validity for actual knowledge scales and CRC screening intent scales have been reported elsewhere (16,36), further assessment of the psychometric properties of our questions that assessed perceived CRC knowledge postintervention is necessary (17). Of note, social desirability bias would likely have affected responses to both surveys, ensuring consistency in our conclusions. However, the alignment of our findings with existing literature reinforces our confidence in them.

Self-selection can bias descriptive studies when study participation is associated with the outcome. Using convenience samples, especially when participation involves opting in, often leads to study samples that differ from the population of interest in terms of sociodemographic factors and health behaviors. While our study sample differed slightly from the population of interest, it may have been more inclined to make behavioral changes; for example, more willing to participate in CRC screening because of high educational attainment. Additionally, our approach of mandating responses to all questions, while eliminating the problem of missing data, may have had the unintended consequence of causing individuals to exit the survey when they were unable to skip questions they preferred not to answer (ie, none of their data were saved).

Despite these limitations, our study demonstrates several strengths. Descriptive studies that precisely estimate a parameter of interest and are easily interpretable to clinicians and policymakers contribute substantially to the advancement of public health. Our study adds to the literature on inflatable colons as a CRC education tool (14,15). Whereas previous studies relied on data from 1 geographical region, ours used data from participants with diverse sociodemographic backgrounds in 2 midwestern states. Our study’s inability to determine whether reported CRC screening intent translated into screening completion presents an avenue for exploration in future research. Community engagement, partnerships, and relationship building were additional anecdotal study benefits.

Conclusions

Our research highlights the importance of community-based educational programs in promoting CRC screening and increasing men’s participation in research. It confirms that the inflatable colon serves as an effective educational tool for raising CRC knowledge and encouraging men to undergo early-detection screening. These findings can inform the development of future health promotion initiatives tailored to men and contribute to our understanding of the effect of community education and outreach events focusing on men.

The authors extend gratitude to the participants who made the study possible and to Eleanor Mayfield, ELS, for editorial support. We thank Dr Darrell M. Gray II for his valuable assistance in survey development support. The fruitful execution of this study would not have been possible without assistance from DAPD, D-Brand Designs, MNGI Digestive Health, the International Leadership Institute, and investigation team volunteer staff.

This research was supported in part by the Medical College of Wisconsin; the V Foundation for Cancer Research; the Colorectal Cancer Equity Foundation; the University of Minnesota Masonic Cancer Center; and the National Cancer Institute, an entity of the National Institutes of Health (award number K01CA234319). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not necessarily represent the official views of the National Institutes of Health, the Medical College of Wisconsin, the V Foundation for Cancer Research, the Colorectal Cancer Equity Foundation, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the University of Minnesota.

The authors declared no potential conflicts of interest with respect to the research, authorship, or publication of this article. Dr Rogers offers scientific input to research studies through an investigator service agreement with Exact Sciences; this scientific input is not related to our study. No copyrighted material, surveys, instruments, or tools were used in the research described in this article.

Corresponding Author: Ami E. Sedani, PhD, MPH, Institute for Health & Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee, 8701 W Watertown Plank Rd, Milwaukee, WI 53226 ( [email protected] ).

Author Affiliations: 1 Institute for Health & Equity, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. 2 Department of Medicine, Medical College of Georgia, Augusta. 3 Department of Orthopedic Surgery, Medical College of Wisconsin, Milwaukee. 4 MNGI Digestive Health, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 5 Masonic Cancer Center, Minneapolis, Minnesota. 6 Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis.

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Abbreviation: CRC, colorectal cancer. a All values are number (percentage) unless otherwise indicated. Data were collected at baseline (before entry into the Super Colon exhibit) only. b Determined by χ 2 test; P < .05 considered significant. c Includes Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander, American Indian or Alaska Native, and “Other race.”

a Data source: US Census Bureau (23). All values are number (percentage) unless otherwise indicated. Data for study participants were collected at baseline (before entry into the Super Colon exhibit) only. b US Census Bureau data included the term “Spanish.”

Abbreviation: CRC, colorectal cancer. a All values are number (percentage) of participants who answered correctly to items on actual knowledge or who answered as indicated to items on self-perceived knowledge or intent to be screened. b The true–false item was “Men at average risk should have their first screening for CRC at age 35?” The correct answer is “false.” c The true–false item was “If I have a family member with CRC, I am at a higher risk of having it too.” The correct answer is “true.” d The true–false item was “Removing a polyp from my colon can prevent CRC.” The correct answer is “true.” e The true–false item was “CRC always has symptoms that you can feel.” The correct answer is “false.” f Response of “true” to the true–false item, “I know what a colon polyp is.” g Response of “a lot” or “some things” to question, “How much do you feel you know about CRC now?” Response options were “a lot,” “some things,” or “nothing.” h Response of “a lot” or “some things” to question, “How much do you feel you know about how CRC progresses now?” Response options were “a lot,” “some things,” or “nothing.” i Response of yes, regardless of time, to question, “Do you plan to obtain colorectal cancer screening in the future?”. Response options were yes, in the next 1) 6 months, 2) 7 months to 1 year, 3) 13 months to 2 years, 4) sometime but not within 2 years; or no, 5) but have considered getting screened, or 6) will not get screened. j Determined by χ 2 test.

Abbreviation: —, does not apply; CRC, colorectal cancer. a All values are number (percentage) of participants who answered correctly to items on actual knowledge or who answered as indicated to items on self-perceived knowledge or intent to be screened. b Determined by McNemar test. c Not assessed at postsurvey because the inflatable colon did not have information on age at first screening, and we observed that participants were wondering if they had missed the information and needed to walk through the inflatable colon again. d The true–false item was “Men at average risk should have their first screening for CRC at age 35?” The correct answer is “false.” The item was not included on the postsurvey. e The true–false item was “If I have a family member with CRC, I am at a higher risk of having it too.” The correct answer is “true.” f The true–false item was “Removing a polyp from my colon can prevent CRC.” The correct answer is “true.” g The true–false item was “CRC always has symptoms that you can feel.” The correct answer is “false.” h Response options were “a lot,” “some things,” or “nothing.” i Percentage of participants who answered yes, regardless of time, to question, “Do you plan to obtain colorectal cancer screening in the future?” Response options were yes, in the next 1) 6 months, 2) 7 months to 1 year, 3) 13 months to 2 years, 4) sometime but not within 2 years; or no, 5) but have considered getting screened, or 6) will not get screened.

The opinions expressed by authors contributing to this journal do not necessarily reflect the opinions of the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the Public Health Service, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, or the authors’ affiliated institutions.

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Health Promotion in the UK

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Personal Health Promotion Plan Essay

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Diet and Lifestyle

Reference list.

It is important for people to embrace good eating habits and exercise to reduce the chances of developing chronic health complications. Therefore, the aims and objectives are as follows:

• Devise a personal health promotion program which can empower people to choose an effective and fitness behavior.
• Reduce the risks of people developing chronic diseases and other-related morbidities.
• Enable people to increase control over their wellbeing by embracing different eating and exercise formulas.

Factors Influencing Good Health in the Individual

Education is the first factor that influences the good health of a person. According to Murimi et al. (2017, p. 143), through excellent education levels, individuals become aware of the diverse approaches and styles that they can embrace to increase their fitness levels. For instance, through education, one comprehends the different foods to ensure body wellbeing. In other words, education imparts the necessary skills which a person can adapt to enhance their health.

Housing is the second factor that dictates the health of an individual. Understandably, the fitness a person can embrace is conditioned by a place where they live (Familydoctor.org., 2020, p. 1). Individuals who reside in densely populated areas have high chances of developing diseases such as obesity because they have less room for exercise and poor ventilation. Therefore, it is worth noting that the housing system determines the healthy lifestyle of a person.

Income is the third factor which influences good health in the individual. Arguably, the amount of money a person makes has a critical effect on people (Familydoctor.org., 2020, p. 1). People with high income and economic stability tend to be healthier. For instance, good financial status allows a person to buy a gym system which assures them of having good health. People who have less income tend to consider one variety of cheap foods, leading to malnutrition due to one nourishment component being high in the body. Thus, a person’s income highly determines their nutritional status and lifestyle, which they can embrace.

How Health can be Improved

Health among individuals can be improved when one decides to quit eating and drinking sugary foods and considering eateries which sell nutritive foods. Individuals should abstain from eating chuck foods and drinking soda, fruit juices, granola, chocolate milk, and yogurt (Simkin et al., 2016, p. 81). As a result, a person will lead a healthy lifestyle, which has zero chances of developing other chronic conditions, including obesity and arthritis.

Another way that people’s health can be improved is by treating themselves with new and smaller dishes. Individuals should try to eat fresh foods, ceasing from taking the same nutrients throughout the period (Jarvis, 2018, p. 20). People should discover new foods as a way of balancing their diet and nutrients intake. The body stores fats in different foods, putting individuals at risk of developing diseases like obesity.

People can embrace the other approach of ensuring that their health is improved by rethinking their house cleaning routines, including bedding and the surrounding environment. Despite mopping being a cleanliness procedure, it equally acts as a form of exercise, hence keeping individuals fit (Jarvis, 2018, p. 22). Moreover, cleanliness ensures that one reduces germs in the house by upholding this daily routine. For instance, the flu virus is known to live on hard surfaces for up to forty-eight hours (Wong and Lee, 2019, p. 1). Thus, wiping surfaces can help reduce the ordeals of infection. Regular cleaning ensures that individuals do not have asthma or other allergies. Therefore, embracing an effective daily routine of cleanliness is vital as it reduces people’s chances of deteriorating their health.

Current Diet and Lifestyle

I have no specific food that I eat for breakfast, lunch, and supper for different days. Mostly, I eat sweet bread every morning. Sometimes, I do not take breakfast during weekdays. At lunch, I eat different fast foods, more so, snacks. Fewer vegetables and fruits per week, concentrating more on meat, pizza, and fish. Less whole grains. Moreover, most of the grains which I eat are refined. I drink yogurt at least once per day during afternoons. Lastly, there are no specific foods for breakfast, lunch, and supper.

Personal Exercise Pattern and Exposure to stress

I ride a bicycle every morning and evening for at least one kilometer and perform twenty sit-ups every morning and evening. In addition, I engage in swimming at least once per week. The high workplace sounds are one of the factors that expose me to stress. Long working hours equally put me under pressure, hence developing stress. A colossal workload equally increases my stress levels.

Identification and Understanding of Health Issues

Ideal menu plan.

Lifestyle Improvements

I will be sleeping early. Eating a regular-well balanced diet. Maintain a healthy body weight. Engaging in regular physical activities. Increase the water consumption rate. Track my progress.

My improvements were useful, and I adequately achieved my expectations. I expected to lose one and a half pounds of weight, but I lost two pounds, which is a tremendous achievement. I intend to adopt the same healthy lifestyle to keep my body fit and diseases-free. Therefore, people should embrace a healthy diet and engage in physical activities to refresh their minds, hence reducing the daily stress levels and equally maintaining an excellent physique.

Conclusively, engaging in regular activities and considering a nutritive diet should be the ultimate goal of every person. Individuals should consider an effective health promotion plan to adopt good health. Regular exercises keep the body fit, enhancing both aerobic and anaerobic respiration. A better and nutritive foods give the body the required strength and immunity to fight against pathogens. There is a need for people to consider the foods which they purchase and equally engage in physical activities.

Murimi, M.W., et al., (2017) ‘Factors influencing the efficacy of nutrition education interventions: a systematic review’, Journal of Nutrition Education and Behavior , 49 (2), pp.142-165. Web.

Familydoctor.org. (2020) Social and Cultural factors that can influence your health . Web.

Jarvis, C. (2018) Physical Examination and Health Assessment-Canadian E-Book . Elsevier Health Sciences.

Simkin, P. et al. (2016) Preconception: improve your health and enhance fertility: a free prequel to pregnancy, childbirth, & the newborn . Dublin: Simon and Schuster.

Wong, J.S. and Lee, J.K.F. (2019) ‘The common missed handwashing instances and areas after 15 years of hand-hygiene education’, Journal of Environmental and Public Health , 2019 . Web.

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