Who We Are

Primary Health Care

HEALTH PROMOTION

The Canadian Nurses Association (CNA) endorses the following statement regarding health promotion and believes that the goal of health promotion must be to promote positive self-esteem of individuals, families and communities; to help people understand the determinants of health; and to empower them to increase control over the determinants of health and well-being.

Health promotion implies a commitment to dealing with the challenges of reducing inequities, extending the scope of prevention, and helping people cope with their circumstances. It means fostering public participation, strengthening community health services and coordinating healthy public policy. Moreover, it means creating environments conducive to health, in which people are better able to take care of themselves, and to offer each other support in solving and managing collective health problems.⁽¹⁾

Health status is influenced by social norms, cultural values, economic and environmental conditions and policies, as well as life practices such as food and exercise choices, following of safety precautions and the use of tobacco, alcohol and other drugs. CNA believes that consideration of these influences is essential in the development of effective health promotion initiatives. Health promotion initiatives must be widely targeted and begin with the very young and extend throughout the lifespan.

CNA supports the concept that health promotion strategies should be initiated collaboratively by a variety of appropriate bodies including health, social and educational agencies to meet identified needs of individuals, families and communities. It is the belief of the Canadian Nurses Association that emphasis on health promotion strengthens and complements the health care system.

Nurses must provide leadership for health promotion. This should be done through positive role modelling and personal demonstration of healthy life practises as well as by assisting, promoting and supporting clients, individuals, groups and communities in self-help activities to understand and achieve their highest possible level of health. Educational curricula for nurses should emphasize the importance of this leadership role and provide the opportunity for related skill development. The Association believes that nurses must be involved in research, planning, and implementation and evaluation of health promotion strategies in a variety of institutional and community settings.

Approved by the Board of Directors
March 1992

^{1. Achieving Health for All: A Framework for Health Promotion. Health and Welfare Canada, 1986, p. 12.}