resource: NCI

When trying to solve a problem, sometimes it is more important to know WHO to call or WHERE to find the right info than what to do.  Trying to keep track of all the resources available can be overwhelming.  I will highlight some strong resources here every few months.

The National Cancer Institute (NCI) produces a guide for Health Promotion Practice that explains the theories that many Health Educators use to create their campaigns.  Here is a link to that article.

  

http://www.cancer.gov/cancertopics/cancerlibrary/theory.pdf

While it is produced by the NCI, the theories presented are useful across the spectrum of the public health field.  It is a valuable resource for small health departments who may not have the budget to complete the necessary research to support the changes being proposed. 

  

This guide lends credibility to the theories and clarifies the constructs involved.  The article explains that no ONE theory is necessarily going to be the script for a health care promotion.  A good practitioner will draw from several theories to develop an approach that is uniquely tailored to the situation.  The theory needs to answer the questions why, what and how.  These answers will dictate the direction the health promotion will take.

Theories also need to be fluid, to have the ability to evolve and change with the times.  It is particularly relevant to me because we, as practitioners, need to grasp the audience in the most advantageous venue from their point of view.  If you are trying to teach teenagers about fitness, new technology might help engage their interest while imparting the lesson.  If however, you are trying to teach an older generation about fitness, new technology would simply make the lessons that much harder to grasp. 

The solution needs to be tailored to the situation.  In this example, the solution that would work best and be more current for the younger generation would not be relevant for the older generation.

Acknowledging the different issues for populations of people will help bridge some of the health disparities that exist currently.  But I will explore more about health disparities in the next post.