Complex health challenges of the Wide Bay community are well described. In contrast, the health promotion and prevention activities across the WBHHS have not been documented in a systematic way. The Health Promotion Activities Snapshot provides understanding of the breadth or coherence of these activities in the region.
Health Promotion Activities Snapshot within Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service
Initiative Type
Evidence Review
Status
Deliver
Added
Last updated
Summary
Key dates
Jun 2017
Implementation sites
Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service
Partnerships
Preventive Health Branch
Aim
To broadly describe the health promotion activities undertaken within the Wide Bay Hospital and Health Service (WBHHS).
Benefits
- Improved understanding the scope and strengths of health promotion and prevention activities in the region.
- Identified opportunities for improvement.
Background
An important aim of our health system is to prevent disease and reduce illness so that people live long, healthy lives. Healthy behaviours such as not smoking, maintaining a healthy weight, being physically active and healthy food and drink choices reduce the risk factors for chronic diseases such as cardiovascular disease, diabetes and some cancers. Lifestyle-related chronic diseases are preventable.
Solutions Implemented
Semistructured interviews were undertaken with staff from a range of disciplines, streams, services and locations. Questions were based on the objectives of the project, informed by a basic literature review. Interview notes were analysed to map existing activities against a health-promotion framework.
Evaluation and Results
All services are providing some health promotion interventions at the individual level of screening and risk assessment, frequently prompted by existing clinical pathways or guidelines. The provision of health information is largely driven by immediate clinical need. Health education and skill development activities are more likely to be implemented in services with multidisciplinary teams dealing with complex chronic conditions.
Community action strategies are mostly represented by staff involvement in fundraisers and campaigns to raise awareness of specific health issues. Staff frequently contribute their time and skills outside their formal work.
Many services contribute to optimising the physical environment and organisational context in which clinical care is provided, including operational services and infection control. The Public Health Unit is involved in health protection activities in the community across a range of legislated areas.
The project identified a wealth of activities, and a number of areas for improvement. The project recommendations, which will be discussed further, had a focus on some sustainable strategies for improvements and priority areas for focused investment. These recommendations have been elevated through the appropriate committee, for further consideration.
