Incorporating socio-political health promotion activities in clinical practice

Abstract

A criticism laid at the door of many nurses in relation to their health promotion activity is that they almost exclusively adopt a biomedical/preventative health education approach. When it comes to adopting socio-political health promotion approaches, there is scant evidence that nurses implement these activities in clinical practice. This article is designed to raise awareness and signpost the types of activities that nurses could be involved with if they wish to influence the broader social and political health promotion agenda. In doing so, it has developed an 'effect' programme model for socio-political health promotion practice as a framework for those practitioners who wish to review their current health-related activities and/or who are seeking to extend their range of health promotional practice. This article draws upon a critical review of the literature in order to develop an evolving theoretical perspective for health promotion practice. The proposed model was developed from this new perspective as were recommendations for practice.