313394 Lecture Notes - Lecture 10: Assertiveness, Social Capital, Health Literacy
WEEK 10: A Health Story – Case Study
The concept of empowerment:
The word empowerment has proved hard to define, but it has underpinned almost every substantial
discussion about closing the gap on Indigenous disadvantage and achieving reconciliation.
The concept of empowerment is difficult to define and certain qualities are associated with it
(Chamberlin, 2009). At an individual level it can be described as the power to make decisions about
the future based on knowledge, optimism, strength, self-confidence and about where you feel you
should be positioned in life.
Qualities associated with empowerment:
• Power to make decisions
• Access to information and resources
• Options from which to make a free choice
• Assertiveness
• A belief in an ability to make a difference
• Ability to critically reflect
• Can manage anger
• Identify with others and acknowledge the rights of others
• Achieve personal and community change
• Individual recognition of the importance of acquiring new skills
• Improving self esteem
• Embracing growth and change (Eckerman, 2012)
Empowerment can relate to an individual as well as a group. Group empowerment occurs when
people take control of their lives, influence decisions, set personal goals that are achieved. There needs
to be access to information and alternatives from which choices can be made. It involves active
participation in decision-making.
Empowerment that aims to generate change at an individual, organisation or community level needs to
be based on:
• self-awareness/self confidence
• Skills to develop an understanding and take action
• Participation in decision-making
• Access to resources
Key points to consider:
• It is important to remember that empowerment is a process and no one person can empower
another.
• Opportunities can be created that facilitate the acquisition of skills to enable active participation.
• Historically Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have been actively disempowered and
were denied the opportunity to empower themselves.
• Empowerment needs to arise from within communities if this does not occur disempowerment
can occur.
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• Participation means equitable access to decision-making, not simple consultation or contributing
to a discussion.
• Empowerment suggests that people make choices
• The process involves raising awareness of the choices available and their consequences but this
is dependent on participants having access to the resources required to achieve identified goals
(Eckermann, 2012)
Empowerment, the determinants of health and health behaviours are all elements of comprehensive
primary health care and health promotion.
Health promotion and illness prevention
What is health promotion?
Health promotion ‘enables people to increase control over their own health. It covers a wide range of
social and environmental interventions that are designed to benefit and protect individual people’s
health and quality of life by addressing and preventing the root causes of ill health, not just focusing
on treatment and cure’ (WHO, 2016a). Health promotion represents a comprehensive approach to
bringing about social change in order to improve health and wellbeing.
Goal of health promotion:
The overall goal of health promotion is to enhance positive health and prevent ill health. It enables
people to gain control over the determinants of health (Nutbeam, 1998).
Role of health promotion:
Health promotion has a role in well-established preventative health measures. Preventive activities are
typically classified as:
1. Primary prevention, which avoids the development of a disease e.g. immunisation
2. Secondary prevention, which focuses on early disease detection and implementation of
interventions to prevent disease progression and emergence of symptoms. e.g. cervical
screening
3. Tertiary prevention, which reduces the negative impact of an already established disease by
restoring function and reducing disease-related complications e.g. a person known to have a
chronic condition such as diabetes (Medicare Locals Accreditation Standards, 2013).
Comprehensive approach to health:
Why isn’t it just up to individuals to change their behaviour? Why do we need a comprehensive
approach to health promotion?
1. Single health promotion strategies aim at lifestyle modification by changing individual
behaviour. Preventative messages regarding the importance of physical exercise, adopting a
good diet and the negative effects of alcohol, tobacco and other drug use have often failed to
have a long-term impact and are less effective than more inclusive comprehensive strategies.
2. The healthcare system is currently busy responding to acute health needs and as a result health
promotion and preventative strategies have not been the priority
3. The focus needs to shift towards health promotion and we need to refer back to the
determinants of health.
find more resources at oneclass.com
find more resources at oneclass.com
Document Summary
Week 10: a health story case study. The word empowerment has proved hard to define, but it has underpinned almost every substantial discussion about closing the gap on indigenous disadvantage and achieving reconciliation. The concept of empowerment is difficult to define and certain qualities are associated with it (chamberlin, 2009). At an individual level it can be described as the power to make decisions about the future based on knowledge, optimism, strength, self-confidence and about where you feel you should be positioned in life. Identify with others and acknowledge the rights of others. Individual recognition of the importance of acquiring new skills. Empowerment can relate to an individual as well as a group. Group empowerment occurs when people take control of their lives, influence decisions, set personal goals that are achieved. There needs to be access to information and alternatives from which choices can be made.
