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Health Education and Promotion in the Community

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A special issue of Healthcare (ISSN 2227-9032). This special issue belongs to the section "Community Care".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 December 2023) | Viewed by 16970

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Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yao Jie Xie

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Guest Editor

School of Nursing, Faculty of Health and Social Sciences, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hong Kong SAR, China
Interests: behavior and lifestyle modifications in community setting; community-based participatory research

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

In today's global situation, health promotion is particularly important to our life because of the increasing trend of non-communicable diseases worldwide, the global COVID-19 pandemic, the outbreak of Monkeypox, as well as the natural disasters and other crises occurring in many corners of the world. Most people have a lack of health-related knowledge, meaning many people are overwhelmed when these public events occur. Previous evidence and experiences have accumulated about the importance of health promotion as a comprehensive and cost-effective strategy primed to respond adequately to these public emergencies. The health of a population is determined not by health-sector activities alone but by social and economic factors, such as social support, education or income, closely related to our daily life and our living environment. Community, which all of us are involved in, is defined as groups of people that may or may not be spatially connected, but who share common interests, concerns or identities. Community health includes preventive, curative, promotive and rehabilitative aspects of health. Health promotion is inextricably linked to community engagement and empowerment. The latter is the process by which they increase their assets and attributes and build capacities to gain access, partners, networks and/or a voice, in order to gain control. By adopting well-designed health education and promotion programmes in community settings, it can improve typical public-health issues, such as COVID-19 vaccination, hypertension self-management, healthy lifestyle modification, et al. People could be more educated with specific health knowledge and be well trained in health-related skills, thereby being influenced and supported in the community for a better wellbeing.

We welcome all types of manuscripts, such as original research papers, systematic reviews, scoping reviews, comments, letters, case reports, et al. The studies could include but are not limited to: (1) special health promotion strategies in improving health outcomes in community setting; (2) conceptual framework/model development about health promotion; (3) health needs assessment of target population in the community; (4) community engagement/empowerment evaluation and improvement; (5) community capacity building; (6) health promotion for typical public-health issues (e.g., COVID-19 vaccination).

Dr. Yao Jie Xie
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Healthcare is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

health promotion
health education
public health
nursing
community engagement
community-based participatory research (CBPR)
community capacity building
community empowerment
lifestyle
health behaviour
healthcare delivery
health service
healthcare practice, training and education
communicable disease
non-communicable disease

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

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17 pages, 3833 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Self-Medication Related Knowledge, Attitudes, and Practices among Residents of Riyadh, Saudi Arabia: A Community-Based Cross-Sectional Study

by Awad Mohammed Al-Qahtani, Nasser Saeed Alqahtani, Basheerahmed Abdulaziz Mannasaheb, Eisa Yazeed Ghazwani, Ibrahim Ahmed Shaikh, Bayan Fuad Abbag, Mamdouh Saleh Alharbi and Syed Arif Hussain

Healthcare 2023, 11(23), 3040; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11233040 - 25 Nov 2023

Viewed by 1054

Abstract

Rational and responsible self-medication (SM) is an essential core element for better health outcomes. It is influenced mainly by the level and adequacy of knowledge, attitude, and appropriateness of practice (KAP) towards SM. The present study explored the level and adequacy of KAP among residents of Riyadh city, Saudi Arabia. A convenient snowball sampling method was utilized to recruit the study participants. Data were analyzed using SPSS version 27. Six hundred and eleven participants completed the questionnaire. Residents with good knowledge, positive attitude, and proper practice were 43.7%, 33.1%, and 90.0%, respectively. The level of KAP was significantly influenced by the participant’s occupation, age, gender, nationality, marital status, presence of chronic disease, and COVID-19 infection status. The mean knowledge, attitude, and practice scores observed were 5.11 (SD = 1.27), 22.28 (SD = 2.6) and 5.20 (SD = 1.29), respectively. Pearson correlation and scattered plot matrix analysis revealed a significant positive weak correlation among KAP, indicating that residents with good knowledge possess better attitude (r = 0.142, p < 0.001) and follow the proper practice (r = 0.256, p < 0.001) towards SM. Multivariate linear regression revealed a significant (p < 0.001) negative (β = −0.059) influence of occupation, family members working in the health sector (p = 0.046, β= −0.426), Body Mass Index (p = 0.019, β = −0.049), and physical activity (p = 0.018, β = −0.292) on the overall KAP score. Understanding the residents’ level of KAP towards SM would enable the health care system to identify the gap and develop a mechanism to educate the people and make them knowledgeable about SM and self-care. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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10 pages, 232 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Experiences of Community Health Workers in Preventing Noncommunicable Diseases in an Urban Area, the Philippines: A Qualitative Study

by Yuko Yamaguchi, Lia M. Palileo-Villanueva, Leonor Sanchez Tubon, Eunice Mallari and Hiroya Matsuo

Healthcare 2023, 11(17), 2424; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11172424 - 30 Aug 2023

Viewed by 5179

Abstract

(1) Background: Barangay health workers (BHWs) play important roles as community health workers in preventing noncommunicable diseases (NCDs), where the shortage of health professionals is felt more acutely in the Philippines. However, there is little research on the experiences of BHWs as community health workers in preventing NCDs. This study aimed to clarify the roles and difficulties of BHWs in conducting activities for the prevention of NCDs. (2) Methods: Qualitative data were collected from 25 BHWs. (3) Results: The mean age of the participants was 50.4 ± 9.5 years, 23 were women, and the mean length of time as a BHW was 9.1 ± 7.7 years. Three major themes about the role of BHWs in preventing NCDs—“screening for NCDs”, “assisting patients with management of their conditions”, and “promoting healthy behaviors”—and four major themes about the difficulties—“insufficient awareness of preventative behaviors”, “economic burdens”, “lack of resources for managing NCDs”, and “difficulty of access to medical care facilities”—were identified. (4) Conclusions: Through the findings of this study, focusing interventions aimed at addressing the difficulties for the prevention of NCDs among BHWs may help reduce health inequities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

10 pages, 437 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Examination of Cluster Groups of Risk Behaviors and Beliefs Associated with Non-Communicable Diseases with Latent Class Analysis: A Cross-Sectional Study in Rural Bangladesh

by Yurie Kobashi, Syed Emdadul Haque, Isamu Amir, Kayako Sakisaka, Sanzida Mubassara and Masaharu Tsubokura

Healthcare 2023, 11(16), 2279; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11162279 - 12 Aug 2023

Viewed by 756

Abstract

This cross-sectional observational study examined the cluster groups of risk behaviors and beliefs associated with non-communicable diseases (NCDs) and the demographic factors that influence these cluster groups. The questionnaire survey was conducted in Lohagara Upazila in Narail District, Bangladesh and included basic demographics and items associated with NCDs. The inclusion criteria for the participants in this study included those who were aged between 20 and 80 years and both sexes. The survey items were based on risk behavior, belief, and improvement behavior. To identify the several cluster groups based on NCD-related behavior and belief patterns, a log-likelihood latent class analysis was conducted. Then, a multinomial regression analysis was performed to identify the factor associated with each cluster group. Of the 600 participants, 231 (38.5%) had hypertension, 87 (14.5%) had diabetes, and 209 (34.8%) had a body mass index of 25 or more. Finally, risk behaviors and beliefs associated with NCDs were classified into three cluster groups: (1) very high-risk group (n = 58); (2) high-risk group (n = 270); and (3) moderate-risk group (n = 272). The very high-risk group was significantly associated with female gender, older age, fewer years spent in education, and the absence of daily medication compared to the moderate-risk group. Educational interventions in rural Bangladesh should be immediately implemented to improve the risk behaviors and beliefs associated with NCDs. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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13 pages, 1476 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Promotion of Healthy Hydration Habits through Educational Robotics in University Students

by Alejandro De la Hoz, Lina Melo, Andrés Álvarez, Florentina Cañada and Javier Cubero

Healthcare 2023, 11(15), 2160; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11152160 - 29 Jul 2023

Viewed by 929

Abstract

In recent years, there has been a lack of healthy lifestyle habits in the population, including hydration, with negative consequences for health. At the same time, advances in technology have changed the process of teaching and learning since elementary school, highlighting the incorporation of educational robots as innovative resources in recent years. This study analyzes the state of the scientific knowledge presented by university students doing a university degree in Primary Education after a robotics-based educational intervention. The study adopted a quasi-experimental design with a qualitative approach, using category systems and a quantitative approach with descriptive and inferential (Chi-square and Contingency Coefficient) statistics. The results of the study show that the level of scientific knowledge has improved in the different scientific contents involved, highlighting the excellent level presented for the recommended daily volume of hydration. Innovative interventions, through digital resources such as Educational Robotics, are presented as possible alternatives to promoting the healthy habit of hydration, due the effective learning of biosanitary knowledge in the young population. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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16 pages, 874 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Physical Activity Levels and Predictors during COVID-19 Lockdown among Lebanese Adults: The Impacts of Sociodemographic Factors, Type of Physical Activity and Work Location

by Mireille Harmouche-Karaki, Maya Mahfouz, Pascale Salameh and Nour El Helou

Healthcare 2023, 11(14), 2080; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11142080 - 21 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 951

Abstract

Background: Although effective against COVID-19, national lockdowns have several deleterious behavioral and health effects, including physical inactivity. The objective of this study is to assess physical activity (PA) levels during lockdown and the predictors of PA among Lebanese adults, while comparing classical statistics to machine learning models. Methods: Data were collected using an online questionnaire, with PA being evaluated through the “International Physical Activity Questionnaire” (IPAQ)—long form. Machine learning models were applied to predict total PA ≥ 600 MET·min/week. Results: Among 795 participants, while 67.5% auto-declared a decrease in PA level during lockdown, 36.2% did not meet the minimum recommendations for PA. Multivariate analysis showed that participants who went to their workplace during lockdown had significantly higher total and job-related PA, higher walking and moderate PA, and lower sitting time. PA level and intensity increased with age, while sitting time decreased. Participants who practiced a combination of both outdoor and at-home workouts had higher total, housework and leisure-related PA, and higher moderate and vigorous-intensity PA. Machine learning models confirmed these findings as well as the importance of outdoor activity for total PA levels, with Random Forest being the highest-performing model. Conclusions: Bringing to light the levels of physical inactivity and sedentary behavior, this study highlighted the importance of outdoor activity in contributing to PA. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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14 pages, 588 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Design and Content Validation using Expert Opinions of an Instrument Assessing the Lifestyle of Adults: The ‘PONTE A 100’ Questionnaire

by Francisco Javier Pérez-Rivas, Jennifer Jiménez-González, Marianela Bayón Cabeza, Susana Belmonte Cortés, Marta de Diego Díaz-Plaza, Julia Domínguez-Bidagor, David García-García, Juana Gómez Puente and Tomás Gómez-Gascón

Healthcare 2023, 11(14), 2038; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11142038 - 16 Jul 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1378

Abstract

Lifestyle, a major determinant of health status, comprises a number of habits and behaviours that form a part of daily life. People with healthy lifestyles have a better quality of life, suffer less disease, and have a longer life expectancy. This work reports the design and content validation of a questionnaire—the ‘PONTE A 100’ questionnaire—assessing the lifestyle of adults. This collects information across five dimensions—‘Eating Habits’, ‘Physical Activity’, ‘Smoking and use of Alcohol and other Drugs’, ‘Emotional Wellbeing’, and ‘Safety and Non-intentional Injuries’—via the answering of a total 33 items. Psychometric validation of the instrument’s content was obtained via expert opinions. This was performed by two rounds of assessment and involved 34 experts representing different health science disciplines (mean experience, 27.4 ± 9.4 years). At the end of each round, adjustments were made according to their recommendations. Agreement between the experts was examined using the Aiken V test. A final V value of 0.95 (95% CI, 0.90–1.00) was obtained for the questionnaire as a whole, highlighting the validity of its content. The questionnaire would therefore appear to be an appropriate instrument for assessing the lifestyle of adults. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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14 pages, 971 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Multimorbidity and Lifestyle Correlates in Chinese Population Residing in Macau: Findings from a Community-Based Needs Assessment Study

by Qingling Yang, Quanzhi Zhang, Fei Wan Ngai, Shaoling Wang, Dexing Zhang, Yang Gao, Chun Hao, Harry Haoxiang Wang, Oi Ching Bernice Lam Nogueira, Ming Liu, Alex Molasiotis, Alice Loke and Yaojie Xie

Healthcare 2023, 11(13), 1906; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11131906 - 30 Jun 2023

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1017

Abstract

Multimorbidity has become one of the most pressing public health concerns worldwide. The objectives of this study were to understand the prevalence of multimorbidity and its relationship with lifestyle factors among Chinese adults in Macau, and to investigate the combined contribution of common lifestyle factors in predicting multimorbidity. Data were collected through face-to-face interviews using a self-reported questionnaire on common chronic diseases, lifestyle factors and sociodemographics. BMI, physical activity, drinking status, smoking status and sleep quality were assessed, and a composite lifestyle score (0 to 9 points) was calculated, and the higher the score, the healthier the lifestyle. A total of 1443 participants were included in the analysis, of whom 55.2% were female, 51.8% were middle aged or elderly and 30.5% completed tertiary education or higher. The prevalence of multimorbidity was 10.3%. The combination of hypertension and hyperlipidaemia was the most common (22.2%) multimorbidity among the participants with multimorbidity. After the adjustment of the covariates, it was found that the participants who were overweight (OR: 1.95, 95% CI: 1.18–3.20, p = 0.009) or obese (OR: 3.76, 95% CI: 2.38–5.96, p < 0.001), former drinkers (OR: 2.43, 95% CI: 1.26–4.69, p = 0.008), and those who reported poor sleep quality (OR: 2.25, 95% CI: 1.49–3.40, p < 0.001) had a high risk of developing multimorbidity. A one-unit increase in the lifestyle score was associated with a 0.33-times reduction in the risk of developing multimorbidity (OR: 0.67; 95% CI: 0.59–0.77, p < 0.001). A combination of lifestyle factors can influence a variety of multimorbidity among the Chinese adults in Macau. Thus, comprehensively assessing the combined contribution of several lifestyle factors in predicting multimorbidity is important. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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13 pages, 1623 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Structures and Activities of Health Promotion in the Italian NHS

by Roberta Bosco, Gabriele Messina, Bruno Aiello, Giovanni Guarducci and Nicola Nante

Healthcare 2023, 11(1), 148; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare11010148 - 03 Jan 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1764

Abstract

Background: In Italy, the Ministry of Health is the main decision-making entity in healthcare. The local health authorities (LHAs) are responsible for health promotion (HP) activities, based on national and regional health plans. Our aim was to investigate the structured activities of HP in Italy at national, regional, and territorial levels. Methods: From February 2020 to July 2021, we searched for online information about the structures, projects, and responsibilities at the different levels mentioned above. The sources were the official sites of the Ministry of Health, the regions, and LHAs. Results: During the “prevalence period” of 2014–2021, we found 41 active facilities dedicated to HP: 7 complex operational units and 34 simple units. The other 30 facilities also had HP activities despite the absence of dedicated units. The most discussed topic seemed to be physical activity (63%), followed by addictions (53%), nutrition (48%), and prevention (33%); in the queue appeared dental hygiene and family/parenting (both at 7%). The LHA of the City of Turin and the LHA of Salerno had the most significant number of topics. Conclusions: The results showed great heterogeneity, in the Italian context, concerning HP activities. We assume that the phenomenon depends on reduced attention to the digitalization of information. The Italian Society of Health Promotion is pursuing the goal of the construction of an organic system of HP—with its own articulations, competencies, and scientific and operational goals—at different levels, thus transcending the health care system (which is often powerless in regulatory activity) and providing the one harbinger of the most promising results in terms of cost/benefit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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10 pages, 1268 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Gender-Specific Effect of Couple-Based Intervention on Behavioral and Psychological Outcomes of Older Adults with Type 2 Diabetes during the COVID-19 Partial Lockdown in Guangzhou, China

by Conghui Yang, Yingxin Xu, Jingyi Zhi, Huiqiong Zheng, Zhenhua Sun, Xueji Wu and Jing Liao

Healthcare 2022, 10(11), 2290; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare10112290 - 15 Nov 2022

Viewed by 1181

Abstract

This study aimed to evaluate the gender-specific effect of a couple-based intervention on the management behaviors and mental well-being of community-dwelling older adults with type 2 diabetes mellitus during the COVID-19 partial lockdown in Guangzhou. Out of 207 participants involved in a prior randomized controlled trial (Trial no. ChiCTR1900027137), 156 (75%) completed the COVID-19 survey. Gendered differences in management behaviors and depressive symptoms between the couple-based intervention group and the patient-only control group were compared by distance to the high-risk areas cross-sectionally and longitudinally using random intercept models. Cross-sectionally, female patients of the intervention group had more positive behavior change scores (β = 1.53, p = 0.002) and fewer depressive symptoms (β = −1.34, p = 0.02) than the control group. Over time, female patients lived closer to the high-risk areas (<5 km) and showed decreasing depressive symptoms (β = −4.48, p = 0.008) in the intervention group vs. the control group. No statistically significant between-group difference was found for males. Females tended to benefit more from the coupled-based intervention than males did, particularly among these closer to the high-risk areas. Chronic disease management can be better sustained with active spousal engagement. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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Review

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16 pages, 450 KiB

Open AccessReview

Health Education Initiatives for People Who Have Experienced Prison: A Narrative Review

by Patrícia de Paula Queiroz Bonato, Carla Aparecida Arena Ventura, Réka Maulide Cane and Isabel Craveiro

Healthcare 2024, 12(2), 274; https://doi.org/10.3390/healthcare12020274 - 22 Jan 2024

Viewed by 1148

Abstract

Due to the selectiveness of criminal systems and the context of social vulnerability, there is a high prevalence of health problems among individuals with a history of incarceration. When there is an insufficient level of health care, prior clinical conditions can worsen, and health education can be a response to this problem. Health education is a process of building health knowledge that is intended to facilitate thematic appropriation by the population that enables people to access, understand, and use health-related information for health improvement. In the context of criminal justice, health education can contribute to the successful transition of people who have experienced prison from their custody to the community setting. This study aimed to identify, synthesize, and critically evaluate peer-reviewed evidence concerning health education initiatives developed during or after incarceration aimed at people released from prison. A narrative review methodology was used to analyze 19 studies about health education interventions for prisoners or people who were arrested. Initiatives were identified in five countries, which showed differences in approaches, with motivational interviewing and group sessions standing out in the studies. All of them were grouped into the following themes: HIV and other sexually transmitted infections, alcohol, opioids and other substances, tuberculosis, and women’s health. We have not performed a quality assessment of the studies included (using checklists such as PRISMA, AMSTAR, or SANRA) as this study is a narrative review and was not intended to be a systematic review or meta-analysis. This review has the potential impact of informing future health education initiatives and policies for individuals transitioning from prison. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Health Education and Promotion in the Community)

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