Teresa Capetola

Health promotion and climate change: exploring the core competencies required for action

Climate change poses serious threats to human health and well-being. It exacerbates existing health inequities, impacts on the social determinants of health and disproportionately affects vulnerable populations. In the Australian region these include remote Aboriginal communities, Pacific Island countries and people with low incomes. Given health promotions remit to protect and promote health, it should be well placed to respond to emerging climate-related health challenges. Yet, to date, there has been little evidence to demonstrate this. This paper draws on the findings of a qualitative study conducted in Victoria, Australia to highlight that; while there is clearly a role for health promotion in climate change mitigation and adaptation at the national and international levels, there is also a need for the engagement of health promoters at the community level. This raises several key issues for health promotion practice. To be better prepared to respond to climate change, health promotion practitioners first need to re-engage with the central tenets of the Ottawa Charter, namely the interconnectedness of humans and the natural environment and, secondly, the need to adopt ideas and frameworks from the sustainability field. The findings also open up a discussion for paradigmatic shifts in health promotion thinking and acting in the context of climate change.

Incorporating sustainability into community-based healthcare practice.

There is now irrefutable evidence that climate change and increasing environmental degradation negatively affect population health. Healthcare plays an important role in addressing these emerging environmental challenges, considering its core aim is to protect and promote health. Preliminary research in Victoria, Australia, suggests that healthcare practitioners are endeavouring to factor in environmental concerns into their practice. Health promotion, an integral part of the healthcare system, is considered an area of practice that can support action on sustainability. Based on five qualitative case studies and key stakeholder interviews, this article explores key barriers and facilitators to incorporating sustainability into community-based healthcare practice. The findings demonstrate that despite multiple barriers, including funding and lack of policy direction, health promotion principles and practices can enable action on sustainability.

Vitamin D Deficiency Awareness among African Migrant Women Residing in High-Rise Public Housing in Melbourne, Australia: A Qualitative Study

The aims of this study were: 1) to explore the individual perceptions, experience and understandings of vitamin D deficiency (VDD) amongst African migrant women residing in high-rise public housing, 2) to identify the most useful sources of information about VDD among this population, and 3) to document the barriers and enablers to addressing VDD. The Health Belief Model was used to guide the study. Convenience sampling was used with women living in particular high-rise public housing. Five focus group discussions were conducted (n=30). Thematic analysis was used to code and categorise the data to develop a deeper, conceptual understanding of the issue. We found that participants were aware of VDD and could identify the impacts that VDD had on their health. Barriers to addressing VDD included the womens: 1) living conditions in Australia, 2) risk of skin cancer, and 3) cultural roles in the family. The most positive strategy for preventing and addressing VDD was peer information sharing. This study has highlighted the significant need for health promotion strategies to combat VDD in this population. Future health promoting public health strategies for this population should encompass community based peer education programs. This study demonstrates the critical role of qualitative inquiry in gaining a deeper understanding of VDD in a particular migrant community. It is clear that this issue requires a coordinated solution that must involve the community themselves. Health care professionals must take into consideration the multiple barriers that exist to address VDD which is a significant public health issue.

Health and environmental impacts of a regional Australian Men's Shed program

There is a burgeoning field of literature that illustrates health promotion programs are beginning to address sustainability imperatives, however, there is limited empirical evidence demonstrating the impact of such programs on both human health and environmental sustainability. This study evaluated an Australian health promotion program that has an explicit health and environmental sustainability agenda; a men’s shed in inner regional Victoria.

“Let’s Face it”

“Let’s face it” is a triple entendre encapsulating the premise of this chapter: that media can be used as both curriculum and pedagogy in a tertiary educational context, enabling students to become critical consumers and producers of media in the pursuit of social justice and the promotion of health.

The cost of sustainability in higher education: staff and student views of a campus food culture

Purpose This study aims to investigate the sustainability of the food culture at Deakin University and to determine what the barriers to increasing the sustainability of food on the Burwood campus may be. Design/methodology/approach An online survey of staff and students from the Faculty of Health at the Burwood campus of Deakin University (n = 697) was undertaken. The survey included questions relating to eating habits on campus, views on the current food culture, food security, food disposal, visions for the future and demographic information. In addition, a short paper-based survey was developed for the ten food outlets on campus. Findings The results show that although sustainability considerations are important to staff and students, cost is the main issue and is a significant barrier to the development of a more sustainable food culture. It is also a significant barrier to staff and students making healthy choices when it comes to the purchase of food on campus. However, sustainable food initiatives such as community gardens could help alleviate this barrier and also contribute to improving student engagement. Research limitations/implications The online survey was limited to the Faculty of Health, and, therefore, a potential bias exists towards individuals who may have an interest in health. This should be considered when interpreting the results. Originality/value This research demonstrates that although cost may be a barrier to universities improving the sustainability of their food culture, there are other ways in which universities can create an environment that embraces sustainable food production to benefit both the environment and the university community.