Changing health policies

 Health promotion campaigns have the ability to affect policy change in various ways. Since health promotion campaigns and health policy affect whole communities, it is necessary to understand the needs and capabilities of each community and organization that could be affected by new health policies.

 

 

 The first step in determining new policies that could be developed to enhance a new health promotion program is to determine community and organizational readiness for policy development (Aratani, Schwarz, & Skinner, 2011). For example, if looking to implement a new oral health promotion program, it is necessary to analyze current research that will show the need for oral health promotion as well as new health policy. For example, research could show that it is necessary to address oral health because current data states that tooth decay and gum disease affecting over 80% of schoolchildren world-wide (Mitchell, 2006). New health policies that could be developed to address this need would have to take into account the readiness and support of families, as well as the readiness and support of project partners such as local dental offices, local schools, and local after-school programs. New health policies all of the factors mentioned above in order to be successful and have a positive influence on local communities.

 Once community and organizational readiness and support has been established in support of a new health policy, it is necessary to identify the goals of the health promotion campaign that can be assisted by the creation of new health policies (Aratani, Schwarz, & Skinner, 2011). For example, if a new oral health promotion program had the goal of decreasing the percentage of children affected by dental caries, then any new policies must address this issue directly. Research shows that a primary cause of dental caries is excessive consumption of sugary, starchy, or acidic foods or drinks (Mitchell, 2006). Therefore, an effective new health policy that could aid in reaching the goals of the new oral health promotion program would address eliminating or limiting the consumption of sugary foods and drinks.

New policies to support health promotion programs much incorporate local community infrastructure. For example, targeting and incorporating local schools could ensure maximum participation and compliance with policies and programs aimed at improving oral health among children. This is because schools provide an important setting for promoting oral health, as they reach over 1 billion children worldwide (Mitchell, 2006). This policy could also be coupled with providing a healthy snack, such as a free piece of fruit, daily in schools. In Norway, providing a free piece of fruit or a vegetable has been found to be an effective strategy to increase schoolchildren’s intake of fruits and vegetables and promote better oral health and better health in general (Bere, Veierod, & Klepp, 2005).

 

Aratani, Y., Schwarz, S.W., & Skinner, C. (2011). The economic impact of adolescent health promotion policies and programs. Adolescent Medicine: State of the Art Reviews, 22(3), 367-86.

Bere, E., Veierod, M. B., & Klepp, K. I. (2005). The Norwegian school fruit programme: Evaluating paid vs. no cost subscriptions. Preventive Medicine, 41. 463-470.  

 Mitchell, H. L. (2006). Sweeteners and sugar alternatives in food technology. Ames, IA: Wiley-Blackwell Publishing.