Chapter 4 Health Promotion through the Lifespan
Chapter Overview
Key Issues and Learning Outcomes
Key issues within this chapter:- It is useful to take a lifespan approach to exploring health promotion needs and opportunities across the life course.
- Significant events in the life course vary according to the culture, ethnicity, class and the age cohort within which the person falls.
- Key influences on health such as family, social networks, social support, relationships, employment/income, health beliefs, access to health care and access to health information change during the life course.
- identify critical stages in the life course that influence health.
- appreciate the diversity and changing nature of life courses in society.
- recognize the opportunities that are presented for health promotion at different stages in the lifespan.
- use considerations of the lifespan and life course when planning health promotion interventions.
Test your Knowledge
Having read the chapter can you now answer the following questions?
- Explain the difference between the terms ‘lifespan’, ‘life course’, ‘life expectancy’ and ‘life events’.
- Identify at least four different ways in which a person’s life course can be grouped
- Discuss the changing role of the family during the life course and how this could impact on health promotion.
- Many people consider that the antenatal period provides important opportunities for health promotion. Explain why you agree or disagree with this statement.
- How do the physical and social dimensions of adolescence impact on behaviour and health in this age group?
- What is the benefit of promoting physical activity among 50-70-year-old people?
- What key steps are required before you can apply a lifespan approach to health promotion?
Internet Links
General guides
Child and Family Web Guide produced by Tufts University USA with a wide range of links to sites covering all aspects of child development.
http://www.cfw.tufts.edu/
Raising Kids- an entertaining guide to parenting issues. http://www.raisingkids.co.uk/dev/dev.asp
Child development website of the National Network for Child Care. http://cyfernet.ces.ncsu.edu/cyfdb/browse_2pageAnncc.php?subcat=Child+Development&search=NNCC&search_type=browse
Specific topics
Population projections for UK see National Statistics Office http://www.statistics.gov.uk/cci/nugget.asp?id=6
For a copy of the Holmes and Rahe scale for life events and stress see: http://www.geocities.com/beyond_stretched/holmes.htm
Website devoted to Piaget's Theory of Cognitive Development
http://chiron.valdosta.edu/whuitt/col/cogsys/piaget.html
Website of National Childbirth Trust the leading charity for pregnancy, birth and parenting in the UK
http://www.nct.org.uk/home
The Early Years Study was commissioned by the Government of Ontario. The study synthesizes evidence from neuroscience showing that most of the "wiring" in the human brain, which supports life-long learning, behaviour and health, is in place by the age of six. http://www.children.gov.on.ca/CS/en/programs/BestStart/Publications/EarlyYearsStudy.htm?printer=true
Adolescence. This site was produced by students taking 'HDFS 433: The Transition to Adulthood' and 'HDFS 239: Adolescent Development' at the Pennsylvania State University
http://www.oberlin.edu/faculty/ndarling/adolesce.htm
National Service Framework for Older People. London: Department of Health, 2001. http://www.aop.org.uk/uploaded_files/nsf-olderpersons.pdf
Articles
McDermott, L. J., Dobson, A. and Owen, N. (2006). 'From partying to parenthood: young women's perceptions of cigarette smoking across life transitions.' Health Education Research, 21, 428-439.
http://her.oxfordjournals.org/cgi/reprint/21/3/428
Gagnon, A. J. (2000). 'Individual or group antenatal education for childbirth/parenthood.' Cochrane .Database of Systematic Reviews., CD002869. http://www.mrw.interscience.wiley.com/cochrane/clsysrev/articles/CD002869/frame.html
'Early Languages Survey of Head Teachers.' National Literacy Trust and National Association of Head Teachers (2001. London: National Literacy Trust. http://www.literacytrust.org.uk/talktoyourbaby/survey.html
'Making the case: improving the health and wellbeing of people in mid-life and beyond.' London: Health Development Agency, 2003. http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502647
'Improving Health and Well-Being for People aged 50-65.'Scoping Exercise for East Midland region London: Health Development Agency, 2004. http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502755
Bowers, H., Secker, J., Llanes, M and Webb, D (2003). 'The gap years: rediscovering mid-life as a route to health active ageing.'London: Health Development Agency. http://www.nice.org.uk/page.aspx?o=502645
