Book on Health Promotion: Need for Public Health Activism.Release

By 1 2 1 News Reporter

Chandigarh 24^th  September:--- Health promotion is about strengthening of individuals' body constitution to reduce the chances of diseases occurrence.This approach attemps to create conditions conducive to promotion of healthful conditions.Health promotion requires action at various levels before disease onset to achieve optimum health for the masses. This approach entails honoring of the rights of the individuals to get what they deserve from the government for creation of healthy society. It also requires that individuals shoulder their responsibilities to exhibit healthy behavior. Health promotion efforts in the society have to be commensurate with the changing global scenario, with due attention paid to the local issues.

 

This book provides a comprehensive information on the subject at one place .The book contains six  sections each dealing with interesting and important aspects of health promotion . Present book contains only section I and II. Rest 4 sections will be released as volume II of the book later this year. The book contains wide array of issues pertaining to health promotion, e.g., theories, policies, legislations, government efforts, ethics, role of mass media, role of e-technology, health promotion at different ages, in different settings etc.  Contributors of the book include students and faculty from PGIMER and Panjab University Chandigarh. Some chapters have been contributed by students and faculty of other medical colleges. In particular, research work of our students has been drawn upon as original contributions for the chapters. Simple and lucid language makes reading enjoyable. It also contains the practical tips for self health care through various illustrations.

 

The idea of this book was conceived in 2006, when I was preparing the material for the 'First Short Course on Health Promotion' in our department.  It was a wonderful experience for me as the course- coordinator. Later, the second short course on Health Promotion was organized in the department, in 2008. The course material/ training manual used in the first course were further revised/refined.  This again paved the way (and strengthened my resolve) for bringing out the present book.

The book will certainly fill the void of postgraduate(PG) level writing in the discipline of Public Health ( also known by the names- Community Medicine/ Social & Preventive Medicine / Preventive & Social Medicine) . So far,  these subjects have been constrained by a serious lack of PG level books. Most of the  books are undergraduate (UG) level and that too not based on any original work of the authors. The book is expected to be of immense use for UG/ PG students as well as faculty of Public Health in medical colleges. Health administrators, policy makers and medical fraternity in diverse settings will also be benefited by the book. The book is priced at ~ $ 80 and is published by LAP, Germany.