Article Citation:

Michael P. O'Donnell (1986) Definition of Health Promotion. American Journal of Health Promotion: Premier Issue,
Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 4-5.

Publisher's Welcome
Definition of Health Promotion
Michael P. O'Donnell, M.B.A., M.P.H.
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Michael P. O'Donnell, M.B.A., M.P.H., is Publisher of the American Journal of Health Promotion and Director of Health
Promotion and Wellness at Beaumont Hospital, in Royal Oak, Michigan.

Cultural sensitivity in public health: defined and demystified.

(PMID:10355471)

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Resnicow K, Baranowski T, Ahluwalia JS, Braithwaite RL
Rollins School of Public Health of Emory University, Atlanta, Georgia 30322, USA. kresnic@sph.emory.edu
Ethnicity & Disease [1999, 9(1):10-21]
Type: Journal Article, Review, Research Support, U.S. Gov't, P.H.S.

Abstract

Highlight Terms
Gene Ontology(2)

There is consensus that health promotion programs should be culturally sensitive (CS). Yet,
despite the ubiquitous nature of CS within public health research and practice, there has
been surprisingly little attention given to defining CS or delineating a framework for
developing culturally sensitive programs and practitioners. This paper describes a model for
understanding CS from a public health perspective; describes a process for applying this
model in the development of health promotion and disease prevention interventions; and
highlights research priorities. Cultural sensitivity is defined by two dimensions: surface and
deep structures. Surface structure involves matching intervention materials and messages
to observable, "superficial" characteristics of a target population. This may involve using
people, places, language, music, food, locations, and clothing familiar to, and preferred by,
the target audience. Surface structure refers to how well interventions fit within a specific
culture. Deep structure involves incorporating the cultural, social, historical, environmental

and psychological forces that influence the target health behavior in the proposed target
population. Whereas surface structure generally increases the "receptivity" or "acceptance"
of messages, deep structure conveys salience. Techniques, borrowed from social marketing
and health communication theory, for developing culturally sensitive interventions are
described. Research is needed to determine the effectiveness of culturally sensitive
programs.

Social Science & Medicine

Volume 67, Issue 12, December 2008, Pages 20722078

The evolving concept of health literacy

Don Nutbeam,
Available online 25 October 2008

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doi:10.1016/j.socscimed.2008.09.050
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Abstract
The relationship between poor literacy skills and health status is now well recognized and
better understood. Interest in this relationship has led to the emergence of the concept of
health literacy. The concept has emerged from two different roots in clinical care and in

public health. This paper describes the two distinctive concepts that reflect health literacy,
respectively, as a clinical risk, or a personal asset. In the former case a strong science is
developing to support screening for poor literacy skills in clinical care and this is leading to a
range of changes to clinical practice and organization. The conceptualization of health
literacy as an asset has its roots in educational research into literacy, concepts of adult
learning, and health promotion. The science to support this conceptualization is less well
developed and is focused on the development of skills and capacities intended to enable
people to exert greater control over their health and the factors that shape health.
The paper concludes that both conceptualizations are important and are helping to stimulate
a more sophisticated understanding of the process of health communication in both clinical
and community settings, as well as highlighting factors impacting on its effectiveness. These
include more personal forms of communication and community based educational outreach.
It recommends improved interaction between researchers working within the two health
literacy perspectives, and further research on the measurement of health literacy. The paper
also emphasizes the importance of more general strategies to promote literacy, numeracy
and language skills in populations.

Keywords

Health literacy;

Health education;

Patient education;

Risk