From the time the Ottawa Charter of Health Promotion was founded through its guiding ideas on health promotion theory and practice, maintaining harmony, boosting people’s autonomy, and putting people in control of their health to date. Wilberg et al. (2021) researched to prove if the other healthcare workers within the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) section subscribed to and appreciated the Ottawa Charter. This critique will analyze the subjects, and from there, it will give input that can help provide insight into the strengths and faults of the research. Also, the critique should deal with how the research advances health promotion in nursing practice.
The research was conducted by Wilberg et al. (2021) to evaluate the perception of relevance and the application of the Ottawa summary of health promotion among the European Public Health Association (EPHA)’s health professionals within the health promotion section. The study wanted to determine whether the Ottawa Charter’s implementation in health promotion at the European level is well-formed regarding its action areas. Data were gathered from health promoters within this region using a survey research method. Through this route, we assessed their views on the action areas of the Ottawa Charter and if there are regional differences in their application and implementation. The challenges and limitations encountered in this approach were also explored. The study’s findings varied among respondents, generalizing the different involvement areas as per the Ottawa Charter, where the personal and private behavior elements, including knowledge and skills, were frequently reported as opposed to other components. Differences between North-Europeans and those from outside Europe were observed concerning usage frequency, which was higher. Difficulty defined is the absence of the true establishment of health promotion in Europe, paving the way for shortcomings in implementing health promotion initiatives. These results help clarify today’s health promotion practice’s condition and suggest potential improvement areas within the European workspace.
While it is of utmost importance to analyze the theoretical framework of Wilberg et al. (2021) in their research, the Ottawa Charter could be considered the comprehensive and recognized theory of health promotion initiatives. It stresses the significance of interdisciplinary cooperation, promoting areas run by the neighborhood and developing neighborhoods that support health(Tørslev et al. 2021). Notwithstanding the Ottawa Charter as the main theoretical framework, its application could be advanced, having not probably fully integrated more prominent theoretical approaches such as the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, which would offer a better understanding and analysis of health promotion practices. As for the methodology, the survey strategy demonstrated by the researchers stands up to the criticism. First, the strategy covers representatives from a large group of health promotion specialists who belong to EUPHA. Despite this, though, these limitations might have affected the validity, including the depth of the research, as well due to the response biases and the fact that data were not collected using qualitative data methods.
Using the findings of Wilberg et al. (2021), the different opinions concerning the applicability and the use of Ottawa Charter action areas among the health professionals within the European Public Health Association (EUPHA) are revealed. Developing personal competencies and skills was the most widespread; however, regional diversification implies disproportions across Europe in health promotion campaign implementation(Wilberg et al. 2021). The variance in different regions also points to the need for sectoral methods of promoting context-specific good health. As such, nursing practice varies depending on specific health priorities within the respective geographical contexts. Indeed, the report stresses the efforts to promote health with limited resources in Europe, but this requires breaking down the barriers and forming cross-sectoral collaboration to enhance public health issues.
This research study by Wilberg et al. (2021) should have various effects on nursing performance. Another main point is that the inclusion of research findings into the nursing education program must dominate the curriculum by emphasizing the four action areas, and it should promote the practical understanding of health promotion strategies. Further, I would include in the nursing practice guidelines advocating for interagency collaboration, proposing policy changes, and getting everyone involved in health prevention programs(Massi et al. 2021). Innovative strategies promise to produce a larger effect of decreasing the differences between regions, which should be a subject of common inquiry for future research. Furthermore, strategies to increase the implementation of health promotion actions should focus on capacity-building among healthcare workers, involvement of policymakers in the process, and the use of modern technology for strengthened communication across wider audiences in the field of health promotion.
In conclusion, the criticism of the study by Wilberg et al. (2021) already helps to understand how the Ottawa Charter action areas are used by and perceived by health professionals in Europe. As part of the evaluation, the strengths and weaknesses of the research study’s theoretical framework, research methods, and findings were considered, along with suggestions for practical implications for nursing practice. As the analysis presents a snapshot of the current health promotion activities, it likewise invites a delve into awareness-raising activities to identify where knowledge is weak and develop health promotion initiatives more effectively. Thus, the study essentially signifies the Ottawa Charter’s value in helping formulate health promotion strategies that are specific in dealing with current health problems and shaping the nursing practice. The Ottawa Charter remains a symbol for holistic health and well-being promotion approaches by stressing the relevance of horizontal and vertical collaboration, showing the community the way forward, and putting effort into policy development. The fact that it still governs medical professionals, policymakers, and communities now clearly shows that the public health agenda is a thing that always remains on their to-do list. Hence, population health statistics regularly improve.
References
Massi, L., Hickey, S., Maidment, S. J., Roe, Y., Kildea, S., Nelson, C., & Kruske, S. (2021). Improving interagency service integration of the Australian Nurse-Family Partnership Program for First Nations women and babies: a qualitative study. International journal for equity in health, 20, 1-15.https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-021-01519-x
Tørslev, M. K., Andersen, P. T., Nielsen, A. V., Petri, M., Termansen, T., Vardinghus-Nielsen, H., … & Bloch, P. (2021). Tingbjerg Changing Diabetes: a protocol for a long-term Supersetting initiative to promote health and prevent type 2 diabetes among people living in an ethnically and socioeconomically diverse neighborhood in Copenhagen, Denmark. BMJ open, 11(9), e048846.https://bmjopen.bmj.com/content/11/9/e048846.abstract
Wilberg, A., Saboga-Nunes, L., & Stock, C. (2021). Are we there yet? Use of the Ottawa Charter action areas in the perspective of European health promotion professionals. Journal of Public Health, 29, 1-7.https://doi.org/10.1007/s10389-019-01108-x
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