Health is a dynamic concept that is often perceived from a deficit standpoint—such as the loss of quality of life, illness, or risk factors. However, disease prevention and health promotion are primary care strategies that regard health as a positive concept, concentrating on the factors that contribute to it.
Depending on the level of intervention, their implementation can enhance the health status of the population in the short, medium, or long term. But are prevention and health promotion the same thing? Let’s delve into the nuances that differentiate them.
Health promotion
The World Health Organization (WHO) stated in the Ottawa Charter (1986) that health promotion is a global political and social process that encompasses actions aimed at strengthening the skills and capacities of individuals and communities. This charter comprises three fundamental strategies:
• Health advocacy to create essential conditions for well-being.
• Facilitating and encouraging individuals to reach their full health potential.
• Mediating between conflicting interests within society.
Health promotion activities are carried out by national health systems, with various programmes implemented at the regional level to support these efforts. Examples of health promotion actions include public awareness campaigns on different health issues and various health education initiatives.
Health prevention
In 1988, the WHO defined health prevention as “measures aimed not only at preventing the onset of disease, such as the reduction of risk factors, but also at halting its progression and mitigating its consequences once established.” There are three levels of prevention: primary, secondary, and tertiary. Each level involves specific actions that contribute to controlling the disease and its effects at different stages of its natural progression.
An example of a health prevention measure is the implementation of vaccination programmes specifically designed to prevent infectious and contagious childhood diseases, such as measles, whooping cough, rubella, and poliomyelitis, among others.
Prevention and health promotion policies
The Ministry of Health of the Government of Spain has developed a Health Promotion and Prevention Strategy within the National Health System (NHS). This strategy includes initiatives focused on promoting health, creating healthy environments, and encouraging healthy lifestyles, such as physical activity, reducing sedentary behaviour, improving diet, and preventing alcohol and tobacco consumption. It also addresses health equity, local and community health, and provides information on various networks working to improve public health.
Biow in the prevention and promotion of health
Biow is deeply committed to prevention and health promotion through initiatives designed to raise awareness about the importance of maintaining health and self-care. Additionally, its device offers a non-invasive preventive health care system that transforms a physical space into an environment conducive to cell regeneration. It achieves this by eliminating viruses, bacteria, and numerous other nanoparticles, thereby enhancing overall health and well-being.