A future task for health-promotion research: Integration of health promotion and sustainable development

Abstract

Based on previous studies and reflections collected from participants in a workshop at the 8th Nordic Health Promotion Research Network conference, we reveal current tendencies and discuss future challenges for health-promotion research regarding integration of sustainable development principles. Despite obvious interfaces and interactions between the two, our contention is that strategies for health promotion are not sufficiently integrated with strategies for sustainable development and that policies aimed at solving health or sustainability problems may therefore cause new, undesired and unforeseen environmental and health problems. As illustrated in previous research and as deliberated in the above-mentioned workshop, a number of barriers are identified. These are believed to be related to historical segregation, the conceptual understandings of health promotion and sustainable development, as well as the politics and implementation of policy goals in both areas. Three focal points are proposed as important challenges to address in future research: (a) the duality of health promotion and sustainability and how it can be handled in order to enhance mutually supportive processes between them; (b) the social dimension of sustainability and how it can be strengthened in the development of strategies for health promotion and sustainable development; and

Curitiba Statement on Health Promotion and Equity: voices from people concerned with global inequities

“…However, Jelsøe et al (2018) warn us that 'despite obvious interfaces and interactions between the two, our contention is that strategies for health promotion are not sufficiently integrated with strategies for sustainable development and that policies aimed at solving health or sustainability problems may therefore cause new, undesired and unforeseen environmental and health problems'.…”

Health

“…Sustainable development aims at a new normative horizon and implies a paradigm shift from a form of development based on inequality and the super exploration of natural resources and environmental services to one requiring new forms of responsibility, solidarity, and accountability (Shiva 2005;Jelsøe et al 2018).…”

“…Furthermore, they both called for new policy styles, new actor constellations, and radical new forms of addressing positive health and ecosystem development (Almlund and Holm 2015). Both regimes pose challenges to existing policy structures and systems if they are to be implemented according to how they are framed as policy regimes in the international contexts of the different UN organizations (Jelsøe et al 2018).…”

“…With that reconceptualization, health promotion can be understood and discussed in its expanded relationship with the idea of sustainable development. Within that domain of understanding, health problems become a shared social responsibility that moves beyond the responsibility of the individual (Pedersen et al 2015;Jelsøe et al 2018).…”