Students’ oppinion on their role in public health and the prevention of risk factors

Abstract

The adopted National Concept "Health Objectives 2014-2020" sets out the main public health priorities that are aimed at improving the health of the population, including vulnerable groups exposed to risk factors. The most recent publications of our authors (V. Borisov, T. Vodenicharov, 2017) address key issues in public health and offer innovative approaches and strategies to actively involve the responsible institutions in the implementation of modern health policy. They determine the risk factor as "such a sign or element of a person's living environment (climate, season, residence, diet, stress, harmful habits, etc.) that creates a probable chance of one or another disease occurring. The scientific literature describes the following behavioral risk factors: Smoking; Alcoholism; Drug addictions; Motor inactivation; Irrational eating; Stress; Risky sexual behavior; Drug dependence. Under Bulgarian law, health professionals have the right to work independently or in a team and to carry out the preventive activities, the regulations for which are published by Ordinance 1 of 2011. The aim of this report is to present the opinion of modern health professionals (rehabilitation students and medical laboratory assistants) about their competences and autonomous role in public health and on the prevention of behavioral risk factors. Material and methods: survey studies, analysis of educational and normative documentation, review of scientific literature. Results and Discussion: Analyzes of the conducted studies show that future healthcare professionals are aware of behavioral risk factors and have competence to carry out a range of activities (on prescription, team and self) focused on curative, prophylactic, promotional and rehabilitation care and events for the patient, regulated by Legislative 1 Professional Activities from 2011. A high proportion of those surveyed determined stress as the most hazardous daily risk factor. Researchers offer different strategies with more than 2 stress-management activities. More than half of them are clearly aware of their role in public health. Conclusions and conclusion. Healthcare professionals are a major resource for the implementation of preventive activities in the field of public health. In the current conditions, the emergence of integrated professional fields requires improvement of health promotion competencies in areas such as health tourism, management, care for the elderly and others.