Why health promotion matters to the COVID-19 pandemic, and vice versa

Abstract

At the time I am writing this editorial, the world is overwhelmed by the pandmic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. In a desperate attempt to contain the further spread of the virus and the diffusion of the COVID-19 disease it causes, governments across the world have taken measures that are unprecedented. Entire cities, regions and countries are sealed off, travel is banned, schools and universities are closed, shops are running out of stocks, and all economic, cultural and social activities have come to a stop. Never before in modern history has a health problem had such an overwhelming impact on society. Health (or rather the threat of ill health) has become the prevailing concern that takes precedence over all others issues, making health in all policies become a reality, albeit not in the way it was intended.At first sight, this pandemic and the world's response to it seems far removed from the health promotion perspectives we publish and that the International Union for Health Promotion and Education advocates for. When all hands are called on deck to prevent a contagious virus from spreading and to reinforce hospital staff facing a tsunami of patients suffering from a potentially deadly disease, there seems to be little need for specialists whose expertise lies at the other end of the continuum of care spectrum (Springer and Phillips, 2006). The real war heroes in the battle against the CoV-2 virus are virologists, epidemiologists, doctors and nurses, and even if many of the actions taken serve a preventative purpose, their focus is on the prevention of disease, not on promoting health.Yet on the other hand, many of the measures that are now taken to prevent citizens and health workers from getting infected imply a change of behaviour. Hand washing, wearing face masks and protective gloves and 'social distancing' (which should really be termed 'spatial distancing') are all forms of human behaviour. As the expertise with regard to health behaviour change is

Impact of the COVID-19 virus outbreak on movement and play behaviours of Canadian children and youth: A national survey

“…To prevent the unintended unhealthy behaviour consequences of COVID-19 restrictions and 'stay home' advice, health promotion messaging needs to be balanced with disease prevention messaging. 26 With attentive and responsible spatial and temporal distancing a healthy marriage of "stay home" and "get outside and play" is achievable.…”

Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Health Literacy Research Around the World: More Important Than Ever in a Time of COVID-19

“…Health literacy should be built deliberately as a population-level resource and community asset. We have summarized the set of articles in this special issue across the levels of the SEM, hoping their thoughtful considerations and interesting findings will help to support global health and wellness and inspire future research, policy, and practice in this global public health emergency and beyond.As we write this special issue editorial in the midst of the global health threat of COVID-19, individual, community, and population health literacy are more important than ever [3][4][5][6][7]. Personal health behaviors, family relationships, organizational actions, state policy, national mortality statistics, and the international economy have changed in the span of weeks because of decision-making influenced by, and influencing, health literacy.…”

“…Personal health behaviors, family relationships, organizational actions, state policy, national mortality statistics, and the international economy have changed in the span of weeks because of decision-making influenced by, and influencing, health literacy. Critical health literacy and digital health literacy are urgently needed by both the citizenry and policy makers to synthesize, analyze, and appraise the vast amount of urgent, complex, and even conflicting information from virologists, epidemiologists, data modelers, doctors, nurses, health departments, and the media [3,[5][6][7]. Health literacy capacities allow us to be well-informed about risks, resources, and recommendations and, ideally, to act in solidarity-based behaviors to achieve public health [3,4,7].…”

“…Critical health literacy and digital health literacy are urgently needed by both the citizenry and policy makers to synthesize, analyze, and appraise the vast amount of urgent, complex, and even conflicting information from virologists, epidemiologists, data modelers, doctors, nurses, health departments, and the media [3,[5][6][7]. Health literacy capacities allow us to be well-informed about risks, resources, and recommendations and, ideally, to act in solidarity-based behaviors to achieve public health [3,4,7]. It is increasingly clear that social responsibility and solidarity may be key outcomes of health literacy, helping to combat decisions and policies that go against current COVID-19 evidence and best practice public health guidelines [4].…”

“…As we write this special issue editorial in the midst of the global health threat of COVID-19, individual, community, and population health literacy are more important than ever [3][4][5][6][7]. Personal health behaviors, family relationships, organizational actions, state policy, national mortality statistics, and the international economy have changed in the span of weeks because of decision-making influenced by, and influencing, health literacy.…”