Conducting a rapid health promotion audit in suburban Adelaide, South Australia: Can it contribute to revitalising health promotion?

ISSUES ADDRESSED

How health promotion is implemented varies and it is often not clear what activities are in place in a region. Understanding the extent of health promotion activities helps planning activities.

METHODS

This research involved a rapid audit of the types of health promotion activities in a suburban region of South Australia. This analysis was guided by the WHO Ottawa Charter's principles. To better understand population needs and which health promoting activities may help, an epidemiological, demographic and social determinants of health profile of southern Adelaide described disease patterns and health inequities.

RESULTS

While there was evidence of a range of health promoting activities, most concerned individual or behavioural services. A key finding was the small number of activities that the state health department and local health system were responsible for. Alongside local government, NGOs provided the bulk of health promotion activities. In addition, there were no overarching health promotion strategies or coordinating bodies to evaluate the activities. The epidemiological, demographic and social determinants of health profile found persistent health and social inequities.

CONCLUSION

This rapid audit of health promotion in a region enabled a quick assessment of the current health promotion situation and provided evidence of gaps and areas where policy change should be advocated. SO WHAT?: The key findings distilled from this research were designed to inform policy priorities to shift health promotion in southern Adelaide onto a trajectory consistent with the Ottawa Charter and prevent further focus on individualised behaviour change strategies known as 'lifestyle drift'.

Facilitating an early career transition pathway to community nursing: A Delphi Policy Study

Aim

To further develop and validate a new model of the early career transition pathway in the speciality of community nursing.

Design

Delphi policy approach, guided by a previous systematic review and semi-structured interviews.

Methods

Four rounds of an expert panel (N = 19). Rounds one, two and four were questionnaires consisting of a combination of closed (Likert response) and open-ended questions. Round three comprised of a focus group conducted using virtual meeting technology.

Results

The final model demonstrated reliable and valid measures. There were deficiencies in "pre-entry"-where the marketing of community nursing was negligible and the support around orientation informal and minimal, mainly due to tight budgetary concerns. Community practice holds a whole new dimension for nurses transitioning from acute care as the concept of "knowing your community" took time and support-time to be accepted reciprocally and develop a sense of belonging to the community.