Risk behaviour: Specific forms of behaviour which are proven to be associated with increased susceptibility to a specific disease or ill-health. Reference: modified definition Risk behaviours are usually defined as “risky” on the basis of epidemiological or other social data. Changes in risk behaviour are major goals of disease prevention, and traditionally health education has… Read More

Re-orienting health services: Health services re-orientation is characterized by a more explicit concern for the achievement of population health outcomes in the ways in which the health system is organized and funded. This must lead to a change of attitude and organization of health services, which focuses on the needs of the individual as a… Read More

Personal skills: See life skills Source: Health Promotion Glossary (1998), WHO/HPR/HEP/98.1

Partnership for health promotion: A partnership for health promotion is a voluntary agreement between two or more partners to work cooperatively towards a set of shared health outcomes. Reference: new definition Such partnerships may form a part of intersectoral collaboration for health, or be based on alliances for health promotion. Such partnerships may be limited… Read More

Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion: See Health Promotion (section I) Source: Health Promotion Glossary (1998), WHO/HPR/HEP/98.1

Network: A grouping of individuals, organizations and agencies organized on a nonhierarchical basis around common issues or concerns, which are pursued proactively and systematically, based on commitment and trust. Reference: new definition WHO actively initiates and maintains several health promotion networks around key settings and issues. These include, for example, the intersectoral healthy cities network,… Read More

Mediation: In health promotion, a process through which the different interests (personal, social, economic) of individuals and communities, and different sectors (public and private) are reconciled in ways that promote and protect health. Reference: new definition Producing change in people’s lifestyles and living conditions inevitably produces conflicts between the different sectors and interests in a… Read More

Living conditions: Living conditions are the everyday environment of people, where they live, play and work. These living conditions are a product of social and economic circumstances and the physical environment – all of which can impact upon health – and are outside of the immediate control of the individual. Reference: modified definition The Ottawa… Read More

Lifestyle (lifestyles conducive to health): Lifestyle is a way of living based on identifiable patterns of behaviour which are determined by the interplay between an individual’s personal characteristics, social interactions, and socioeconomic and environmental living conditions. Reference: modified definition These patterns of behaviour are continually interpreted and tested out in different social situations and are… Read More

Life skills: Life skills are abilities for adaptive and positive behaviour, that enable individuals to deal effectively with the demands and challenges of everyday life. Reference: Life skills education in schools. WHO, Geneva, 1993 Life skills consist of personal, inter-personal, cognitive and physical skills which enable people to control and direct their lives, and to… Read More