ABSTRACT
Concepts of health 13 The influences on health 15 What is health promotion? 16 Salutogenesis: a holistic approach to health promotion in midwifery? 18 Needs in health promotion 19 The aims of health promotion 21 Summary of key points 22 References 23 Further reading 24
Midwives are, by their very nature, promoters of health. Health promotion is not an extended role of the midwife but a core competency. As the lead professional for most of the care provided by the maternity services in the UK, the midwife is in an ideal position to extend support to pregnant and delivered women and their families, and to provide a service that helps parents to access information and use it effectively to nurture the health of their family. They also have an important role in bringing to public attention those health issues that are beyond the scope of individuals to change, such as social and environmental factors. These factors have major implications in undermining health and require community action in order to improve public health for everyone. This chapter, using relevant evidence, looks at the concepts and influences on health and the needs and goals of health promotion. In addition the holistic approach of salutogenesis is discussed and applied to a midwifery context.
