Centre for Health Promotion Research (CHPR)

On October 17, 2012, our Centre published a Supplement that features nine research papers from various countries on a range of population health interventions. The table of contents can be accessed through the Canadian Journal of Public Health. For background information on the Supplement, please see our project page.

We are now the Centre for Health Promotion Research (previously the Centre for Population Health Promotion Research). We still conduct research on population health and health promotion. The name was changed to remove any confusion with the School of Population and Public Health, which we are also a part of.

“…respect for oneself, understanding and compassion for others, and a sense of responsibility for the world, its citizens and its future.”

I love this quote because to me, empathy really does encompass the self, others, and society as a whole. It is not about one over the others. The quote reflects what the Roots of Empathy program is about. In the book, Mary Gordon describes the program that is delivered through the school system – Roots of Empathy lessons are centred around a baby brought into the classroom over multiple sessions as the baby grows.

I do have a certain degree of empathy, but I wonder if it could have been more developed had I been enrolled in the Roots of Empathy program as a kid and learned to be more accepting of myself and of others. Unfortunately, I was not raised in an accepting environment at home or at school. It definitely has its effects, but I am hopeful that as an adult, I will do what I can to become more empathic.

I like puppies.  Puppies are fun. They are good for your health.  Getting a puppy is up there with exercise and meditation. Evidence shows puppies provide social support, stress relief and health benefits (Evenson, 2005).  You don’t have to pick up after a personal trainer; but, puppies yield more health benefits than people. Puppies can improve your mood. Men with AIDS were less likely to be depressed if they had a pet. Puppies keep secrets, cuddle and reduce loneliness. Elderly folks report less loneliness when visited by dogs. Puppies provide companionship and promote exercise.  Puppies are also a “mate magnet”.  This helps to reduce stress because people who like puppies are nicer.  Puppies can also control your blood pressure. Stockbrokers who got pets had lower blood pressure.  Doing a hard task is less stressful if you are accompanied by a puppy.  Owning a puppy isn’t for everyone (just nice people).

Adapted from Evenson RJ, Simon RW. Clarifying the Relationship Between Parenthood and Depression. Journal of Health and Social Behavior. December 2005.

October is Health Literacy Month. It is a call for action to improve health literacy.

In Canada, 60% of adults have low levels of health literacy (Canadian Council on Learning, 2008). Sadly, that’s a lot of people.

The most common suggestion for improving health literacy is to communicate health information in plain language. Yet, plain language is the minimum when it comes to health literacy. What other actions can improve health literacy? It helps to think of health literacy as involving: 1) a flow of information; and 2) a set of skills.

Health literacy involves a flow of information from a source (for example, a pamphlet or a doctor) to a recipient (for example, a patient). Plain language, like many other health literacy interventions, focuses on modifying characteristics of the source. While these are important, interventions that focus on the recipient in terms of skills are far fewer. Every recipient possesses a set of health literacy skills (which may change over time). We can and should increase health literacy skills in individuals as well.

These skills should be transferable across contexts. That means that my skills in finding, understanding, evaluating, and communicating health information can be used whether I’m looking for information on diabetes on the Internet, reading a pamphlet on nutrition handed out to me at a health fair, or telling my doctor about my latest health problem.

People generally learn these skills by trial and error, by following an example, or they never learn them. Wouldn’t it be great to have planned efforts to teach health literacy skills? There are several logical points of entry for teaching health literacy skills. One point of entry is the school system. Teach transferable health literacy skills so students have the capacity to acquire health knowledge in the future as adults, when they are no longer required to attend classes to learn. Other points of entry are adult basic education classes (e.g., for those who didn’t finish high school) and ESL (English as Second Language) classes. (For everyone else – adults who finished high school and who aren’t immigrants – the likelihood of a health literacy class being offered or open to them is probably slim. For this latter group, the more likely point of entry is the source of information. Characteristics of the source can be modified, such as using plain language and training health professionals about health literacy.)

Teaching transferable health literacy skills empowers people and helps them develop self-efficacy to be an active part of the exchange of health information. Plain language is the minimum. Empowerment is the guiding principle. Understanding is the goal. Better health is the outcome.

Reference:

Canadian Council on Learning (2008). Health Literacy in Canada: A Healthy Understanding. Ottawa, Ontario: Canadian Council on Learning.