Abstract
Objective
Still in its early stages, much work remains to be done in terms of the health promotion of older people in Poland. The aim of this paper is to present the current state of health promotion in older people in Poland on the basis of research conducted within the framework of the healthPROelderly project, presenting the state of health promotion in older people after 1989, and to provide practical recommendations for future interventions.
Methods
(1) Content analysis of scientific and popular publications; (2) document analysis of policy papers; (3) review of existing Polish health promotion programs; (4) program case studies; (5) SWOT analysis of the state of health promotion in Poland.
Results
In the past 10 years, in terms of planning and realization, efforts aimed at health promotion in older people were only sporadically realized. There were no macrostructural programs targeting this age group nor was this an element of national health policy. Only a small number of health promotion programs targeting older people were found.
Conclusions
There should be a renewed focus on health promotion, as opposed to preventing disease. Health promotion campaigns should target those with a decreased awareness of their health needs, with improvement in health status being based on increasing this awareness. In an effort to develop more health-conscious attitudes and behaviors in older age, health promotion initiatives should also be marketed to pre-retirement aged individuals.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bik B, Przewoźniak L (2006) Health Promotion in older people—theoretical perspective and assessment of actual status. (Promocja zdrowia ludzi w wieku starszym—założenia teoretyczne oraz ocena realizacji). In: Szczerbińska K (ed) Dostępność opieki zdrowotnej i pomocy społecznej dla osób starszych w Polsce. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków, pp 111–126
Bowling A (2002) Research methods in health. Investigating health and health service. Open University Press, Buckingham
Concise Statistical Yearbook of Poland (2007) Zakład Wydawnictw Statystycznych, Warszawa
Dean K, Holstein BE (1991) Health promotion among elderly. In: Badura B, Kickbusch J (eds) Health promotion research. Toward a new social epidemiology. WHO Regional Publications, Europe Series 37, Copenhagen
Durda R, Kozioł D, Kuźmicz M, Piątek M (2006) Older man, older woman (Starszy Pan, Starsza Pani). Niebieska Linia 6:17–20
Emmons KM (2000) Health behaviors in a social context. In: Berkman LF, Kawachi I (eds) Social epidemiology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, pp 242–266
Goryński P, Wojtyniak B, Kuszewski K (eds) (2005) Monitoring the effects of the National Health Program for 1996–2005. (Monitoring oczekiwanych efektów realizacji Narodowego Programu Zdrowia 1996–2005). Państwowy Zakład Higieny, Warszawa
Halicka M, Pędich W (1996) The activity of the mutual aid group and its influence on the change of thinking of the elderly—the Białystok study. (Wpływ działalności grupy samopomocowej na zmianę świadomości seniorów—studium w Białymstoku). Gerontol Pol 4:47–51
Halicka M, Pędich W (1997) Mutual aid activity of the elderly. (Działania samopomocowe ludzi starszych). Akademia Medyczna w Białymstoku, Białystok
Halik J (ed) (2002) Older people in Poland. Social and health consequences of ageing. (Starzy ludzie w Polsce. Społeczne i zdrowotne skutki starzenia się społeczeństwa). Instytut Spraw Publicznych, Warszawa
Kozdroń E (2006) Organizing physical fitness activities for older women resident in cities. (Zorganizowana rekreacja ruchowa kobiet w starszym wieku w środowisku miejskim). Wydawnictwo AWF, Warszawa
Kuszewski K, Gericke C (2005) Health system in transition: Poland. WHO Regional Office for Europe on behalf of the European Observatory on Health Systems and Policies, Copenhagen
Last JM (2001) A dictionary of epidemiology. Oxford University Press, Oxford, p 83
Milewicz A, Jędrzejuk D, Bolanowski M (2003) Project Women II. (Projekt Women II). Prz Menopauzalny 5:71–72
Nummela O, Sulander T, Rahkonen O, Uutela A (2008) Associations of self-rated health with different forms of leisure activities among ageing people. Int J Public Health 53:227–235
Ostrowska A (2000) Social determinants of health-related behaviour. (Społeczne czynniki warunkujące zachowania prozdrowotne-bilans dekady). Promoc Zdr Społecz Med 19:46–65
Ottawa Charter for Health Promotion (1986) World Health Organization, Geneva
Rajewska-Twardowska J (2006) Short programme of the rehabilitation of seniors for minimizing balance disturbances. (Krótki program usprawniania seniorów w celu minimalizowania zaburzeń równowagi). Gerontol Pol 14:41–45
Richard L, Gauvin L, Gosselin C, Ducharme F, Sapinski J, Trudel M (2008) Integrating the ecological approach in health promotion for older adults: a survey of programmes aimed at elder abuse prevention, falls prevention, and appropriate medication use. Int J Public Health 53:42–52
Sadowski Z (1994) Health promotion—chances and necessity (Promocja zdrowia—szansa i Konieczność). Promoc Zdr Społecz Med 3–4:15–35
Słońska Z (2000) Health promotion in Poland, system solutions and reality (Promocja zdrowia w Polsce. Rozwiązania systemowe a rzeczywistość). Promoc Zdr Społecz Med 19:18–33
Słońska Z (2005) Increasing the effectiveness of health education in society as well as health promotion efforts. In: Goryński P, Wojtyniak B, Kuszewski K (eds) Monitoring the effects of the National Health Program for 1996–2005 (Monitoring oczekiwanych efektów realizacji Narodowego Programu Zdrowia 1996–2005). Państwowy Zakład Higieny, Warszawa, pp 105–115
Szczerbińska K, Stanach-Pajewska K (2006) Accessibility of health promotion programs for older people (Dostępność działań z zakresu promocji zdrowia dla osób starszych). In: Szczerbińska K (ed) Dostępność opieki zdrowotnej i pomocy społecznej dla osób starszych w Polsce. Wydawnictwo Uniwersytetu Jagiellońskiego, Kraków, pp 142–148
Szukalski P (2002) Ageing process in the context of justice and intergenerational equality (Proces starzenia się ludności a sprawiedliwość i równość międzypokoleniowa). In: Kowaleski JT, Szukalski P (eds) Needs and challenges of an aging society (Proces starzenia się ludności—potrzeby i wyzwania). Wydawnictwo Biblioteka, Łódź, pp 9–18
Tokarz B (ed) (2003) Golden Age Atlas. (Atlas Złotego wieku). Akademia Rozwoju Filantropii w Polsce, Warszawa
Tokarz B (ed) (2004) Count us in! Seniors in the EU. (My też. Seniorzy w Unii Europejskiej). Akademia Rozwoju Filantropii w Polsce, Warszawa
Tokarz B (ed) (2005) Stop ageism (Stop dyskryminacji ze względu na wiek). Akademia Rozwoju Filantropii w Polsce, Warszawa
Tokarz B (ed) (2006) Integrating generations. (Łączymy pokolenia). Akademia Rozwoju Filantropii w Polsce, Warszawa
WHO (2002) Active ageing. A policy framework. World Health Organization, Madrid
Woynarowska B (2000) National Health Program in Poland 1987–2000. Genesis, history, evolution of concept and possibilities of realisation. (Narodowy Program Zdrowia w Polsce 1987–2000. Geneza, historia, ewolucja koncepcji i możliwości realizacji). Promoc Zdr Społecz Med 19:34–45
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Tobiasz-Adamczyk, B., Brzyska, M., Woźniak, B. et al. The current state and challenges for the future of health promotion in Polish older people. Int J Public Health 54, 341–348 (2009). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-0054-6
Received:
Revised:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00038-009-0054-6