new public health?
The New Public Health approach has been directly responsible for a shift in focus by our medical and health professionals. This focus is no longer simply curative but encompasses preventative health care (Note: It also recognises the importance of the role of health education, community participation and public health policy.) The NPHA promotes the reoirientation of health services towards primary prevention, i.e. all activities that are aimed at preventing the onset of illness or injury and to keep people healthy. Examples include the use of sunscreen and child immunisation programs. The approach stresses the need for reorienting health services (NB. Ottawa Charter action area). Examples of how health professionals and related servoces have re-oriented include increased funding for health promotion and research; pharmacists working with community health centres to engage the local population in more preventative strategies or GPs working in childcare centres to promote immunisation. T
