Kaanu

Title

Empowerment in the field of health promotion: recognizing challenges in working toward equity

Creator

Berry, Nicole S.

Murphy, Jill

Coser, Larissa

Date

2014

Subject

health

empowerment

equity

health equity

social determinants

inequity

power

Identifier

doi:10.1177/1757975914528725

issn:1757-9759

Source

Original source

Is Part Of

Global Health Promotion

Publisher

SAGE Publications

Abstract

Over the last 25 years, the language of empowerment has been woven into the guiding missions and descriptions of institutions, funding and projects globally. Although theoretical understandings of empowerment within the domain of health promotion remain contentious, we have little idea of how a shift toward an empowerment agenda has affected the daily work of those in the field of health promotion. A systematic examination of the implementation of the empowerment agenda is important as it can help us understand how redistributive agendas are received within the multiple institutional contexts in which health promotion work is carried out. The goal of this study, therefore, was to try to understand the empowerment agenda within the context of everyday health promotion. We conducted semi-structured interviews with health promoters from a variety of geographical regions, institutional backgrounds, and job capacities. Essentially we found that empowerment remains conceptually dear to health promoters’ understanding of their work, yet at the same time, mainstreaming empowerment is at odds with central trends and initiatives that govern this work. We argue that many of the stumbling blocks that have hindered this specific agenda are actually central stumbling blocks for the wider field of health promotion. We examine some of the barriers to implementing transformational change. Overcoming the primary limitations uncovered in this exploration of empowerment is actually crucial to progressive work in health promotion in general, particularly work that would seek to lessen inequities.

Bibliographic Citation

Berry, Nicole S.; Murphy, Jill; Coser, Larissa. (2014). 'Empowerment in the field of health promotion: recognizing challenges in working toward equity'. Global Health Promotion, 21(4), pp. 35-43.

Extent

Vol. 21, Issue 4, pp. 35-43

Has Format

Download PDF

Type

journal-article

Kaanu ID

kb001683