RHP&EO is the electronic journal of the International Union for Health Promotion and Education

The Concept Of Supportive Environments Strategical Tool In Health Promotion For Health

Left Svanström(1), Bo J A Haglund(1), Bosse Pettersson(2), Per Tillgren(1), Roland Anderson(3)

1) Karolinska Institute, Dept of Public Health Sciences, Division of Social Medicien, S-172 83 Sundbyberg, Sweden,
2) The National Public Health Institute. S-104 10 Stockholm, Sweden.,
3) Dept of Health Policy, Västernorrland County Council, S-87185 Härnösand, Sweden

Since the Ottawa conference in 1986 the concept of Supportive Environments for Health (SE) has evolved as a key strategy for health promotion work. But in the evolution of the new public health SE has acquired a new meaning. At the Ottawa Conference an ecological dimension was added to the health concept. Although the concept of SE was coined at the Ottawa conference it was at the Sundvall Conference in 1991 it was given a practical definition. The uniqueness of the Sundsvall conference was in the merging of issues of public health with environment, e.g. as presented in the "Our Common Future". This was then an important theme in Agenda 21. The major outcome of the conference was a handbook for creating SE called "We Can Do It!" The handbook summarizes about thousand global case studies and experiences, and presents 171 "stories" as the basis for strategies for public health praxis. In the first part of the book the Health Promotion Strategy Analysis Model (Helpsam) is presented, providing a tool for analysing and planning health promotion. In the second part the majority of the "stories" are presented and provide setting specific strategies for health promotion such as education, work, transport and energy, housing and physical environments, food and agriculture, and social support. Finally, in the third part, the Supportive Environment Actions Model (SESAME) present a staged planning model for health promotion work. This model has also formed the basis for a "20 - Key Items for Health Promotion Actions" questionnaire used to systematize knowledge and experiences on creating SE.

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