Projects
009 – Evaluation of the health promoting practices pilot project
- Chief Investigator A: A/Prof Louisa Remedios
- Chief Investigator B: Dr Melanie Hayes
- Chief Investigator C: Dr Matthew Hopcraft
- Research Collaborators: Geoff Adams, Alisha Jackson, Dr Jennifer O’Connor
- Support: Victorian Department of Health
About
The purpose of the Health Promoting Practices (HPP) pilot is to develop a voluntary health promotion framework, through which dentists and physiotherapists positively influence health behaviours of patients attending their practices.
In recent years there has been a significant shift from a practitioner-led approach to health care to a more patient centred approach. Patients are being encouraged to take control of their own health care and participate in a collaborative relationship with their healthcare provider to ensure the best possible health outcomes. Health professionals can play a role in helping their patients to reduce the incidence of preventable diseases by providing necessary information about risk factors and healthy behaviours. Patients can take action to self-manage their health by adopting recommended habits (or health promoting practices).
Aims
The project aimed to assess whether implementation of the HPP pilot project contributes to positive behaviour changes:
- For practitioners in relation to the delivery of health promoting messages
- For patients in relation to healthy eating, physical activity, alcohol consumption and tobacco use
Results
The project found:
- Health promotion was generally viewed positively by patients and practitioners, with both indicating that they preferred the specific health promotion advice be related to the type of practitioner involved in that discussion
- There are opportunities to increase practitioner confidence in delivering health promotion messages, through the provision of education and supporting resources
