From public health to wellbeing : the new driver for policy and action / edited by Paul Walker and Marie John.

Format:

Book

Contributor:

Walker, Paul.

John, Marie.

Language:

English

Subjects (All):

Medical policy.

Public health--History.

Public health.

History.

Well-being.

Physical Description:

xvii, 190 pages : illustrations ; 24 cm

Place of Publication:

Basingstoke ; New York : Palgrave Macmillan, 2012.

Summary:

There has never been more awareness of the public health agenda, as policy makers stress the importance of 'wellbeing' to the general public. But how can wellbeing be defined and measured? Should the promotion of wellbeing lie at the heart of all policy and legislation?

Charting the history and evolution of the public health agenda, this insightful reader argues the place of wellbeing in local and national strategy. It identifies some of the critical events that have influenced the development of public health systems, and looks at the challenges for policy-makers and professionals in the formulation and delivery of effective strategies for the future.

With contributions from academics and practitioners working within the public, voluntary and private sectors, the book explores the challenges of defining and promoting wellbeing:

Across the lifespan, from childhood and youth to older age

Through a range of approaches, such as town planning and partnership working

Within a variety of settings, including the workplace, the community and the National Health Service.

Grounded with grassroots examples of local strategy in action, From Public Health to Wellbeing offers fresh insights into the promotion of wellbeing in the twenty-first century. It is a valuable resource for students of public health, health promotion within the public, private or voluntary sector. Book jacket.

Contents:

1 On Public Health and Wellbeing / Paul Walker Walker, Paul 1

Introduction 1

The evolution of public health thinking and practice 1

Current issues 11

From public health to wellbeing: the path for progress 16

2 Wellbeing: Meaning, Definition, Measurement and Application / Paul Walker Walker, Paul 21

Origins and development of the concept of wellbeing 21

Wellbeing in modern theological, philosophical, political, psychological and social policy discourse 22

Wellbeing: what is our current understanding of the meaning of the word and the concept? 24

Relationship to other similar measures 25

Modern definitions 26

Wellbeing as the underlying objective of all social policy 28

The epidemiology of wellbeing 28

Can we measure wellbeing? 31

Established measures of wellbeing 36

Evaluating policies, programmes and projects for wellbeing 39

Appraisal and evaluation in central government: the Green Book 40

Wellbeing as positive psychology/wellbeing promotion 40

Conclusion 42

3 Wellbeing: A Guiding Concept for Health Policy? / Marcus Longley Longley, Marcus 47

Introduction 47

Peering beneath the surface of health policy 48

Wellbeing, politicians and managers 49

Wellbeing and the professionals 51

Wellbeing and citizens 53

Devolution within the UK 55

Conclusion 56

4 Wellbeing and Spatial Planning / Alan Joyner Joyner, Alan 58

Introduction 58

Wellbeing and the physical environment 59

Wellbeing, spatial planning and public health 62

Wellbeing and improving performance 66

Partnership in wellbeing and community planning 67

Measuring sustainable wellbeing 70

Wellbeing in new and expanded communities 72

Conclusion 75

5 Wellbeing and Children and Young People / Sarah Lloyd-Jones Lloyd-Jones, Sarah, Duncan Holtom Holtom, Duncan 79

A brief history of childhood 79

The increasing role of the state as protector and promoter of wellbeing 81

Inequality, development and well-being 82

Well-becoming: the legacy of child wellbeing for adult life 84

Redefining the role of the state and family 85

Defining and measuring wellbeing for children and young people 86

Current public attitudes 88

The evidence 89

Factors that influence wellbeing 90

Conclusion 91

6 Wellbeing and Older People / Marie John John, Marie 97

Definition of the older person 97

Factors that affect the wellbeing of older people 101

Conclusion 110

7 Wellbeing and Work / Gemma Pates Pates, Gemma 115

Introduction 115

Setting the context of work: contemporary careers 116

Current policy: the government response to the Black Report 118

Improving health, happiness and wellbeing 120

Unemployment 121

Ageing workforce 123

Conclusion 124

8 Wellbeing and Community Action / Dafydd Thomas Thomas, Dafydd 128

Engaging and developing communities 128

Community wellbeing: subjective and objective wellbeing 130

Individual capabilities 132

Community engagement as a wellbeing intervention 133

Case study: the Exploring Sustainable Wellbeing Toolkit 135

Measuring subjective wellbeing within communities 136

Implications for government policy: flip the paradigm 139

Conclusion 141

9 Partnership Working: The Lynchpin of Wellbeing / Mike Ponton Ponton, Mike, Marie John John, Marie 144

Introduction 144

Partnership in the public sector 146

Social capital and asset-based community development 147

Partnership working for health and wellbeing 151

Drivers for partnership working 155

Partnership and leadership 157

Partnership in practice 157

Conclusion 158

10 Drugs Policy: A Case Study for Applying the Wellbeing Framework / Richard Pates Pates, Richard 161

Introduction 161

Why do we use drugs? 164

Prohibition as a means of control 166

Legislation that could improve the conditions and wellbeing of people who use drugs 170

Reforming drug policy 171

Wellbeing 173

Conclusion 175

11 A Greatest Wellbeing Principle: Its Time Has Come / Paul Walker Walker, Paul, Marcus Longley Longley, Marcus 178

Perspectives on wellbeing: a synthesis 178

Essential steps to progress 180

A vision of the future 183

A critique of wellbeing 184

Afterword: is happiness the same as wellbeing? 186.

Notes:

Includes bibliographical references and index.

ISBN:

9780230278851

023027885X

OCLC:

751733106