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APHA Scientific Session and Event Listing
4247.0: Tuesday, November 06, 2007 - 2:30 PM

Abstract #148423

**Session Abstract** Paradigm shift or struggle:Integrating health promotion and health protection

Cassandra Okechukwu, MSN/MPH, Society, Human Development and Health, Harvard School of Public Health, 677 Huntington Ave, 7th Floor, Boston, MA 02115, 617-582-8368, cokechuk@hsph.harvard.edu

Comprehensive risk reduction models that address both occupational health and safety conditions (health protection) and health promotion have gained the support of federal agencies. Yet, underlying the apparent gains from combining health protection and health promotion is the inherent tension from merging two fields with different histories and politics hence disparate paradigms. Health promotion, throughout history, has primarily focused on changing individual behaviors and employs health education as a tool to improving health. In contrast, the occupational health paradigm emphasizes engineering controls and job redesign as the primary means through which to minimize worker's exposure to workplace hazards. The goal of this session is to gather experts in the fields of health protection and health promotion for a provocative discussion of health protection/health promotion models. This session will provide a background on the occupational health and health promotion paradigms and the contribution of the different paradigms to potential conflict in the field. In addition, two leading scientists will present an overview of the empirical evidence for integrating these two disciplines to both protect and promote worker health. The union and industry perspectives on value, concerns and priorities for the health protection/health promotion model will be presented by a panelist from a union and a panelist representing the industry. The session concludes with a discussion on moving the field forward.

Learning Objectives:

Keywords: Health Promotion, Occupational Health

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

Paradigm Shift or Struggle:Integrating Health Promotion and Health Protection

The 135th APHA Annual Meeting & Exposition (November 3-7, 2007) of APHA