Letter to the Editor - The professionalization of health promotion in Canada: a student perspective

摘要

suggested that professionalizing health promotion could "narrow its agenda," negatively impacting its influence within public health practice. However, our current public health practice landscape could be broadened with the inclusion of health promotion initiatives. This letter argues that, from an undergraduate student perspective, contributions to the professionalization of health promotion are critically important to defend and sustain its central role within public health practice.I am currently a health promotion intern, completing the final requirement of my undergraduate degree in health promotion at Dalhousie University. Degrees in health promotion are typically offered at the master's level; Dalhousie offers the only Canadian undergraduate program. The comprehensive curriculum allows students to explore topics such as mental health, sexual health and comprehensive school health, while developing skills in health promotion theories, policymaking and research. Professional experience is acquired through an internship in which students partner with organizations that serve diverse populations to collaborate on health promoting initiatives. As a result, graduates are prepared to excel in a broad range of sectors such as education, government, health care, business and research, or to pursue further studies in fields like nursing, occupational therapy and epidemiology. Although health promotion is often practised within these sectors, it has distinct objectives. Health promotion looks at health beyond the "absence of disease," and explores ways to address health equity in public policy and community development, ^{Footnote 2} a perspective that is still not fully integrated in some professions.