Discuss the effectiveness of one or more health promotion programmes.

Refer to the paper 2 assessment criteria when awarding marks. These can be found under the “Your tests” tab > supplemental materials.

The command term “discuss” requires candidates to offer a considered review of the effectiveness of one or more health promotion programmes.

Health promotion programmes may include, but are not limited to:

• TRUTH campaign, anti-smoking campaign (Sly et al., 2002; Schum and Gold, 2007)
• National Tobacco Campaign, Australia (Woodward, 2003)
• NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, England
• food labelling programmes
• taxes and/or subsidies upon products such as sugar, tobacco or alcohol
• stress reduction programmes such as MBSR or yoga as exercise
• public health campaigns designed to change beliefs and attitudes.

Relevant factors related to the effectiveness of health promotion may include, but are not limited to:

• effectiveness of the reduction of risk factors of target population
• use of mass media to change health behaviours
• health promotion strategies used
• primary and secondary health promotion
• characteristics of the target population
• determinants of health.

Discussion may include, but is not limited to:

• cultural considerations
• ethical considerations in programme implementation
• conditions under which the programme may be employed
• empirical evidence of programme success or failure
• methodological concerns in measuring outcomes of the programme.

Although few candidates attempted this question, stronger candidates formed a good discussion of health promotion programmes — how they are conducted and a clear account of factors that impact the effectiveness of these programmes. Popular choices were: TRUTH campaign, anti-smoking campaign (Sly et al., 2002; Schum and Gold, 2007); National Tobacco Campaign, Australia (Woodward, 2003); NHS Diabetes Prevention Programme, England and/or different food labelling programmes.

Weaker candidates made a more general attempt, discussing health in general and factors that lead to health/disease.