UNIT 2; HEALTH PROMOTION PLANNING CYCLE

Definitions
Plan- it’s a layout of how to get from your starting point to your end point.
Strategy- broad framework for action which indicates goals, methods and underlying principles.
It is derived from evidence, identified needs and experience.
Aim or goal- broad statement of what is to be achieved.
Stakeholders- all those individuals or groups who have an interest in the program.
Objective or Target- specific and precise statements of the intended outcomes that will contribute
to achievement of the aim.
Priority- the first claim for consideration.
Policy- guidelines for practice which set broad goals and framework for action.
Reasons for planning
 It ensures a systematic and logical approach to establishing priorities.
 It helps direct resources to where they will have most impact
 It makes clear what is to be achieved, the methods to use and how success will be demonstrated.
Planning involves several key stages or logical stepping stones which enable the health promoter
to achieve a desired result. It entails:
1. An assessment of needs
2. Setting aims- what you intend to achieve
3. Setting objectives- precise measurable outcomes
4. Deciding which methods, interventions or strategies will achieve set objectives.
5. Evaluating outcomes in order to make improvement in future
some planning models are presented in linear fashion. Others show circular process to indicate that
any evaluation feeds back into the process. In real life, planning is often piecemeal or incremental.
There is no grand design but circumstances dictate many small reactive decisions.
ASSESING HEALTH NEEDS
A need is something that people are lacking in comparison to others. There are two different
understandings of what constitutes a health need:
1. A subjective relative concept which is judged by an expert or professional and is influenced
by whether a need can be met.
2. An objective and universal concept which is a fundamental right.
The first step of health promotion planning is an assessment of what the client or population group
needs to enable them to become healthier. Healthcare usually takes the individual as its starting
point. Public health concerns the health and welfare of people in groups. Health experiences of
individuals are affected by where they reside. The local knowledge of practitioners about the range
of local services, facilities and networks is an important part of needs assessment
Needs assessment has been describing the process of gathering information, it is a systematic
method of reviewing the health needs and issues facing a given population leading to agreed
priorities and resource allocation that will improve health and reduce inequalities. The purpose of
needs assessment is twofold:
1. To identify which actions to improve health should be given greatest priority.
2. To choose which [particular groups or communities should have priority.
Local people should participate in setting priorities.
There are four types of health and social needs:
1. Normative needs as defined by experts or professionals.
2. Felt needs as defined by clients patients, relatives or service users.
3. Expressed needs- that is when felt needs become a demand.
4. Comparative needs, identified when people, groups or areas fall short of an established
standard.
Normative needs are objective needs as identified by professionals who also identify the ways in
which this needs can be met. It reflects a professional judgment that someone deviates from a set
standard. This may be against some external criteria such as occupational or legal requirements.
Felt needs are what people really wanted. They era needs Identified by clients themselves.
Individuals may not believe themselves to be in need simply because they might not know what is
available for them in terms of terms or services.
Expressed need is often used to measure the adequacy of service provision, even if it is not a
complete or comprehensive measure. The best example of expressed need is the waiting list.
Expressed needs should not be used as an indicator of demand because they exclude needs that are
felt but not expressed.
Comparative needs – individuals or groups are said to be in need if their situation, when compared
to that of a similar group or individual is found wanting in regards to services and resources.
The purpose of assessing health needs
  It is a means of obtaining appropriate and accurate information on which to base priorities.
 Ensures decisions are based on solid information and evidence.
The purpose of assessing health needs can be divided into different stages as follows:
I. Directing interventions appropriately
II. Identifying population needs and reducing inequalities.
III. Identifying and responding to the needs of socially excluded groups.
IV. Targeting risk groups
V. Allocating resources
There are three approaches to health needs assessment
 Epidemiological – focus on the size and nature of the problem
 Corporate- focus on the views of stake holders
 Community- enables the community to identify, prioritize and decide what action to take
to meet health needs.
Setting priorities
The following criteria is used for setting priorities:
 The issue should be a major course of premature death or avoidable ill health.
 There are marked inequalities in those who suffer ill health or premature death.
 Effective intervention should be possible, offering scope for improvement for health.
Planning models
Planning whatever the scale of activity, requires systematic working through a number of stages.
There are a number of different planning models that have been developed.
The Ewles & Simnet planning model is useful generic framework which can be adopted to a
number of situations
Ewles & Simnet Planning Model
Stage 1: Identity of needs and priorities
This calls for local research and investigations. Consultation with community members may flag
up their felt needs and priorities.
Stage 2: set aims and objectives
Objectives need to be SMART. Health Promotion objectives can refer to educational, behavioural
(changes in life style, take up of services), policy (implementation of alcohol free services), process
(achievement of health promotion principles eg participation) or environmental outcomes
(changing the environment to make it more health promoting). Educational objectives are divide
into three:
1. Knowledge objectives- (increased level of knowledge)
2. Affective objectives – (concerning changes in attitude)
3. Skills objective- (acquisition of new competencies)
Stage 3: identifying appropriate methods for achieving objectives
This stage entails deciding which methods would be logical to achieve set objectives. It depends
on available evidence, funding and expertise of the practitioner.
Stage 4: identify resources
These include human, financial, material and equipment. Project costs include direct and fixed
costs. Direct costs include staff costs, capital costs, while fixed costs include overheads to cover
the day to day activities.
Stage 5: Plan evaluation methods
Evaluation must relate to set objectives. for example, in relation to an educational session,
participants can be asked of their views at the end of the session through a questionnaire.
Stage 6: Set an action plan
This is a detailed written plan which identifies tasks, the person responsible for each task, resources

to used, a time scale and means of evaluation. It also includes interim indicators of progress to

show if the project is proceeding as planned. Logframes (logistical frameworks) are widely used

to identify activities of a programme and any inherent risk that might delay completion. The benefit

of a log frame is that frame is that it tests the assumptions of a project plan. Working from the

bottom up, it tests the logic through if then, i.e if we do this activities, then this output will be

achieved. If the purpose isachieved then this will contribute to the goal.

Logical framework
Project Indicators of Means of verification Important risks and
achievement assumptions

Goal

Purpose or
objective

Outputs

Activities

• A detailed written plan which identifies tasks, the person responsible for each task,
resources which will be used, timescale and means of evaluation. Include interim indicators
of progress to show if you are proceeding as planned.
• Log frames (logistical frameworks) are widely used to identify activities of a programme
and any inherent risk that might delay completion. The benefit of a log frame is that frame
is that it tests the assumptions of a project plan.
• Working from the bottom up, it tests the logic through if then, i.e. if we do this activities,
then this output will be achieved. If the purpose is achieved, then this will contribute to the
goal.
 • Prioritize ideas by applying Situational assessment results. Identify specific activities
for each strategy, including which existing activities to start, stop, and continue.
• Select outputs and develop process objectives. Consider available financial, human
and in‐kind resources.
• Keep a log or diary to note unexpected problems and how you dealt with them, as
well as intended results

Stage 7: Action or Implementation

It is important to keep a diary to note unexpected problems and how they were dealt with as well
as un intended benefits. This information can then be fed into the evaluation process. The findings
can also be disseminated from the project inform of a report.