Health-as-process: a health visiting perspective

Area of Science:

• Community Health Nursing
• Health Promotion
• Sociology of Health

Background:

• Health visitors, as community nurses, focus on health promotion.
• Their practice is often perceived as diffuse, lacking clear articulation.
• This study investigates the underlying processes within health visiting.

Purpose of the Study:

• To uncover hidden processes in health visiting practice.
• To articulate how health visitors achieve health promotion.
• To explore the concept of health as a lifelong process.

Main Methods:

• Grounded theory methodology.
• Qualitative analysis of health visiting practice.
• Exploration of theoretical contexts in nursing and adult education.

Main Results:

• Health visitors conceptualize health as a lifelong process.
• This involves the accumulation and utilization of 'resources for health'.
• This approach integrates diverse health views within a socio-cultural context.

Conclusions:

• Viewing health as a process aids in managing competing health promotion ideas.
• This contrasts with market-oriented healthcare demands for measurable outcomes.
• Skilled health visitors can protect clients from intrusive interventions using this approach.