ABSTRACT
BACKGROUND: Although the World Health Organization has emphasized the need for reorientation of hospitals toward health promotion (HP), HP in hospitals of Iran is a new concept. This study investigated the concept of HP among health-care professionals working in educational hospitals of Isfahan, Iran, 2015. METHODS: A descriptive exploratory qualitative approach was employed in this study, with semi-structured interviews to investigate HP concept. The study settings included four selected educational hospitals affiliated to the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. A purposive sample consisted of 15 health-care professionals who were participated in the study. RESULTS: Most of the participants perceived HP as a concept synonymous to health education and disease prevention. Other meaning attributes to HP were improved quality of life and well-being, clinical practice, individual and group approach to increase health, and holistic view to health. Some empowerment strategies were described by participants, but most of the participants rarely went beyond traditional health education strategy aimed at an individual target. A sizeable number of participants used interchangeably the terms "health promotion" with "prevention," "health education," and "hygiene". CONCLUSIONS: It seems that participants of this study had limited knowledge about HP. Health-care staff have a decisive role for reorienting hospitals toward HP; thus, there is a need for ongoing in-service training for health-care professionals of hospitals to focus on HP.
ABSTRACT
CONTEXT: The World Health Organization (WHO) has emphasized the need for reorientation of hospitals toward health promotion (HP). AIMS: This study explores health-care professionals' perception of barriers and strategies to implementing HP in educational hospitals of Isfahan Province in Iran. SETTINGS AND DESIGN: The study settings included four selective educational hospitals and the Treatment Administration affiliation to the Isfahan University of Medical Sciences. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: A qualitative content analysis approach was employed in this study, with semi-structured in-depth interviews. Eighteen participants from hospital and accreditation managers, nurses, community medicine specialist, and directors of health-care quality improvement and accreditation participated in the study by purposeful sampling method. The data were analyzed using content analysis method. RESULTS: The barriers can be categorized into the following areas: (1) barriers associated with patient and community, (2) barriers associated with health-care professionals, (3) barriers associated with the organization, and (4) external environment barriers. The results were summarized into four categories as strategies, including: (1) marketing the plan, (2) identifying key people and training, (3) phasing activities and development of feasible goals, and (4) development of strategic goals of health promoting hospitals and supportive policies. CONCLUSIONS: The interactions of individual, organizational, and external environmental factors were identified as barriers to implementation of HP in hospitals. To hospital reorientation toward HP, prioritizing the barriers, and using the proposed strategies may be helpful.
