Voluntarism: is it a useful concept for health education in the accident and emergency department?
As the year 2000 looms closer, the emphasis on health education as a means of attaining the 38 targets for 'Health for All' increases. Despite various initiatives, little, if any, progress has been made in narrowing the health divide. Currently, terms such as 'self-care', 'individual responsibility' and 'community empowerment' are often used with emphasis on individual freedom to choose. The author contends that to assume all individuals have that freedom and act voluntarily, is to deny the impact of social structure on health. Health education and the concept of voluntarism will be critically examined from the perspective of nursing in an accident and emergency department.
McKenna
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Bloomsbury and Islington College of Nursing and Midwifery, London, England.
D001294:Attitude to Health; D002755:Choice Behavior; D003467:Cultural Deprivation; D016529:Emergency Nursing; D004636:Emergency Service, Hospital / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D005610:Freedom; D006801:Humans; D007182:Income; D007258:Informed Consent; D010342:Patient Acceptance of Health Care; D010353:Patient Education as Topic; D011057:Politics