Historic and future health promotion contexts for nursing.
OBJECTIVE
Health promotion in the United States has been narrowly defined focusing primarily on individual behaviors, risk factors, and lifestyle. This article traces the historic and conceptual roots of health promotion care in the United States and critically examines the direction nurses have taken in health promotion.


METHODS
Health promotion care in Western ideology emphasizes the value of individuals and the importance of personal responsibility for success or failure.


CONCLUSIONS
Health promotion nursing interventions, based on the tenets of individual choice and knowledge, restrict the range of interventions. The complex nature of health promotion requires that nurses consider the economic, sociopolitical, and cultural context in which health care takes place. Recommendations are made for an expanded nursing role in health promotion, one that is consistent with nursing's underlying contextual focus and concern with environments.
Morgan
I S
IS
California State University, School of Nursing, Chico 95929-0200, USA. imorgan@facultypo.csuchico.edu
Marsh
G W
GW
D003466:Cultural Characteristics; D005544:Forecasting; D015438:Health Behavior; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D006801:Humans; D008019:Life Style; D009729:Nursing / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D010687:Philosophy, Nursing; D011057:Politics; D014481:United States