Health promotion and health education: theory and practice.
BACKGROUND
Since health promotion and health education are developing concepts around the world, the purpose of this paper was to compare theory and practice, at certain point in time in various countries.


METHODS
Data were collected using the structured direct interview. We approached 16 participants at the XVI World Conference on Health Promotion and Education. The responses of 11 participants were analyzed.


RESULTS
Health promotion is a separate profession in 4 out of 11 countries. Physicians are responsible for health promotion and education in all 11 countries. School was identified as a health promotion setting in all 11 countries, while community and hospital in 10. The Ottawa Charter (1986) guided the definition of health promotion for all participants, while 7 participants defined health promotion and health education differently.


CONCLUSIONS
Unified definition of terms may allow similar practice at the international level; comprehensive approach to health includes all aspects of health, determinants, settings and practitioners; there occurs the need for health education as a separate profession globally.
Berić
Bojana
B
Steinhardt School of Education, Department of Health Studies, New York, USA. BericB95@aol.com
Dzeletović
Andelka
A
D003625:Data Collection; D006266:Health Education / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*