title: Promoting health in rural Transylvania, Romania. a descriptive analysis of health promotion activities.
abstract: Even though efforts are made to reduce health disparities, promote health for all social groups and improve health outcomes, inconsistencies still exist. Existing evidence shows that lack of funding, lack of properly trained workforce, as well as heavy workload on health care workers, are the most employed explanations for the limited number of health promotion interventions in the area. This paper presents the results of a descriptive study that pursues to render a comprehensive image of health promotion efforts undertaken in rural Transylvania, Romania. This descriptive analysis is conducted on data extracted from a larger dataset, obtained through a study which pursues a cross-sectional design, with a quantitative strategy of inquiry on access to health information in rural Transylvania. The instrument used for data collection is a questionnaire administered by telephone to a sample of medical doctors working in rural medical offices in the studied area (n = 226). Results show overall low rates of health promotion activities in the area, as well as low levels of collaboration with other local actors. In the context of behavioral risk factors, this study clearly shows the need of targeted health promotion activities in rural Transylvania in order to improve health outcomes and mitigate health disparities.
authors.affiliation: Center for Health Policy and Public Health, Faculty of Political, Administrative and Communication Sciences, Babeş-Bolyai University Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
authors.forename: Cătălin O
authors.initials: CO
authors.lastname: Baba
authors.forename: Alexandra
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Brînzaniuc
authors.forename: Emanuela O
authors.initials: EO
authors.lastname: Sirlincan
authors.forename: Răzvan M
authors.initials: RM
authors.lastname: Cherecheş
mesh_terms: D003430:Cross-Sectional Studies; D015438:Health Behavior; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D054624:Health Status Disparities; D006801:Humans; D011635:Public Health Administration / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D012307:Risk Factors; D012383:Romania / Q000453:epidemiology; D012423:Rural Health / Q000706:statistics & numerical data*; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires