title: Public health nurse educators' conceptualisation of public health as a strategy to reduce health inequalities: a qualitative study.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Nurses have long been identified as key contributors to strategies to reduce health inequalities. However, health inequalities are increasing in the UK despite policy measures put in place to reduce them. This raises questions about: convergence between policy makers' and nurses' understanding of how inequalities in health are created and sustained and educational preparation for the role as contributors in reducing health inequalities.
  
  
  OBJECTIVE
  The aim of this qualitative research project is to determine public health nurse educators' understanding of public health as a strategy to reduce health inequalities.
  
  
  METHODS
  26 semi-structured interviews were conducted with higher education institution-based public health nurse educators.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Public health nurse educators described health inequalities as the foundation on which a public health framework should be built. Two distinct views emerged of how health inequalities should be tackled: some proposed a population approach focusing on upstream preventive strategies, whilst others proposed behavioural approaches focusing on empowering vulnerable individuals to improve their own health.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Despite upstream interventions to reduce inequalities in health being proved to have more leverage than individual behavioural interventions in tackling the fundamental causes of health inequalities, some nurses have a better understanding of individual interventions than take population approaches.
authors: Department of Community Health and Wellbeing, University of Chester, Riverside Campus, Chester, CH1 1SF, UK. a.mabhala@chester.ac.uk.
authors: Mzwandile A
authors: MA
authors: Mabhala
mesh_terms: D004506:Education, Nursing; D054625:Healthcare Disparities; D006801:Humans; D064689:Nurses, Public Health; D011634:Public Health / Q000379:methods* / Q000592:standards; D036301:Qualitative Research; D012959:Socioeconomic Factors; D006113:United Kingdom
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