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International Journal for Equity in Health
Published in: International Journal for Equity in Health 1/2015

Open Access 01-12-2015 | Research

Public health nurse educators’ conceptualisation of public health as a strategy to reduce health inequalities: a qualitative study

Author: Mzwandile A Mabhala

Published in: International Journal for Equity in Health | Issue 1/2015

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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.

Aim

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.

Method

26 semi-structured interviews were conducted with higher education institution-based public health nurse educators.

Findings

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.

Conclusion

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.
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Metadata
Title
Public health nurse educators’ conceptualisation of public health as a strategy to reduce health inequalities: a qualitative study
Author
Mzwandile A Mabhala
Publication date
01-12-2015
Publisher
BioMed Central
Published in
International Journal for Equity in Health / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 1475-9276
DOI
https://doi.org/10.1186/s12939-015-0146-2

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