Introduction
Community health promotion is those efforts that are made to ensure that all people in a particular community are exposed to good health via following basic theories on health that have been put forth by the known health systems. Such theories include the planned behavior theory (Godin, 1993). According to this theory, there are some significant determinants of exercise behavior and also intentions. Such determinants include the beliefs on perceived control, beliefs on behavior, and normative beliefs.
The major purpose of the community health promotion is to make identification of the constructs of the planned behavior theory, which has the inclusion of behavioral beliefs, control beliefs based on an individual’s perception, and lastly the normative beliefs, which are all in association with the major intentions of exercise and exercise behavior of the aging people in the community. The other purpose of this community health promotion is to make a clear determination on whether some specific beliefs had any kind of influence on the exercise behavior and the intentions of the same.
The major health promotion idea to be embraced by the community is exercising. Different age groups within a given community respond differently to the idea of exercising. The targeted community comprises young people, middle-aged and old people (Harrison, 1994). This theory of planned behavior uses various constructs to monitor how the community embraces the ideas put forth by the community health promotion. The following is a brief discussion on the constructs and what they really are.
Behavioral beliefs
These are both negative and positive consequences of behaving in a certain manner or in a certain way. Many studies have shown that specific behavioral beliefs in old women will determine their exercise behavior. It has further been proved that these beliefs will have a greater influence on the exercise intention of these particular women. This belief will also have a significant prediction on what stage will the young women adopt exercise.
And the research that was carried out on men and other young adults showed that behavioral beliefs were very important in exercise intention and exercise behavior. Behavioral beliefs will differ from one group to another. For example, retired women who will not be willing to exercise have the beliefs that they are too old to exercise, they will also claim that exercise might compromise their health, exercise will be costly to them, and most of them have the belief that they need much time to relax than to exercise. Other people still have the belief that exercise will improve their fitness and their health as a whole.
Normative beliefs
Normative beliefs are those perceptions based on a particular individual that those people who are said to be more important to that individual will approve of it or even they might disapprove. Research concerning the normative beliefs on exercise is quite inconsistent (Godin, 1993). This particular belief also will predict at what stage will a particular adult adopt an exercising regime, and also it will predict the exercise intention in most Canadian women. Some scholars claim that normative beliefs will not have any effect rather influence the exercise intention and exercise behavior of most women.
Perceived controlled beliefs
This constitutes how easy or difficult it is to behave in a certain way or manner. The perceived controlled beliefs are significant predictors of the exercise intentions of the adults and also their exercise behavior. Some scholars claim that the perceived controlled beliefs will contribute largely to exercise intentions and exercise behavior as well in adult women (Harrison, 1994). In this particular belief, there exist various barriers to exercise. Such barriers include poor health of the people, fatigue, difficulties of accessing the exercising facilities and the lack of self-discipline and time by many people.
Description
In line with health promotion theories, this paper will describe one of the theories that will be applied in a program that will assist a specific community in embracing health promotion. The particular population will be the aged people living at Warren township. The specific program will be introduced in both public and private universities. This program will be on diet and exercise. In promoting health among the aged, doing exercises is very important, especially to the aged. The various health promotion theories ought to be used so that the aged can understand them and later appreciate health promotion programs.
Concerning the theory of planned behavior and addressing the issues of exercises, the aged living in Warren township should be made to understand and appreciate the importance of engaging in exercises. The students who will take these programs of diet and exercise at the university and graduate with either the bachelor’s or the master’s degree will have been taught about seven items used in measuring the extent of exercise, including the intensity of exertion, frequency as well as duration.
Most importantly, the students will be taught about weighting factors with the aim of differentiating exercise intensity as well as quantifying the contribution of duration and frequency to the overall exercise. During the student’s fourth year at the university, they will be introduced to certain topics that involve making changes in one’s life with an aim to accommodate exercises as well as commitment as a process in which individuals make personal contracts. The students will have the knowledge of how to make the aged have some constructs such as self-motivation, goal attractiveness, commitment in addition to goal attainment and self-efficacy.
All these will make the aged people living in Warren township appreciate health promotion ideas. They will make a personal investment in engaging in exercises thus live healthily, which is part of the ideas of health promotion. It is by so doing that the behavior of the aged people will change their perception towards engaging in exercises. When the graduates of the proposed program of diet and exercise go to the field and start practicing what they have learned from the universities, they will impact knowledge to the aged people, and it is expected that the majority of them will change their perception towards Exercises.
Further, this paper believes that the aged people from Warren township from where the piloting will be conducted will take themselves self-monitoring, center-based exercises as well as be committed to them. It is expected that the aged in Warren township will change their behavior as well as attitude towards exercises after they realize the benefits of undertaking exercises such as helping in weight control, exercises prevent heart diseases in addition to helping bones stay and remain healthy, thus helps the individual to feel better.
This paper has observed that through the introduction of the proposed program in a number of universities and then the graduates will be very resourceful to the aged people living in Warren township in increasing confidence among the aged persons in overcoming barriers to exercises and thus help in changing the perception and behaviors towards engaging in exercises. It is through this change of behaviors that the aged persons from Warren township will embrace the health promotion ideas without question.
Conclusion
The community health promotion program is, therefore, a very beneficial program to the community in that it teaches the different groups in the community better ways of being in good health. One of these ways that have been discussed is by use of exercise. As it was evident, exercise is good for one’s fitness and good health, and it has also got far-reaching benefits.
Reference
Godin, H. (1993). Different perceived barriers to exercise. Journal of health, 9, 278-287.
Harrison, T. (1994). Promotion of frequent exercise. Personnel Psychology, 45, 40-68.