Power Dynamics in a Behavior Change Approach to Health Promotion Essay

Primarily when we talk of power structures and power dynamics, we need to study where such power emanates. Basically, power is a question of who owns and controls the economic resources of the community. Whoever controls the economic power also wields the political and cultural power in a society.

Therefore, in analyzing the power dynamics of behaviour change approach in terms of health promotion, we are dealing primarily with the sensitive question of who owns and controls the health resources (medicines, knowledge, hospitals, clinics, medical services and medical equipments) and the question of its accessibility to those who does not own and control it. Power Dynamics in a Behavior Change Approach to Health Promotion Essay. In this, economic angle of power, it is crucial to study the clear cut link i.e. of the role (between) of the dominant global economic system and the continuous inaccessibility of majority of the people to health service, which seems to be generally missing in the current behaviour change approach in terms of health promotion.

Secondly and an equally important matter in analyzing the power dynamics at play in behaviour change approach is the patriarchal system which is strongly embedded in the economic, political and cultural sphere of the people’s lives. Central in this aspect is power relations between couples and partners and the prevailing view of women as a commodity and as a property.&nbsp.And of the more than hundred member countries of the United Nations.

Whether we like it or not, the world is divided into haves and have nots. Some economic and political analysts have divided the world into First World, Second World and Third World country categories. The existence of G8 countries is a clear manifestation that there are  far few economically and politically powerful countries of the world

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One important ethical issue for health promotion and public health work is to determine what the goals for these practices should be. This paper will try to clarify what some of these goals are thought to be, and what they ought to be. It will specifically discuss two different approaches to health promotion, such as, behavior change and empowerment.  Power Dynamics in a Behavior Change Approach to Health Promotion Essay.The general aim of this paper is, thus, to compare the behavior-change approach and the empowerment approach, concerning their immediate (instrumental) goals or aims, and to morally evaluate the strengths and weaknesses of these two goal models, in relation to the ultimate goal of health promotion. The investigation shows that the behavior-change approach has several moral problems. First of all, it is overly paternalistic and often disregards the individual’s or group’s own perception of what is important-something that also increases the risk of failed interventions. Furthermore, it risks leading to ‘victim blaming’ and stigmatization, and to increased inequalities in health, and it puts focus on the ‘wrong’ problems, i.e., behavior instead of the ’causes of the causes’. It is thereafter shown that the empowerment approach does not have any of these problems. Finally, some specific problems for the empowerment approach are discussed and resolved, such as, the idea that empowering some groups might lead to power over others, the objection that the focus is not primarily on health (which it should be), and the fact that empowered people might choose to live lives that risk reducing their health.

There are several strategies to promote health in individuals and populations. Two general approaches to health promotion are behavior change and empowerment.  Power Dynamics in a Behavior Change Approach to Health Promotion Essay.The aim of this article is to present those two kinds of strategies, and show that the behavior-change approach has some moral problems, problems that the empowerment approach (on the whole) is better at handling. Two distinct ‘ideal types’ of these practices are presented and scrutinized. Behavior change interventions use various kinds of theories to target people’s behavior, which they do through information, persuasion, coercion and manipulation. Empowerment is a collaborative method where those ‘facilitated’ participate in the change process. Some ethical problems with the behavior-change model are that it does not sufficiently respect the right to autonomy of the individuals involved and risks reducing their ability for autonomy, and that it risks increasing health inequalities. Empowerment, on the other hand, respects the participant’s right to autonomy, tends to increase the ability for autonomy, as well as increasing other coping skills, and is likely to reduce inequalities. A drawback with this approach is that it often takes longer to realize. Power Dynamics in a Behavior Change Approach to Health Promotion Essay.