Salutogenic approach to promoting cardiovascular health
The concept of salutogenesis -„creating health“ implies a continuum of events from the sate of poor health (dis-ease) to total health (ease), where it is more important to focus on the resources that will contribute to the creation and maintenance of health, rather than the usual focus on health risks and diseases – salutogenesis vs. pathogenesis. Salutogenesis prospectively examines how to create, enhance and improve physical, mental, and social well-being. Salutogenesis is dependent on the coherence between the individual and his environment. People with adequate generalized defense mechanisms can, through learning experience, gradually develop a strong sense of coherence (SOC), which contributes to health – a higher SOC implies better health and quality of life. In the development of cardiovascular diseases an individual’s emotions, thoughts and attitudes play an important role, contributing to premature onset of a disease or improvement of health. As part of a healthy lifestyle and promoting cardiovascular health, in addition to the salutogenic concept of positive psychology, attention should also be directed toward already known factors, especially a healthy diet, regular physical activity, appropriate body mass, and not smoking. Lifestyle, associated with SOC, is one of the determining factors of health.
Key words:
cardiovascular diseases; childhood prevention; health promotion; positive health; salutogenesis
OGLASI
