Includes bibliographical references.

What is health? / Susan R. Thompson -- The main killers / Susan R. Thompson -- Approaches and models used to promote health /Susan R. Thompson -- Health needs assessment / Susan R. Thompson -- Health education and information / Susan R. Thompson -- Supporting people with behaviour change / Susan R. Thompson and Mo Almond -- Programme planning / Susan R. Thompson, Claire Novak and Kate Thompson -- The same or different? Health promotion in ethnically diverse communities / Vanessa McFarlane -- Focus on mental health promotion, obesity and alcohol / Vicky Baldwin, Anne Pridgeon and Stephanie James -- Persistent and future challenges in public health / Susan R. Thompson.

In the 21st century, public health is everyone's business. The nursing and medical professions are well placed to provide advice to their clients, especially in respect to lifestyle change, and public health initiatives are supported by a range of statutory and voluntary organizations and health workers, ranging from health promotion specialists to smoking cessation advisers and nutrition assistants. Designed to help readers develop the practical skills they need to become effective public health practitioners, this text gives an easily digested overview of public health and health promotion theory in accessible language and diagrams, before moving on to the ways readers can apply this in practice.