Answer

Health promotion brochures are used to provide information and statistics to communities regarding various topics or health conditions with the aim of bettering the wellbeing and health of people through the adoption of health education (Joo, 2018).  The aim of this paper is to critically assess a health promotion pamphlet with the aim of showing understanding and knowledge of the employment of health conduct models as well as to comprehend the health promotion concept. The chosen pamphlet for this paper is entitled, Diabetes and disordered eating by the National Diabetes Services Scheme (NDSS). The analysis will include: a description of the promotion’s target audience, an outline of the pamphlet’s purpose, a description of the population being focused on, an analysis of how the pamphlet supports primary healthcare strategies of health promotion, illness, and/or early intervention, and how the knowledge contained in the pamphlet could be used by nurses in a clinical context.

Health promotion refers to any planned amalgamation of organizational, political, educational, environmental, or regulatory mechanisms that support actions and conditions of living conducive to communities, individuals, or groups’ health (Ahn, 2015). The pamphlet in focus is targeted at individuals with type 1 diabetes, their friends and families (as their immediate care givers) with the aim of explaining the various kinds of eating disorders and why type 1 diabetic individuals may have greater risks of developing eating disorders (Joo, 2018). The pamphlet also provides information regarding where extra information as well as where support and help across Australia can be obtained by the type 1 diabetics and their relatives and friends.

The reason behind the emphasis on the focus of the pamphlet is informed by the high prevalence of diabetes globally and the high associated number of deaths. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the total number of diabetes cases in 2014 was 422 million, with its global prevalence rising to 8.5% in the same year for individuals above 18 years (Rouholamini et al., 2020). WHO reports that between 2000 and 2016, there was a 5% rise in premature mortality as a result of diabetes, with about 1.6 million deaths directly linked to diabetes in 2016 (Rouholamini  et al., 2020). Narrowing down to Australia, it is estimated that 1.2 million Australians (which is about 5% of the country’s population) had diabetes according to a 2017-2018 survey, a number including those with type 2 diabetes, type 1 diabetes, and other forms of diabetes (Zulfiqar et al., 2017). However, this number is hypothesized to be an underestimate since the statistics was based upon on self-reported data largely. Thus, the Australian government, through the NDSS’ pamphlet, intended to create awareness in its population to ensure that the killer disease is minimized and that the rate of deaths associated with the condition be minimized.

The pamphlet can be seen as appropriate for the targeted audience and the population group as well since diabetes is a condition that all Australians and all human beings resonate with daily. According to Sium et al. (2017), type 1 diabetes largely develops in adolescence or childhood, but can as well develop in adulthood, implying that all have chances of suffering from the condition. For promotional brochure to be effective, its message must be vivid, precise, as well as totally comprehensible by the target individuals (Agide et al., 2018).  Certain brochures may offer incentives to upholding wellness promoting conducts, while others spelling out approaches for averting diseases, like diabetes, can offer information to achieve an unchanging lifestyle (Ahn, 2015). In the pamphlet under consideration, the information about type 1 diabetes is provided in a vivid, precise, as well as totally comprehensible form to the target individuals and population groups through the use the right font size, tone, simple language, and short statements/sentences, and coloring/highlighting (Razeghi et al., 2020). The pamphlet is appropriate to the readers since it places a lot of concentration upon food, body image, and weight. Moreover, the conversational voice employed in the pamphlet lowers the reading degree of the document and engages the reader (Cotugno et al., 2015).

However, the employment of “don’t” words makes it sound judgmental patronizing to the reader(s) (Sium et al., 2017). Agide et al. (2018) add that to communicate to a variety of ethnicities, multilingual formats of an article is needed to enhance the communication of the desired information/data. Nonetheless, the pamphlet under discussion employed one language (English), assuming that the targeted population and audience can read and understand the language. This is a grievous assumption, taking into consideration the fact that not all Australian can read and write in English. Pictorial depiction is also poor since only a few images are employed and the ones employed do not communicate deep knowledge and information about type 1 diabetes. While the font size and use of headings are appropriate, the various design flaws (like poor illustration and restricted availability of the document in various formats) may influence the effect of the pamphlet on the targeted audience (Razeghi et al., 2020). Notwithstanding the weaknesses of the pamphlet, the same appears appropriately placed, having sufficient readability, and sufficiently eye-catching to the reader. The headings are bolded and this assists consumers to follow each section of the pamphlet with minimal, if any, challenge/difficulty (Zulfiqar et al., 2017). The checklists on “Tips on writing a food diary” and “Mindful eating exercise,” for instance, help the pamphlet’s readers to know how they can go about an aspect of their life so that they can maintain their blood sugar level at normal levels.

Health promotions are aimed at encouraging the implementation of healthy behaviours, and is made up of three fundamental components: health education, prevention of education, and health protection (Cotugno et al., 2015). To begin with, all facets of positive health education are contained in the pamphlet, like helping groups, communities, and individuals develop health impute with regard to type 1 diabetes, like life skills and self-esteem by influencing their behaviours. The use of statements, like “If you don’t feel like you have anyone to share your feelings with, call a helpline, talk to your doctor or join a support group or online community”  and “If you’re experiencing these problems, you are not alone. There are many things you can do to change your relationship with food” help bolster one’s self-esteem, making them feel that someone cares about them and that they are not alone in their condition, agony, and situation. Health protection focuses upon the rise in one’s positive health as well as the prevention of ill-health. The pamphlet addresses these issues since in comprises of principles and policies that if employed by type 1 diabetics can help them live a healthy life. Similarly, disease prevention regards planning as well as measure taken to stop health challenges and diseases before health condition occurs (Sium et al., 2017). By nurses can employ the pamphlet to inform the primary, secondary and tertiary prevention measures. Primary prevention goal of the pamphlet is to stop the onset of type 1 diabetes as early as possible. Secondary prevention measures aim at early diagnosis of diabetes so that treatment can promptly be realized to avoid more severe conditions. The tertiary prevention measures aim at rehabilitating significant type 1 diabetes by limiting the effects of the condition on a patient. The pamphlet informs how nurses can develop effective type 1 diabetes management for their patients with regard to diet, how they can communicate their concerns, and to whom the information can be computed for quick response. These can help promote health of type 1 diabetes patients.

To conclude, this paper sets out to critique the pamphlet by NDSS. This paper has established that the pamphlet is characterized both by weaknesses and strengths. It precisely and comprehensively discusses the topic, employing clear font sizes and clear language. Nonetheless, the use of English restricts its readability among ethnic communities that do not use English. Similarly, there are various design flaw and poor pictorial depiction.