This book is a must-read that addresses the changing roles and needs of students and lecturers from a wide range of health and social care backgrounds.

How do communities protect and improve the health of their populations? Health care is part of the answer but so are environmental protections, social and educational services, adequate nutrition, and a host of other activities. With concern over funding constraints, making sure such activities are efficient and effective is becoming a high priority. Improving Health in the Community explains how population-based performance monitoring programs can help communities point their efforts in the right direction. Within a broad definition of community health, the committee addresses factors surrounding the implementation of performance monitoring and explores the "why" and "how to" of establishing mechanisms to monitor the performance of those who can influence community health. The book offers a policy framework, applies a multidimensional model of the determinants of health, and provides sets of prototype performance indicators for specific health issues. Improving Health in the Community presents an attainable vision of a process that can achieve community-wide health benefits.

It is now widely acknowledged that there is more to health than just the absence of illness. This book aims to widen the perspective of health professionals to encompass the concept of well-being across the lifespan. It has been written to introduce students to the theory and practical application of health improvement and well-being in the context of public health, providing global as well as domestic perspectives on key concepts, in particular: Social and health inequalities Social justice Political influences Commissioning, funding and delivery of services Each chapter defines and provides an outline of theoretical perspectives relevant to each topic, allowing the reader to critically evaluate the accepted wisdom in each of the fields under discussion. Case studies illustrate local and global perspectives and questions throughout the book encourage students to think and reflect on the key points of each chapter and apply theory to practice. With a delicate blend of theory and practice, Health Improvement and Well-Being considers the key influences on health improvement and the best ways to tackle them as a health professional. This book is key reading for experienced and senior public health professionals as well as masters level students taking courses in public health, health improvement or health promotion, or taking modules in health improvement as part of a more general health science course. Contributors: Donna Hart, Moyra Baldwin, Janine Talley and Allison Thorpe. "A timely investigation of key factors that impact on well-being. Sets out the national and international policy context clearly and makes very good use of case studies and wider evidence to consider effectiveness of interventions. Thinking points and practical exercises encourage the student to apply knowledge to practice throughout." Paul Reid, Senior Lecturer, School of Health, University of Central Lancashire, UK "This book provides a comprehensive perspective on well-being within the context of health and health improvement both within this country and internationally. I would recommend this book as a key text for all students studying on the nursing, midwifery, social work and allied health profession courses. The chapters are structured well and provide a means for students to explore key concepts. The use of case studies helps the reader to appreciate the practical application of theoretical concepts and as such it brings alive the real issues within the practice setting. The structure and content is suitable for a wide range of academic levels and professional groups, making it a key text for health and social care professions." Patricia Livsey, Executive Dean, Faculty of Health and Human Sciences, Plymouth University, UK "This book would make an ideal resource for anyone working/managing in public health arenas" Quote from Nursing Times, February 2016

In the United States, some populations suffer from far greater disparities in health than others. Those disparities are caused not only by fundamental differences in health status across segments of the population, but also because of inequities in factors that impact health status, so-called determinants of health. Only part of an individual's health status depends on his or her behavior and choice; community-wide problems like poverty, unemployment, poor education, inadequate housing, poor public transportation, interpersonal violence, and decaying neighborhoods also contribute to health inequities, as well as the historic and ongoing interplay of structures, policies, and norms that shape lives. When these factors are not optimal in a community, it does not mean they are intractable: such inequities can be mitigated by social policies that can shape health in powerful ways. Communities in Action: Pathways to Health Equity seeks to delineate the causes of and the solutions to health inequities in the United States. This report focuses on what communities can do to promote health equity, what actions are needed by the many and varied stakeholders that are part of communities or support them, as well as the root causes and structural barriers that need to be overcome.

An invaluable resource for health professionals and students engaged in research, this thoroughly updated edition provides a guide to the major measures of health and functioning. Measures of subjective health, well-being and quality of life are introduced along with analysis of their validity and reliability and the evidence for using each one. Throughout the book each measure is explained with a summary of how each one is scored and used, making this a one-stop guide to understanding health measurements, and the basic concepts behind measuring health, quality of life and well-being. • A new look and feel makes measures and scales easier to locate • Further research and evidence provides a greater critique of the measures • Useful source information to help you access each measure with permission • The addition of new scales include the Warwick-Edinburgh Wellbeing Scale, the Older People’s Quality of Life Scale and the Short-Form McGill Pain Questionnaire • Expanded material on functional independence and functional assessment measures Written by a renowned expert in health research, Measuring Health, 4th edition is essential reading for researchers and upper level undergraduates and postgraduates in health services research, health studies, health sciences, public health and social sciences. "The world of measurement scales, which ones to use and for what purpose, is a complex one even for experienced qualitative researchers. It is easy for less experienced researchers to lose their way. Ann Bowling's book provides an up to date and coherent guide and assessment of measurement tools which is comprehensible and well organised." Virginia Berridge, Professor of History and Director, Centre for History in Public Health, London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, UK "In her latest edition of Measuring Health: A Review of Subjective Health, Well-Being and Quality of Life Measurement Scales, Professor Ann Bowling has, once again, provided us with an essential for our bookshelves. It is a vital resource for anyone investigating health and well-being – whether novice student researcher or experienced academic. Written in an accessible, easy to use style, we are initially taken through the importance of measuring and understanding lay people’s experiences of their physical and social health. The mechanics and challenges of measurement of subjective health are then described. Later chapters include handy definitions of relevant concepts and detailed descriptions of specific scales – both familiar and relatively new ones – including psychometric testing and use. This text is packed with useful information and can be used both as a resource for an overall understanding of measuring health and well-being or for selecting specific patient-based health scales for research projects." Dr. Nan Greenwood, Reader in Health and Social Care Service Research, St George's University of London and Kingston University, UK

Governments across the WHO European Region need to take urgent action to address the growing public health inequality economic and environmental challenges in order to achieve sustainable development (meeting current needs without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs) and to ensure health and well-being for present and future generations. Based on a scoping review this report concludes that current investment policies and practices (doing business as usual) are unsustainable with high costs to individuals families communities societies the economy and the planet. Investment in public health policies that are based on values and evidence provides effective and efficient inclusive and innovative solutions that can drive social economic and environmental sustainability. Investing for health and well-being is a driver and an enabler of sustainable development and vice versa and it empowers people to achieve the highest attainable standard of health for all.

Young adulthood - ages approximately 18 to 26 - is a critical period of development with long-lasting implications for a person's economic security, health and well-being. Young adults are key contributors to the nation's workforce and military services and, since many are parents, to the healthy development of the next generation. Although 'millennials' have received attention in the popular media in recent years, young adults are too rarely treated as a distinct population in policy, programs, and research. Instead, they are often grouped with adolescents or, more often, with all adults. Currently, the nation is experiencing economic restructuring, widening inequality, a rapidly rising ratio of older adults, and an increasingly diverse population. The possible transformative effects of these features make focus on young adults especially important. A systematic approach to understanding and responding to the unique circumstances and needs of today's young adults can help to pave the way to a more productive and equitable tomorrow for young adults in particular and our society at large. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults describes what is meant by the term young adulthood, who young adults are, what they are doing, and what they need. This study recommends actions that nonprofit programs and federal, state, and local agencies can take to help young adults make a successful transition from adolescence to adulthood. According to this report, young adults should be considered as a separate group from adolescents and older adults. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults makes the case that increased efforts to improve high school and college graduate rates and education and workforce development systems that are more closely tied to high-demand economic sectors will help this age group achieve greater opportunity and success. The report also discusses the health status of young adults and makes recommendations to develop evidence-based practices for young adults for medical and behavioral health, including preventions. What happens during the young adult years has profound implications for the rest of the life course, and the stability and progress of society at large depends on how any cohort of young adults fares as a whole. Investing in The Health and Well-Being of Young Adults will provide a roadmap to improving outcomes for this age group as they transition from adolescence to adulthood.