Roar Amdam – författare

Community development, planning and partnerships have become important terms in health promotion but, up until now, debate around these concepts have been discussed more in planning science than in public health literature. Roar Amdam draws on theories and new empirical evidence from local, regional and international planning and public health in order to develop a new model for health promotion: empowerment planning. Much health promotion planning has focused on top-down approaches, and while efforts to be participative are made, it is often without having a clear understanding of how community empowerment can be accommodated within health promotion programs. Amdam’s innovative concept combines top-down and bottom-up approaches to enable people to take more responsibility for their own health and for individual and collective capacity building. Planning in Health Promotion Workis suitable for all students and researchers of health promotion and health planning and development, whilst the numerous applied examples make it an invaluable resource for policymakers and practitioners working in public health.

Community development, planning and partnerships have become important terms in health promotion but, up until now, debate around these concepts have been discussed more in planning science than in public health literature. Roar Amdam draws on theories and new empirical evidence from local, regional and international planning and public health in order to develop a new model for health promotion: empowerment planning. Much health promotion planning has focused on top-down approaches, and while efforts to be participative are made, it is often without having a clear understanding of how community empowerment can be accommodated within health promotion programs. Amdam’s innovative concept combines top-down and bottom-up approaches to enable people to take more responsibility for their own health and for individual and collective capacity building. Planning in Health Promotion Workis suitable for all students and researchers of health promotion and health planning and development, whilst the numerous applied examples make it an invaluable resource for policymakers and practitioners working in public health.

This important book introduces the Health in All Policies (HiAP) approach to health promotion, not only detailing how policy-making at all levels can foster the right conditions for better public health but also examining the inherent challenges to such an overarching approach.Building on the author’s extensive experience in health promotion planning in both regional and international contexts, the book recognizes those factors which influence public health outside of healthcare services themselves. Addressing these broader social, economic and even cultural issues, it discusses how policy-making between the public and private sectors, as well as local and national government, should be both collaborative and holistic. But the book also reflects upon the key difficulties in integrating multi-sector and multi-level approaches – both top-down and bottom-up policy-making – to create processes that further health equity and empower individuals and communities.Now at the forefront of current thinking in health promotion and health policy, this insightful overview of HiAP will be essential reading for students and researchers across the Health Sciences, specifically Public Health and Social Policy, as well as every practitioner in the field.