Health promotion
SMHS Health Promotion delivers important local health promotion to keep people within the SMHS catchment (PDF 2MB) living longer and stronger lives by:
- raising awareness, building supportive environments and engagement for healthier modifiable lifestyles and behaviours
- working with organisations to develop public policy to support healthy lifestyle practices.
The team plans, implements and evaluates health promotion programs and projects within the community and hospital settings. These are aimed at preventing long term chronic disease and injury by targeting:
- people who are currently well
- priority communities at risk of developing disease or experiencing injury by engaging in risky lifestyle behaviours.
Read about our health promotion priorities and see a summary of our work in:
See our operational framework summary (PDF 338KB).
We partner and foster collaboration with our 9 local government areas (LGAs):
- Cities of Cockburn, Fremantle, Kwinana, Mandurah, Melville and Rockingham
- Shires of Murray and Waroona
- Town of East Fremantle.
Read about our role in public health planning.
Understanding chronic disease and injury
Chronic diseases (also known as non-communicable diseases) are the leading cause of illness, disability and death. They include:
- cardiovascular disease
- type 2 diabetes
- respiratory diseases
- musculoskeletal conditions (including back problems, arthritis and osteoporosis)
- mental and substance use disorders
- some cancers
- some oral diseases.
Injury, also a major contributor to disability and death, includes:
- falls
- transport incidents
- violence
- burns
- poisonings
- drownings
- suicide.
Both chronic disease and injury share common risk factors that are largely preventable. This is where health promotion plays an important role in influencing healthy policy, creating supportive environments and encouraging positive healthy behaviour change. Read about our health promotion priorities.
