WHO Health Promotion Glossary: new terms

TLDR

The WHO Health Promotion Glossary, first published in 1986 and updated in 1998, requires ongoing revision to maintain consensus on terminology and reflect evolving health promotion concepts. The glossary aims to enhance understanding, communication, and collaboration among health promotion practitioners worldwide and to be regularly updated with new terms. New terms are selected based on criteria that they distinguish health promotion from other concepts or have specific relevance, and the update introduces ten terms such as burden of disease, capacity building, evidence‑based health promotion, global health, health impact assessment, needs assessment, self‑efficacy, social marketing, sustainable health promotion strategies, and wellness.

Abstract

The WHO Health Promotion Glossary was written to facilitate understanding, communication and cooperation among those engaged in health promotion at the local, regional, national and global levels. Two editions of the Glossary have been released, the first in 1986 and the second in 1998, and continued revision of the document is necessary to promote consensus regarding meanings and to take account of developments in thinking and practice. In this update 10 new terms that are to be included in the Glossary are presented. Criteria for the inclusion of terms in the Glossary are that they differentiate health promotion from other health concepts, or have a specific application or meaning when used in relation to health promotion. The terms defined here are: burden of disease; capacity building; evidence-based health promotion; global health; health impact assessment; needs assessment; self-efficacy; social marketing; sustainable health promotion strategies, and; wellness. WHO will continue to periodically update the Health Promotion Glossary to ensure its relevance to the international health promotion community.