Health Promotion Barometer 2007: Member Organisations

The survey focused on the health promotion strategies and activities of member organisations of the Finnish Centre for Health Promotion and the Association of Voluntary Health, Social and Welfare Organisations (YTY). The member organisations are non-commercial and operate on a national level. The respondents were executive directors and managers of these organisations. The importance of various aspects of health behaviour and the central actors and means of health promotion were charted in the study. The directors of health services and the chairpersons of municipal committees were also presented with the same set of questions (FSD2328). Questions covered the most important means of promoting health both now and in the future (e.g. increasing physical activity, supporting social networks, preventive mental health care, and preventive care of alcohol abusers), as well as the time spent on and responsibility for health promotion in the respondents' organisations. The respondents were asked how health promotion work should be developed over the next five years, and what the future of health promotion looks like in Finland. Some questions focused on the importance of various aspects of health behaviour, which included moderate alcohol use, non-smoking, healthy diet, and adequate rest and sleep. Views on practical means of health promotion in these areas were also canvassed, as well as the practical applications of Health in All Policies (the main public health theme of the Finnish EU Presidency). Finally, the respondents were asked about how legislation, national and municipal recommendations, and various health promotion programmes affect health promotion. Background variables included the organisation's area of operation, the number of individual and organisational members in the organisation, and the sector (e.g. social services organisation, public health organisation, organisation for disabled people, sports organisation) of organisation.