What does a Health Promotion Practitioner do?
Health promotion is focused on developing policy, programs and strategies that will foster and encourage healthy, equitable and sustainable environments and communities. To achieve this, a health promotion practitioner is required to work with a diverse range of individuals, community groups and representatives. In addition to developing population and community programs, interventions can also be implemented in specific settings such as schools, workplaces, and hospitals. Currently, a key focus is the development of effective programs that address a number of national and state health priority areas including physical activity, alcohol, tobacco and other drugs, mental health promotion, injury prevention and skin cancer prevention. An integral component to being an effective health promotion practitioner is to be involved in the facilitation and development of effective partnerships with government and non government agencies to collaboratively address health issues and work towards positive health outcomes.
Some of the tasks a health promotion practitioner may perform include:
- planning, implementing and evaluating health promotion programs
- informing and working collaboratively with other health professionals on population health issues (i.e., forming and maintaining effective partnerships)
- designing, developing and implementing public information campaigns using radio, television, newspapers, pamphlets, posters and websites
With experience, health promotion practitioners can progress into supervisory and managerial positions.
Course Highlights
At QUT health promotion can be studied at both undergraduate and postgraduate levels. At the undergraduate level the Bachelor of Health Science (Public Health) involves the study of a variety of disciplines essential to the practice of health promotion and public health, including psychology, sociology, communication, public health, nutrition, epidemiology, program planning and evaluation, as well as understanding statistics and research methods. Towards the end of the course, practical placement in a public health setting is used to develop student's skills in developing health promotion programs.
Postgraduate programs in health promotion and public health including the Graduate Certificate in Health Science (Health Promotion) offer graduates from other disciplines, those from other health degrees the opportunity to develop advanced knowledge and skills for developing and evaluating health promotion programs. Postgraduate qualifications also provide opportunity for middle and upper management in the health sector.
Employment Opportunities
Graduates are employed in the public sector by local, state and federal government health departments (e.g., Queensland Health) and local community agencies in such areas as community health, and primary health care. Organisations like Family Planning (Qld) the National Heart Foundation, Diabetes Australia, and The Cancer Council provide employment opportunities.
Health promotion and public health positions are also available in a variety of professional workplaces, like the police force, local councils and in private industry (e.g., medical insurance companies, corporate health companies, and health promotion consultants).
For those interested in social welfare, graduates have worked for organisations such as government departments and international health aid organisations such as World Health Organisation (WHO) and the Australian Agency for International Development (AusAID) and Community Aid Abroad. Universities, peak bodies, professional associations and international agencies (e.g. World Vision, Greenpeace, United Nations) also require the skills of health promotion graduands.
Commencing salaries and conditions are very good for new graduates, starting at around $50,000 pa.
Professional Recognition
Graduates are eligible for membership of the Australian Health Promotion Association and the Public Health Association of Australia.
Department of Education Training and Youth Affairs Job Guide information about Public Health Professionals.
Student Testimonial
Read about a QUT Public Health Graduate on our Student Testimonial page.