Translating Social Ecological Theory into Guidelines for Community Health Promotion — Stokols 1996

Health promotion programs are frequently lacking in a well-defined theoretical underpinning or are based on narrowly defined conceptual models. Lifestyle modification programs, for example, often stress individually focused behavior change tactics while ignoring the environmental determinants of health and sickness. This article contrasts three separate, yet complimentary, theoretical approaches to health promotion: behavioral change, environmental enhancement, and social ecology models. Each perspective's key strengths and limitations are evaluated, and essential ideas of social ecology theory are applied to develop practical guidelines for creating and assessing community health promotion programs. Future study directions are highlighted, including studies assessing the role of intermediaries (e.g., corporate decision-makers, lawmakers) in promoting the well-being of others, as well as those evaluating the length and extent of intervention outcomes.

Stokols D. Translating Social Ecological Theory into Guidelines for Community Health Promotion. American Journal of Health Promotion. 1996;10(4):282-298. doi:10.4278/0890-1171-10.4.282