CCEA A-Level Health and Social Care A2 4 Public Health and Health Promotion: public health, inequalities, approaches, models and agencies

What this unit demands

A2 4 Public Health and Health Promotion is externally assessed by a written examination. It zooms out from the individual to the population: how the health of whole communities is protected and improved, why inequalities persist, and how health is promoted through different approaches, models, agencies and settings. CCEA tests both knowledge of the frameworks and the ability to apply them, especially to planning and evaluating a campaign.

This guide walks through the four dot points, then sets out the exam patterns CCEA repeats. Each topic has a matching dot-point page with worked questions; this overview ties them together.

Public health and inequalities

Public health protects and improves the health of whole populations through surveillance, protection, improvement and planning. Health inequalities are avoidable, unfair differences in health between groups, caused by interacting social determinants (income, housing, education, environment, access to services).

Approaches to health promotion

There are five approaches: medical (preventative), behaviour change, educational, empowerment, and social change. Each has strengths and limits, from the top-down disease focus of the medical approach to the bottom-up autonomy of empowerment and social change. Effective campaigns usually combine approaches.

Models, planning and evaluation

The Tannahill model describes three overlapping spheres (education, prevention, protection); the Ewles and Simnett model sets out five approaches. A campaign is planned (need, measurable aim, target group, methods, resources, setting), delivered, and evaluated against its aim using quantitative and qualitative evidence.

Agencies and settings

Health promotion is delivered by government, statutory agencies (the Public Health Agency), local services and the voluntary sector, working in partnership. It works best in settings that reach the group (schools, workplaces, community, health settings), and national campaigns and legislation change behaviour and the environment at scale.

How this unit is examined

A typical CCEA profile for A2 4:

• Definitions and functions. Defining public health and its functions, and explaining inequalities.
• Approaches and models. Describing the five approaches and the two models with strengths and limits.
• Planning and evaluation. Planning a campaign for a target group and evaluating it against its aim.
• Agencies, settings and legislation. Explaining who delivers promotion, where, and the role of law.

Check your knowledge

1. Define public health. (2 marks)
2. Name the key functions of public health. (4 marks)
3. Explain why health inequalities exist. (3 marks)
4. Name the five approaches to health promotion. (5 marks)
5. Name the three spheres of the Tannahill model. (3 marks)
6. State the stages of planning a health promotion campaign. (3 marks)
7. Name the statutory public health agency in Northern Ireland. (1 mark)
8. Explain why legislation is an effective health promotion tool. (2 marks)