Whole-Person Health Interventions in Public Health Nursing
Summary
Whole-person health interventions in public health nursing encompass a comprehensive approach that addresses the biological, psychological, social and environmental determinants of health. Rather than focusing solely on disease management, this paradigm seeks to identify and strengthen individual assets while mitigating challenges and unmet needs. Central to this model is the recognition that physical wellness, mental well-being, social support networks and healthy behaviours are interdependent. Public health nurses apply structured assessments, often using standardised languages, to map strengths, challenges and needs across multiple domains. Interventions typically combine health education, community engagement, care coordination and advocacy to promote resilience and self-management. Such programmes may include mobile health applications for real-time data capture, group workshops on stress management, home visiting models to address social determinants and collaborative care pathways with allied professionals. Globally, this holistic framework supports tailored strategies for diverse populations, from older adults at risk of isolation to underserved communities facing economic hardship. The emphasis on empowerment, cultural sensitivity and evidence-informed practice ensures that whole-person health interventions not only alleviate immediate health concerns but also build capacity for long-term well-being and equitable health outcomes.
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Whole-Person Health Interventions in Public Health Nursing publication trend
The graph below shows the total number of articles in whole-person health interventions in public health nursing across all publications each year (not limited to Nature Index journals).
Technical terms
Whole-person health: A holistic framework integrating physical, mental, social and environmental health dimensions.
Public health nursing: A nursing specialty focused on population health assessment, prevention and community-based care.
Strengths-Challenges-Needs (SCN): A structured assessment approach mapping assets, difficulties and areas requiring support.
Standardised language (e.g., Omaha System): A uniform terminology for documenting health assessments, interventions and outcomes.
Resilience: The capacity to adapt and recover from stressors, measured via correlations among health strengths.
mHealth: The use of mobile and digital technologies to deliver health assessments and interventions.
References
- Understanding Whole-Person Health and Resilience During the COVID-19 Pandemic and Beyond: A Cross-sectional and Descriptive Correlation Study. JMIR Nursing (2022).
- Using data visualization to characterize whole‐person health of public health nurses. Public Health Nursing (2023).
- Machine learning methods to discover hidden patterns in well‐being and resilience for healthy aging. Journal of Nursing Scholarship (2024).
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