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Background Research increasingly highlight post-migration factors for migrants’ mental health status. We investigated the association between participation in a health promotion program and changes in migrants’ mental health, and if socio-demographic factors and length of time in the new home country, Sweden, influenced a potential association. Methods A five-week health promotion program named ‘Hälsostöd’ [Health Support], led by community health workers, was offered to migrants, primarily asylum seekers and newly arrived immigrants (N = 202). The framework for the program was salutogenic psycho-education, which focused on health effects of migration experiences, lifestyle and health, and the health care system. Mental health was measured at the start and end of the program. We analysed this follow up by using the recommended clinical cut off (i.e. > 11 of maximum 36, with higher scores indicating possible mental illness) in the 12- item version of the General Health Questionnaire (GHQ12). Chi Square test was used to analyse statistical significance of changes, and multinomial logistic regression to analyse associations to sociodemographic factors and length of stay in Sweden. Results The number of participants scoring above the clinical cut off after participation in the program (N = 79, 39.1%) was lower compared to the corresponding number before participation (N = 111, 55.0%), Chi Square = 10.17, p N = 146), 21.8% (N = 44) had a positive change, yet 5.9% (N = 12) had a negative change, compared to before participation in the program. None of the investigated sociodemographic factors showed to significantly influence the association. Length of stay in Sweden was trending, with participants with longer stay being more likely to have possible mental illness. Conclusion We conclude that psycho-educative programs, similar to ‘Hälsostöd’, have potential for promoting asylum seekers’ and newly arrived immigrants’ mental health as the evaluation showed a considerable number of positive changes in participants. The result suggests the importance of offering immigrants health promotive programs in close connection with arrival to the new home country. Future research should clarify under what circumstances sociodemographic factors influence the effects of such programs.

Background Workplace Health Promotion Programs (WHPP) have been shown to be an efficient way of improving workers’ health. These programs can be incorporated in the worker’s daily schedule and improve their productivity at work. Improving employees’ health also benefits the employers by increasing their return on investment and lowering healthcare costs. The Activate Your Health program, created by Capsana in 2015, is a WHPP targeting multiple lifestyle habits for a three-year period. This WHPP includes tailored web-based interventions and the support of different health professionals throughout the years. We hypothesize that this approach will yield long-term lifestyle changes. The objective of the current paper is to describe the Activate Your Health program’s design. Methods/design Eleven companies are taking part in this WHPP and had to choose among five different options of this program and all their employees were encouraged to participate. Each option differs by the number and type of interventions included. The limited option, which is considered the control group, only consists in completing a questionnaire regarding their health status, lifestyle habits and behaviors. On the other end, the extensive option receives a combination of multiple interventions: online menus, health challenges, support in creating a healthy work environment, coaching by health professionals (nurse, nutritionist, and kinesiologist), health screening and flexibility assessment, online resources, social health platform, and activity tracking. The remaining options are in between these options and vary by the amount of intervention. Baseline data are already gathered; two other data collection periods will take place after one and 2 years into the program. The primary outcomes of the current program are physical activity and fitness measures, nutritional data, smoking habits, stress and intention to change. Discussion The Activate Your Health program will allow us to compare which combinations of interventions are the most effective. It is expected that the extensive option will be the most advantageous to improve lifestyle habits. The results will indicate the strength and weakness of each intervention and how it could be improved. Trial registration Clinicaltrails.gov, registration number: NCT02933385 (updated on the 26th of March 2019, initially registered on the 5th of October 2016).

Background The prevention of overweight and obesity during infancy is a highly relevant public health topic given the significant impact of childhood obesity on acute and chronic diseases, general health, and well-being in later stages of life. Apart from the family setting, daycare facilities (DFs) represent a key setting for health promotion among children under the age of six years. “JolinchenKids – Fit and Healthy in Daycare” is a multi-component program promoting physical activity (PA), healthy eating, and mental well-being in 3- to 6-year-old preschoolers at DFs, originally designed by the German health insurance AOK. To evaluate program effectiveness, a cluster-controlled trial involving 68 DFs is currently conducted. The objective of this article is to describe the background, study design, and aims of this trial. Methods/design Sixty-eight DFs across Germany will be recruited to take part in the study, half of them serving as intervention DFs and half of them as delayed intervention control DFs (which receive the program upon completion of the study). At each DF, height, weight, and body composition, as well as motor skills, will be assessed in twenty 3- to 6-year-old children. Children’s eating and PA habits, and mental well-being will be assessed via parental questionnaires. A subsample of children (i.e., at 24 DFs which are randomly selected within a geographic region) will be asked to wear accelerometers at their wrists to objectively measure PA over the course of seven days. To compare changes in body composition, motor skills, eating and PA habits, and mental well-being of children at intervention DFs with those observed among children at delayed intervention control DFs over one year, all measurements will take place at baseline and twelve months after the launch of the program at all DFs. Discussion This study investigates the influence of a health promotion program in the daycare setting on various outcomes, including body composition and objectively measured PA, in a nationwide sample of 3- to 6-year-old preschoolers. This study will provide evidence regarding the effectiveness of a multi-component program for health promotion in this setting and may provide insights into new strategies for preventing obesity in early life. Trial registration German Clinical Trials Register DRKS00011065 (Date of registration 16–09-2016).

National Health Insurance (NHI) Program has been implemented in Indonesia on January 2014. That program definitely brings some changes into managerial aspect in public health center (PHC). This study aimed to determine an impact of NHI policy in the implementation of health promotion programs at PHC in South Tangerang City, Indonesia. This study was conducted using qualitative method during February and March 2016. The impact of NHI is seen on policy, budget, equipment, human resource and implementation of health promotion program. With purposive sampling method, six policy makers, eight service providers and eight service users were selected for in-depth interview. As many as 17 documents were analyzed. Observation conducted at four selected PHC. Data analysis used thematic content analysis. There was no difference of PHC’s functions before and after NHI period. Budget expended for health promotion programs had increased after NHI implemented which it could be opportunity for PHC to make innovations, procure materials and implement better health promotion programs. Capitation budget which could be used for executing health promotion program and some recently implemented health promotion programs in NHI era becomes an evidence that NHI policy has a positive impact in the implementation of health promotion program at PHCAbstrakJaminan Kesehatan Nasional (JKN) telah diimplementasikan di Indonesia pada 1 Januari 2014. Hal tersebut membawa beberapa perubahan pada aspek manajerial pada pusat kesehatan masyarakat (puskesmas). Penelitian ini bertujuan untuk mengidentifikasi dampak dari kebijakan JKN terhadap implementasi program promosi kesehatan di puskesmas di Kota Tangerang Selatan, Indonesia. Penelitian menggunakan metode kualitatif. Data dikumpulkan pada Februari – Maret 2016. Dampak program dilihat dalam hal kebijakan, pendanaan, fasilitas, sumber daya manusia dan pelaksanaan program promosi kesehatan. Dengan menggunakan metode purposive sampling, enam pengambil kebijakan, delapan pemberi layanan dan delapan penerima layanan diambil sebagai informan dalam penelitian ini. Pada analisis dokumen, 17 dokumen telah dianalisis. Observasi dilakukan dengan melihat kegiatan yang dilakukan di empat puskesmas. Analisis data menggunakan analisis konten tematik. Tidak terdapat perbedaan dari fungsi puskesmas sebelum dan setelah adanya JKN. Dana yang digunakan untuk kegiatan promosi kesehatan telah mengalami peningkatan setelah implementasi kebijakan JKN dimana dana tersebut dapat digunakan untuk berinovasi, memberi peralatan dan melakukan promosi kesehatan dengan lebih baik. Dana kapitasi yang dapat digunakan untuk melaksanakan program promosi kesehatan dan beberapa kegiatan promosi kesehatan yang baru dilaksanakan pada saat era JKN menjadi bukti bahwa kebijakan JKN memiliki dampak positif terhadap pelaksanaan program promosi kesehatan di puskesmas.

Se hacen algunos análisis acerca de los nexos que unen potencialmente a la comunidad de psicólogos que trabajan en el ámbito académico o de investigación científica, con el ámbito de la salud pública y de formulación de políticas en este campo. Se destaca el divorcio que existe entre estos dos niveles de actividad y la necesidad de una mutua interacción entre ello para que los problemas que se plantean los investigadores adquieran una mayor relevancia social, así como para que la formulación de políticas tenga un mayor respaldo científico. Se destacan algunos hechos referentes al valor intrínseco de lo psicológico, al referirse a la salud/enfermedad como proceso y a los servicios de salud como producto, y se subraya la importancia de que en la actualidad se tomen en cuenta los factores de tipo psicosocial, en un marco de salud y enfermedad como el que aqueja a nuestra población, en el cual el estilo de vida juega un papel trascendental, sobre todo con miras a la promoción de la salud y a la prevención de las enfermedades. Finalmente, se hace referencia a las diversas estrategias metodológicas susceptibles de implementarse en el campo de la psicología de la salud y a la necesidad de combinarlas con miras al logro de un determinado propósito que tenga relevancia social y política; para ilustrar lo anterior, se analiza el proceso inherente a la formulación e implementación de un programa de promoción de la salud, especificando las estrategias metodológicas apropiadas para cada paso del proceso. Some analyses are made regarding links that could exist among the psychologists working in the academic environment or in scientific research, and the public health field, where health policies are issued. Emphasis is made on the fact that there has been some kind of separation between these two levels of activity and on the need for a mutual interaction so that the problems faced by the researchers should have a wider social scope and, consequently, that the policies formulated should bear wider scientific support. Some facts related to the intrinsic value of the psychological field, when related to health/illness as a process and health services as a product, have also been stressed. There is also emphasized the fact that in a health and illness environment, such as that faced by our population, where the life style plays a rather serious role, the psychosocial factors should be taken into account, particularly as regards health promotion and illness prevention. Finally, reference is made to the various methodological strategies that are susceptible of being implemented in the field of health psychology and the need to combine them in looking to achieve a given social and political goal. To illustrate the above, there is analyzed the process involving the formulation and implementation of a health promotion program, specifying methodological strategies that are suitable to each step of the process.