Healthier Living - Challenges and Motivations

The rising cost of healthcare and technological incorporation, the aging population, the epidemiological transition with the increase in incidence and prevalence of chronic diseases, the potential impacts of health promotion and disease prevention actions, and the need to encourage quality of life throughout its course are some of the motivating factors, among others, in the search for strategies to face these challenges.

A survey by the Federal Council of Medicine (CFM) reveals that Brazil spends R$ 3.48 per capita per day to cover healthcare expenses for its more than 207 million inhabitants.

In this context, we need to create a methodology that encourages municipalities to develop programs for Health Promotion and Disease Risk Prevention, and to stimulate the population's adherence to such programs that lead to a healthier life, considering the policies undertaken by the Ministry of Health (MS) and the World Health Organization (WHO).

Today, 98% of all health expenditures in Brazil are directed towards the treatment and diagnosis of diseases, and only 2% are allocated to health promotion.

According to WHO, chronic diseases and their complications constitute the most significant health problem, accounting for about 70% of the causes of death, strongly affecting vulnerable layers and groups, such as the low-educated and low-income population.

Social inequalities, differences in access to goods and services, low education, inequalities in access to information and services, as well as modifiable risk factors such as smoking, alcohol consumption, physical inactivity, and inadequate nutrition are pointed out as social determinants of these chronic diseases.

In the Federal Constitution of 1988, the Brazilian state assumes as primary objectives the reduction of social and regional inequalities, the promotion of the well-being of all, and the construction of a solidarity society without any forms of discrimination.

These objectives mark the way of conceiving citizenship rights and the duties of the state in the country, among which is health.

In this context, ensuring health implies not only guaranteeing universal and equal access of citizens to health services but also formulating social and economic policies that operate in reducing the risks of illness.

The constitutional text also states that the Brazilian sanitary system is committed to the comprehensiveness of health care when its actions and services are urged to work for the promotion, protection, and recovery of health, with decentralization, regionalization, and social participation.

Thus, it is essential to insert mass movements that induce the population to acquire healthier lifestyles, including social reinforcements that value these new behaviors.

In summary, it is necessary to recognize Health Promotion as a fundamental tool in the pursuit of equity, improvement of quality of life, and health of the population, with the strengthening of social participation being a key tool in achieving Health Promotion results, especially equity and individual and community empowerment.