Health promotion in South-East Asia: Indonesia, DPR Korea, Thailand, the Maldives and Myanmar

• Published in: Health promotion international Vol. 15; no. 3; pp. 249 - 257
• Main Authors: Moodie, Rob, Borthwick, Chris, Phongphit, Seri, Galbally, Rhonda, Hsu-Hage, Bridget H.-H.
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Oxford Oxford University Press 01.09.2000; Oxford Publishing Limited (England)
• Subjects: Community Power; Cultural Capital; DPR Korea; Health; Health Education; Health promotion; Indonesia; Myanmar; North Korea; PERSPECTIVES; Social capital; South East Asia; South-East Asia: Indonesia; Southeast Asia; State Power; State Society Relationship; Thailand; the Maldives and Myanmar
• ISSN: 0957-4824; 1460-2245; 1460-2245
• DOI: 10.1093/heapro/15.3.249

The state of health of South-East Asian nations depends as much or more on extranational forces beyond their control —global warming, economic boom and bust—as it does on their own policies and practices. Nonetheless, the political systems of the region, the scope that these allow for community participation, and their attitudes to human rights, are also key determinants of health status. Governments in the region hold different attitudes to the desirability of a monopoly of effective power in government hands, and therefore vary in their commitment to concepts of community empowerment for health promotion and the involvement of non-governmental organizations. Health promotion in these nations is inextricably linked with the creation of social capital.