מאמר פרספקטיבה: בין מניעה לקידום בריאות ורווחה חברתית

Background: The term prevention is widely used in various fields of expertise, both at the individual level and at the levels of community, society, and state. Preventive services may be provided to the entire population or to those at risk, relying on different approaches.Aims: To define and review approaches both to prevention and to the promotion of health and social welfare.Method and findings: In this review, we emphasize that unlike the approach that is the basis of prevention - identifying and reducing risk factors - the approach of promoting health and social welfare is based on the belief that many factors determining well-being and health must be considered, including protective factors. The review focuses on two disciplines, public health and social work, to demonstrate the principles underlying the furthering of both health promotion and social welfare promotion. It emphasizes the commonality between them and the need for joint and complementary activity. The approach of promoting social welfare involves the development of a unique infrastructure based on coordination between health and welfare services that exist in the community. This can prevent the formation of social problems that require treatment and promote individual and community welfare.Conclusions and implications for practice: It is recommended that social workers working indifferent fields with individuals, groups, and communities adopt an approach that promotes social well-being, to deal effectively with problems plaguing society today. By focusing on the promotion of social welfare while collaborating with other professionals, social workers can provide communities with new opportunities for the healthy development of all their members.