The eighth edition of this seminal guide is designed to support public health practitioners in keeping up-to-date amid the rapidly changing, complex challenges and contexts facing population health in the twenty-first century.

Suitable for both undergraduates and postgraduates across a range of professions, the Practical Guide provides theories, principles and competencies for effective health promotion in multiple settings. The book is organised into three parts, covering an overview of the public health landscape, the essentials of planning and management, and how to develop capabilities across a range of activities.

The text has been fully updated to examine new issues facing public health, including restructuring of the UK sector post-European Union; COVID-19 and its public health impact and legacy; economic and cost of living influences on population health; and the role of the internet and social media misinformation.

Key Features

• Includes promotion of healthier living, working with communities and effective communication
• Outlines new research on the comparative effectiveness of different approaches to health promotion and public health practice
• Explores the increasing influence of the internet, both in terms of its use for health promotion and its negative influence on wellbeing and health
• Describes changes to the structure and organisation of public health in the UK, including the latest policies and national strategies
• Accessible writing style – makes it easy to learn and remember
• Case studies bring theory to life
• Practice points help readers structure study

New Features

• Latest evidence on the response to the COVID-19 pandemic – a permeating theme throughout the book
• All policy sections updated to reflect current policy frameworks and agendas
• New health data plus recent research on the comparative effectiveness of different approaches to health promotion and public health practice
• All case studies replaced with current scenarios; more global examples of public health and health promotion action
• Fully updated references and practice examples