Health promotion encourages persons to monitor and improve their own
health.Children and older persons are more susceptible to various forms of
environmental pollution than individuals in the intermediate ages and are more
likely to be affected by even the lowest pollution levels.Medical conditions due to
environmental pollution reduce productivity and affect quality of life of persons as
they age.The basic strategies for health promotion were laid down in the Ottawa
Charter for Health Promotion (1986).6 Goals of increasing the healthy lifespan,
improving the quality of life for all, reducing mortality and morbidity rates and
increasing life expectancy were set at the International Conference on Population
and Development (1994).7 These goals can be more effectively achieved through
implementation of actions recommended by the World Health Organization to
improve both public health and access to adequate health care.A life course perspective involves recognizing that health promotion
and disease prevention activities need to focus on maintaining independence,
prevention and delay of disease and disability and providing treatment, as well as on
improving the functioning and quality of life of older persons who already have
disabilities.63.64.65.