Towards a socially sustainable society: Preventing intergenerational transmission of violence and malaise through an ecological approach to health and wellness promotion
Year: 2013
Type: article
Abstract: The need for reform of the Nordic welfare society is driven by changes and diversification in ecology, economy, demography, working life, technology and interaction, which present opportunities and challenges for sustainable development and societal innovation. Finland has implemented an international research project in years 2011 to 2013 to analyse global economic changes and solutions to sustainable development in the preparation of the Finnish Government Foresight Report. \n \nThis thesis aims to contribute to the sustainability discourse. The study provides an international context and integrates the associations between social sustainability, early experiences underlying the social determinants of health and wellbeing, and the intergenerational transmission of interpersonal violence and malaise. \n \nThe method of the thesis is an article-based hermeneutic literature review in the areas of social sustainability, health promotion, human development, violence prevention and ethics. The impact of human social brain development, attachment relationships as well as stress and emotion regulation in the early years on the developmental trajectory, overall life course and building of resilience is explored. The saliency of health communication, gender specificity and cultural competence in health promotion are discussed in relation to three original papers on women’s violence prevention programmes in Finland. \n \nThe literature and emerging empirical evidence suggest that substantial gains for individuals and society can be made from integration of underlying mechanisms influencing the social determinants of health in implementation of the sustainability agenda. An adaptation of Glass and McAtee’s (2006) multilevel web of causation model and a synopsis of the risk regulators and regulatory systems for violence are proposed in the synthesis of the study. Recommendations for future research are outlined for the development of knowledge-based social ecological practice in health and wellness promotion, early prevention and intervention for social sustainability.
Source: Theseus (Ammattikorkeakoulujen)
Author: Tanja K. Harju
Language: English
Subfield: Health
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2288868156