Abstract

This manual provides guidance to healthcare professionals and managers working in clinical settings on how to empower patients and their relatives, hospital visitors and healthcare professionals towards healthier choices. Chapter 1 provides recommendations based on the highest level of evidence, resulting from overviews of high quality systematic reviews (AMSTAR score higher than 8) including randomised controlled trials testing interventions aimed at modifying behaviours known to be associated with non communicable chronic diseases. Chapter 2 offers guidance to translate evidence into practice and to organise empowering activities. This chapter includes essential activities such as policy management, individual risk profling, designing and managing empowering initiatives and preparing a sustainability plan. Chapter 3 describes how to integrate empowerment activities and initiatives offered at the hospital and those available in the hospital jurisdiction. This chapter also suggests how to involve stakeholders and to manage their contributions according to the WHO ‘Health in all’ principles.