Abstract
There is growing recognition that health and well-being initiatives will be most effective when they are supported by social influences such as shared health promotion values, peer support, wellness norms, and traditions. What it means to have a health-supporting culture and why it matters is a recurring topic in The Art of Health Promotion (TAHP), so regular readers of this section are likely familiar with the role of policies, workplace environment, and leadership support on health outcomes. This issue of TAHP introduces the concept of subcultures, providing a definition, measurement strategies, and case study examples demonstrating how organizations are addressing subcultures as part of their health and well-being initiatives. While, at first, addressing subcultures may seem like a broader application of the time-honored practice of tailoring programs to subgroups of a larger population, astute readers will recognize the more strategic approaches described in the articles that follow. Subculture initiatives aim to change and influence culture as well as adapt current programs to an identified subculture. For example, a subculture approach might include fostering more peer support or training managers to foster supportive cultural environments within their work teams. The culture approach differs from and is a powerful addition to individualized approaches such as coaching, targeted health information, and personal assessments.
Culture expert, Dr Judd Allen, tees up the issue by sharing his definition of subcultures, discusses why they are important, and suggests strategies for addressing subculture needs. Dr Mary Marzec builds on Judd’s commentary by discussing the need for and approaches to measurement of subcultures. She also provides a case example demonstrating how one organization used a culture assessment tool to identify and address subculture needs. Dr Richard Safeer and Wendy Bowen offer further applications by sharing the processes they used to measure, identify, and address subculture needs at Johns Hopkins Medicine. Megan Amaya, Lauren Battista, and Bernadette Melnyk round out the issue with a profile of their Buckeye Wellness Innovator program, which is one of several strategies The Ohio State University employs to meet subculture needs among faculty and staff. This issue offers a variety of strategies and practical examples to inspire your own creativity and ideas for addressing the subcultures that exist within your organization or community.
Jessica Grossmeier, PhD, MPH is Vice President of Research at the Health Enhancement Research Organization and Co-Editor of The Art of Health Promotion.