bravo and merci for your openmindedness!
(an american in paris)

At 01:35 02/02/1998 -0500, you wrote:
>In response to recent communications on CLICK4HP, I have the
>following thoughts about the danger of stereotyping
>Americans with respect to health promotion.
>
>Although I do not carry any brief for the United States or,
>in particular, its health care system, I have come to
>realize that I risk unfairly stereotyping all Americans.  My
>own experiences, especially within the past 12 months, has
>led me to appreciate that, while many (most?) Americans are
>unaware of the Ottawa Charter (why should they be, since
>they were not part of the WHO-Euro group involved in its
>conception?), many Americans are very aware of the Charter
>or, at least, the values, principles and strategies embodied
>in the Charter (e.g., the Urban Research Centres funded by
>the Centres for Disease Control).  (An additional thought:
>how many Canadians, including those that might be expected
>to know about the Ottawa Charter, have ever heard of the
>Charter, let alone have read the Charter?).
>
>In addition, my own experience living, working and studying
> in the United States has led me to conclude (sometimes
>against my initial prejudices) that a large minority (at
>least) of its citizens are very concerned about the state of
>their health care system and, moreover, are very concerned
>about social justice issues in their society and elsewhere
>around the world.  Furthermore, to be a little provocative,
>it is my feeling that many of our American neighbours are
>more radical about these issues than we Canadians (i.e.,
>they are more prepared to put their values into action).
>
>Finally, I am coming to the conclusion that, although many
>Americans (and Canadians) limit their focus to individual
>lifestyle issues when talking about health promotion and, in
>turn, limit their health promotion strategies to narrowly
>defined health education, there is a growing shift towards
>taking a broader ecological perspective to health education
>(as reflected in the SOPHE/AAHE Competency-based Framework
>for Professional Development of Certified Health Education
>Specialists--see "Health Education & Behavior", 1997, vol.
>24(2), 137-150).
>
>So, my own conclusion (i.e., for myself), is to be careful
>about my blinders, stereotypes and prejudices; they might be
>doing an injustice to others, and might limit my own
>capacities to make a difference in this world.
>
>Take care.
>
>Michael Goodstadt
>
>
>Michael Goodstadt Ph.D.
>Deputy Director
>Centre for Health Promotion
>University of Toronto
>Banting Institute
>100 College Street, Suite #207
>TORONTO, Ontario, Canada
>M5G 1L5
>
>Phone:  (416) 978-6861
>Fax:    (416) 971-1365
>
>e-mail: <[log in to unmask]>
>
>

Anne W. Bunde-Birouste
IUHPE Director of Programmes
<[log in to unmask]>
tel : 33.1.46.45.00.59
fax : 33.1.46.45.00.45
2 rue Auguste Comte
92170 Vanves, FRANCE