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The authors of the Ottawa Charter selected the words enable, mediate and advocate to describe the core activities in what was, in 1986, the new Public Health. This article considers these concepts and the values and ideas upon which they were based. We discuss their relevance in the current context within which health promotion is being conducted, and discuss the implications of changes in the health agenda, media and globalization for practice. We consider developments within health promotion since 1986: its central role in policy rhetoric, the increasing understanding of complexities and the interlinkage with many other societal processes. So the three core activities are reviewed: they still fit well with the main health promotion challenges, but should be refreshed by new ideas and values. As the role of health promotion in the political arena has grown we have become part of the policy establishment and that is a mixed blessing. Making way for community advocates is now our challenge. Enabling requires greater sensitivity to power relations involved and an understanding of the role of health literacy. Mediating keeps its central role as it bridges vital interests of parties. We conclude that these core concepts in the Ottawa Charter need no serious revision. There are, however, lessons from the last 25 years that point to ways to address present and future challenges with greater sensitivity and effectiveness. We invite the next generation to avoid canonizing this text: as is true of every heritage, the heirs must decide on its use.

This paper asks whether, when seeking to reach the public, interest in the health of pets merits consideration. Our data set consisted of 128 items from Canadian media coverage, 1996– 2006, that dealt with bovine spongiform encephalopathy (BSE) as well as with cats, dogs or both. Three main messages regarding pet health and human health were identified: ‘do not worry’, ‘do worry’ and ‘be cautious’. A minority of articles did not convey a pet health message or a human health message (6%), and contradictory messages regarding human and animal health frequently occurred (32%). While we did not assess how members of the public actually received or interpreted these messages, media coverage dealing with pets does appear to have the potential to influence people. Media reports of British cats being harmed by BSE, in fact, may have influenced public views worldwide. Thus, professionals should give careful consideration to pets when conveying health information. Nevertheless, we do not suggest pet health information substitute for human health information. Rather, interest in pets may provide an opportunity to complement and to reinforce communication about human health.

(2003). Mass Media, Public Health, and Achieving Health Literacy. Journal of Health Communication: Vol. 8, No. sup1, pp. 124-125.

The impact of any prevention intervention depends on its ability to influence health risks and behavior change and the extent to which the target audience has access to and participates in the program. In this article, the authors make the case that media literacy–based tobacco prevention education can be integrated into the middle school curriculum in a way that delivers on both counts. They describe Missouri’s successful development and dissemination of the Youth Empowerment in Action! Tobacco Education, Advocacy, and Media curriculum to schools serving populations that are most vulnerable to tobacco-related health disparities. They make three recommendations to support health program developers’ efforts to motivate and prepare teachers to implement and sustain universal tobacco prevention education in areas of highest need.