The Institute organizes health awareness and promotion programs targeting the general population as well as specific groups (students, workers, elders, etc.).

Already during its first years of action, it carried out programs for prevention against smoking (1993), AIDS (1994), alcohol abuse (1994), drug use (1995), and skin cancer.

Below, are indicative actions of the Institute addressed to different target groups.

Children and teenagers

• Talks and experiential actions for students

The talks cover issues such as preventing and quitting smoking, dealing with racism and stereotypes, preventing school bullying, promoting healthy nutrition and physical activity etc.

• Talks and experiential actions within the DIATROFI Program framework for students and their families.

From 2012 to date, more than 200 talks have taken place, directly or via videoconferencing, to primary and secondary school students aiming to promote healthy nutritional habits. Also, more than 125 talks for parents have taken place, to which more than 3,000 people participated.

• Student workshop “The notes are fed properly”.

The Prolepsis Institute, in collaboration with Stegi for Letters and the Arts of the Onassis Foundation, has developed an innovative student workshop for the school year 2015-2016, which combines nutrition with the arts. The aim of the program was the familiarization of children with healthy nutrition through the use of colors, movement and imagination with the accompaniment of games and live music.

• Organization of student creative art competitions for nutrition and physical activity issues.

In the school years 2014-2015, 2015-2016, the Prolepsis Institute organized competitions with the subject of “I Eat Healthy – I Exercise Daily” in order to feature the best poster / collage and the best video, in the framework of the DIATROFI Program. Also, in the 2018-2019 school year, it organized a competition with the subject “Healthy Diet in a picture” as part of an open public event: “I Take Care of Nutrition, I Look After Health”, which was held by the Hellenic Foundation for Gastroenterology and Nutrition for World Food Day.

Elders

• Design, organization and implementation of informational talks to the elderly for the prevention of home accidents and proper medicine use.

In cooperation with the companies TENA, Alpha Bank and INTERAMERICAN, talks were held in more than 14 centers for the elderly of Attica District with the participation of over 1,000 people in total. The content of the talks was based on the European Alpha – to – OMEGA program, which aimed at developing and utilizing educational material for elders in the context of lifelong learning.

• Using new technologies and enhancing the digital health literacy of elders.

The design, integration and use of tools based on new technologies, significantly contribute to the improvement of health literacy. The Institute has taken major initiatives on a European level. Read about the European programs iHEAL, IROHLA, Alpha-to-Omega.

• Promoting healthy nutrition

The Institute plans and implements activities to raise awareness among elders and health professionals in order to promote healthy nutrition habits based on the particular nutritional needs of this group of the population. For instance, the Program “Improving the quality of life of elders in the Region of Sterea Hellas in matters related to nutrition and prevention of accidents at home”. The program is implemented by the Institute with the Contracting Authority, the Regional Development Fund of Sterea Hellas.

Women

• Establishment, organization and scientific supervision of a program for early diagnosis of breast and cervical cancer of the Panagia Philanthropini Center in Ormylia, Halkidiki (1992-1999).
• Development of educational tools for issues related to women’s health, such as the promotion of health in the work place, the promotion of healthy nutrition, etc.

Immigrants and refugees

• Development of informational material for the promotion of vaccinations between immigrants.

Read about the European program “PROMOVAX” coordinated by the Prolepsis Institute and the material developed for health professionals and immigrants, here.

• Development of an online platform addressed to healthcare professionals and aiming for the improvement of health services for immigrants and refugees.

The online platform is being developed within the framework of the European Mig-HealthCare program coordinated by the Prolepsis Institute. The online platform will be used as a pilot and the evaluation of the pilot program will lead to recommendations for effective provision of healthcare services. Read more here.

General population

• Informative actions and talks about issues related to the promotion of healthy nutrition and physical activity.

1. Within the framework of the presentation and wide dissemination of the National Nutritional Guides, the scientific team of the Prolepsis Institute organized workshops in cities in Greece (Athens, Patras, Thessaloniki) while a series of presentations has taken place at national and international scientific conferences.
2. In collaboration with local authorities (December 2016, March 2017 – Tanagra Municipality), the Institutes’ nutritionists and health promotion experts have delivered talks to the general public, with useful advice on adopting healthy nutrition habits, improving physical activity and limiting the sedentary lifestyle.
3. With the participation in the 6th and 7th missions of Axion Hellas in Psara and Chios (2018) and Dodecanese (2019) 2019, members of the Institutes’ scientific team carried out informative and educational actions to promote healthy nutrition and physical activity to the inhabitants of the border islands.

• Informative actions and talks on issues concerning smoking prevention and quitting.

Our scientific team has conducted a wide range of talks and informative events for the general public providing useful advice and information on the effects of smoking, the health benefits of abstinence from smoking and termination, ways and practical tips to quit.