A clear definition is essential for providing guidance to the scope and nature of health promotion for health promotion practitioners, researchers and their clients. The definition can facilitate planning, implementing and evaluating interventions. In addition, the credibility of health promotion as a professional entity will benefit from a definition that describes uniformity of action.

The budget audit contributed to a better understanding of how resources are used. It helped develop a shared vision and commitment to change by involving staff in making decisions about budget allocation. It is a useful tool for planning and resource allocation for health promotion services.

If smoking cessation guidelines for antenatal care are adopted and disseminated broadly, the potential for preventing tobacco-caused perinatal morbidity and mortality could be substantial. This paper reports on a major advance that has been made in achieving this.

The project, which emphasises multi-level strategies and a balance between ‘top-down’, researcher-driven consultation and ‘bottom-up’ input from key contacts and organisations, took about eight months to develop. Researchers and funders should not underestimate the amount of time needed to develop whole-of-community interventions.

The positive experiences reported by consumers suggests that a community pharmacy offers increased access, especially in rural areas, and a broadening of consumer choice for health promotion and screening services.

It is possible to increase respondents' recall of the campaign and knowledge of some harm reduction strategies, but a longer intervention is needed to change smoke-free home status.

Health promotion projects, particularly those being undertaken in small or remote communities, should view the cartoon strip or comic as a useful tool with which to present their message to the community. This is especially the case where there are distinct local issues that render State or national campaigns less relevant.

Most studies of health message dissemination refer to the mainstream community. This study provides a guide as to how well the passive smoking message has reached ethnic communities. The findings of this study show that they have received the message, but more slowly. This suggests that information and education should be targeted to community groups who still may not have a good understanding of the passive smoking message.

Adolescents reported infrequent use of sun-protective methods and high incidence of previous sunburn experience, indicating a cause for continued concern. Findings of gender differences in behaviours and preferences provide direction for targeting sun-protective risk behaviours among adolescents. Since preferences were reflected in behaviours, we suggest that efforts to change adolescents' attitudes should transfer to their actual sun-protective behaviours.

Future cervical screening programs should involve health care providers and encourage open communication and positive interactions between them and their clients.

Partnerships between schools, councils and the health sector that focus on encouraging walking to school can achieve small increases in physical activity and overall environmental improvements.

The TFV food record is a useful and acceptable tool for monitoring children's fruit and vegetable intakes.