[Qualitative research in evaluation of health promotion programs in the context of health and disease paradigms].

The authors analyse selected aspects of evaluation research in relation to the changing paradigms of health and disease. The process of change in the biomedical paradigm, gradually becoming the biopsychosocial (socioecological), holistic model, is discussed. A short description of the two paradigms is given, including a critique of the biomedical model of health and disease based on evidence from social science research.

[Evaluation in school anti-tobacco programmes].

The National Research Institute of Mother and Child (NRIMC) school anti-tobacco programmes are presented. They are discussed with reference to the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) guidelines and other effective school programmes to prevent tobacco use among children and young people. The general objectives of the programmes at different educational levels and the elaborated strategic recommendations are presented.

[Evaluation of health promotion programmes].

The paper contains a review of definitions of evaluation and discusses the need to evaluate health promotion programmes. The classification of types of evaluation is presented. It is aimed to create a common language of communication between evaluation and the common understanding of terms.

[Health promotion. Concept development].

The development of health promotion in theory and practice is presented-from the Ottawa Charter in 1986, to the community based health promotion programmes, as the vision for the 21 Century. The historical mile stones in the process of change and the conceptualisation of health promotion are discussed with reference to the World WHO Conferences and documents from these conferences. These events and documents have been vital as guidelines for member countries, both for implementation of community based programmes, as well as for healthy public policy and for training, especially concerning evaluation.

[Anti-tobacco education programs for children and youth at different stages of schooling].

Anti-tobacco education programmes for children and youth, developed at the National Research Institute of Mother and Child, are presented. The targets and goals of elaboration and implementation of these programmes are discussed. The four programmes contribute to a continuum of anti-tobacco education from preschool to secondary school.