Introduction

In 2003, Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS) outbreak threatened our life and health in Hong Kong. In order to prevent the threaten coming up with infection diseases, families and neighbours should support and encourage mutually to establish a personal hygiene habit, maintain healthy body and healthy environment. In the same year, Hong Kong Red Cross (HKRC) commenced '5 Stars Health 5 Stars Home' Community Health Education Project in Tai Po district in a self review scheme and neighbour mutual support concept to promote public hygiene and community health. Through collaborating with government departments, local organizations and neighborhoods, health message was delivered to families in the district. HKRC hope that all residents concern the health and environment hygiene of their families and maintain a healthy lifestyle continuously so that they will not flinch from the threatening of any infection diseases.
 
To continue the successful experience in Tai Po district, the project was extended to Tuen Mun district and Kwai Tsing district in 2004 and 2006 respectively based on the assessment of community needs. In accordance with the project objectives, HKRC collaborate with local organizations in implementing a series of health promotion activities so as to develop a community health promotion network. At present, HKRC is performing the sustaining work to encourage families to maintain the healthy lifestyle and join hands to establish a health and safety community. HKRC strongly believes that united human, mutual support and the power of volunteering among human is the best method to prevent and alleviate the suffering of any infection disease outbreak in the future.

Tai Po District

The kick-off ceremony was launched in Tai Po Mega Mall on 20 July 2003.  2,051 families pledged to practice 5 Stars healthy lifestyle, among which 181 families have fulfilled the commitment and were awarded in '5 Stars Health 5 Stars Home' Award Ceremony on 19 October 2003. Subsequently, HKRC organized over 83 health promotion activities with more than 30,000 participants including Climbing the Stairs Campaign, Ten Thousand Stairs Relay Walk and Healthy Eating in Tai Po. Nowadays, 855 public and 72 local organizations have joined as HKRC 'Healthy Friends' and 5 Stars Health Collaborators respectively.

Tuen Mun District

The kick-off ceremony was launched in Tuen Mun Town Plaza on 16 - 17 October 2004.  4,225 families pledged to follow 5 Stars healthy lifestyle. 946 families practiced out their commitment and were awarded in '5 Stars Health 5 Stars Home' Award Ceremony on 8 May 2005. Subsequently, HKRC organized over 97 health promotion activities with more than 20,000 participants, including Tuen Mun district Families and Schools Carnival, '2 plus 3' Healthy Eating Habit Campaign and Energetic Camp. Nowadays, 1,410 public and 146 local organizations have joined as HKRC 'Healthy Friends' and 5 Stars Health Collaborators respectively.
 
Kwai Tsing District

The kick-off ceremony was launched in Maritime Square on 14 October 2006.  6,778 families pledged to follow 5 Stars healthy lifestyle. 1,017 families practiced out their commitment and were awarded in '5 Stars Health 5 Stars Home' Award Ceremony on 4 August 2007. Subsequently, HKRC organized over 85 health promotion activities with more than 90,000 participants including 5 Stars Touch Programs, Health Fun Day and Roving Exhibition. Nowadays, 1,834 public and 50 local organizations have joined as HKRC 'Healthy Friends' and 5 Stars Health Collaborators respectively.

Objectives
1. To heighten public awareness on personal hygiene and household safety;
2. To advocate a healthy lifestyle in a community setting;
3. To build and strengthen local community network and inter-sectoral collaboration so as to establish a healthy and safety community;
4. To develop the opportunities of community participation and encourage public to exert the volunteering spirit.

Service Targets
Families and local organizations in Tai Po, Tuen Mun and Kwai Tsing district.

Scope of Service
Based on community participation concepts, HKRC collaborate with local organizations to organize various community health education activities to enhance the public awareness on health.

1. Health Talk
   Medical professionals will be invited to give talks to enhance the public awareness on health.
2. Basic Health Checks
    With collaboration to different organizations on health checks including Body Mass Index, Fat Ratio and Blood Pressure that aim at encouraging public to understand their health status.
3. Health Roving Exhibition
    Health roving exhibition will be launched in the community with the theme about 5 health concerns in order to promote community health.
4. Health Promotion Day
    Health promotion day will be launched in the community to display health message to the public through interactive activities.
5. '5 Stars Health Ambassador' Training Programme
    Ambassador will be recruited through community organizations that aim at spreading the public hygiene message to the community. A series of training will be provided to equip them as '5 Stars Health Ambassador'. They will be requested to participate in the promotion activities in order to promote community health.
6. Publication on 'Healthy Friends News'
   'Healthy Friends News' will be published on a quarterly basis by the editorial board of HKRC Health & Care Service Department. The News mainly delivers the common infection disease, prevention measures and related health message. Upcoming events of the '5 Stars Health 5 Stars Home' project will also be included.

Contents
'5 Stars' represents high quality, HKRC hopes that the public concern about personal and family's health as well as enjoy life so as to be the real '5 Stars Family'!

'5 Star' also represents 5 health concern elements:

• 'Healthy habits' - To highlight personal, food and environmental hygiene
• 'Healthy diet' - To foster a balanced diet
• 'Healthy body' - To promote both concepts of healthy body weight and regular exercises
• 'Healthy mind' - To advocate psycho-social health and stress management
• 'Healthy home-setting' - To emphasize home and drug safety measures

Through the 'Health Guide Book (HGB)', pledged families could review their health and personal hygiene status by conducting a self-test and form their own objectives to improve their health. Following the health education guideline in the HGB, pledged Families can improve their health practice gradually. After that, committed families were invited to join as Hong Kong Red Cross 'Healthy Friends', who will receive health information and participate in health promotion activities regularly in order to penetrate the health message in the community. Besides, HKRC encourage the public to join '5 Stars Health Ambassador' Training Programme to be a '5 Stars Health Ambassador' who promote health message in the community. Meanwhile, HKRC affiliate with local organization in collaborating with different health education activities to offer the platform of community participation.

In Hong Kong, there is a trailing trend of infection diseases, influenza is raging in Hong Kong again and again that even leads to suspend classes of kindergartens and primary schools. It is perceived that prevention of infection diseases is of great urgency. In addition, accidents are the 5th life-threatening factors in Hong Kong, Home accidents lead to injuries and death in a common occurrence. If HKRC have the safety awareness and rescue readiness, the casualty could be reduced greatly. Hence, our project in 2008 will mainly focus on promoting two health concern elements: healthy habit and healthy home-setting.

Enquiry / Contact Us 
HKRC Health & Care Service Department
Tel: 2152 9339
Fax: 2152 9222
Address: 33 Harcourt Road, Hong Kong
Email: hcs@redcross.org.hk