International Journal of Studies in Nursing; Vol. 4, No. 3 2019 ISSN 2424-9653 E-ISSN 2529-7317 Published by July Press 81 Perception of Health Promotion Practices Among the Faculty of Selected University, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates Rekha Jaiprakash Ogale 1 , Rabab Gad Abd El- Kadre 1 , Vijaya Kumardhas 1 , Padma Gurumadhav Rao 2 , Sathvik B. Sridhar 2 & Maragatham Kannan 1 1 RAK College of Nursing, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, United Arab Emirates 2 RAK College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, RAK Medical and Health Sciences University, United Arab Emirates Correspondence: Dr. Rekha Jaiprakash Ogale, Professor, RAKCON, RAK Medical & Health Sciences University, Near RAK Hospital, Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates. Received: June 30, 2019 Accepted: August 19, 2019 Online Published: August x, 2019 doi:10.20849/ijsn.v4i3.624 URL: https://doi.org/10.20849/ijsn.v4i3.624 Abstract Background and aim: Health promotion is one of the vital and key element for a healthy living. The health care professional spent their initial developing years in learning about health and thereafter training and imparting knowledge to their students and people to whom they serve. The faculty of health sciences are the educators who not only teach health promotion to their students but also educate and prepare the students for the health promotion of the society. Aim: The purpose of the study was to assess the perception of health promotion and health promotion practices existing among the faculty of Medical and Health Sciences University, Ras Al Khaimah, UAE. Study design: The study was descriptive and cross sectional. Data was collected using convenience sampling technique. Self-administered questionnaire was used for data collection. The sample size of the study was 52. Results: Of the total 52 respondents, majority were females, 31-50 years old (63%), married (87%) from nursing and medical faculty ( 63%), non arabic (77%), with 20 or less years of total professional experience(62%). About 52% of the faculty reported that their daily routine comprises sitting at one place for 6-10 hours. Majority (98%) of the participant felt that health promotion is most important for healthy living and is the best resource for everyday life (100%). However majority (60%) of the faculty reported that they do not find time to perform health promotion activities especially daily physical exercises and only 39% were actually able to perform their daily exercises. CONCLUSION: Though health promotion activities are most important for healthy living, the physical exercises as essential health promotion activities are not practiced by the health sciences university faculty. Keywords: perception, health promotion, practice, faculty, university 1. Introduction Living a healthy lifestyle is a fundamental requirement to achieve optimal mental and physical well-being. Healthy lifestyle involves individuals controlling all behavior that might affect their health and adopt to those behaviors that serve to maintain and raise individuals’ own wellness level. (Walker, Sechrist & Pender, 1987). Health promotion is the initial and primary level of health prevention that lies in the hands of the individual. Individual’s positive mental attitude towards performing the day to day practice of healthy behavior in life strengthen his health. Wellness is the whole of behaviours oriented towards becoming healthy at an optimal level. The researches have shown that many diseases encountered in adulthood can be prevented with an effective and healthy lifestyle. Health problems such as heart attacks, paralysis, chronic respiratory disorders and cancers may actually be prevented by healthy living habits established in the early years. (Amuna & Zotor, 2008; Danaei et al., 2009) Today the incidences of noncommunicable diseases (NCDs) are on rise leading into several complications. NCDs are the leading cause of death globally, and one of the major health challenges of the 21st century (WHO, 2018). Healthy lifestyle is the single most important factor in prevention and control of the health problems among people including NCDs. (Arena et al., 2015). The health care professionals need to propagate the practice