As the definition of health education suggests, the primary role of the health education specialist is to facilitate the learning process and help the individual or community to make informed decisions about health/ disease issues.
The purpose of health education is to positively influence the health behavior of individuals and communities as well as the living and working conditions that influence their health.
Types. Mental and physical health are probably the two most frequently discussed types of health. Spiritual, emotional, and financial health also contribute to overall health. Medical experts have linked these to lower stress levels and improved mental and physical well-being.
Health education is one of the factors of development because it contributes to: increase the efficacy of health services, curative as well as preventive; to improve productivity by reducing occupational diseases and accidents; to change the social climate of communities by getting the people to participate in finding
Health education is a profession of educating people about health. Areas within this profession encompass environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional health, intellectual health, and spiritual health, as well as sexual and reproductive health education.
The focus in the health education standards is on teaching the skills that enable students to make healthy choices and avoid high- risk behaviors. Eight overarching standards describe essential concepts and skills; they are taught within the context of six health content areas.
Teaching Health Education in School. A comprehensive health education program is an important part of the curriculum in most school districts. Starting in kindergarten and continuing through high school, it provides an introduction to the human body and to factors that prevent illness and promote or damage health.
The National Health Education Standards (NHES) were developed by the Joint Committee (American Public Health Association, American School Health Association and SHAPE America) on National Health Education Standards to establish, promote and support health-enhancing behaviors for students from pre-Kindergarten through
There are eight stages of healthcare planning: situational analysis, problem identification and prioritisation, objective setting, strategic formulation, sequencing of activities, resource allocation, action planning, and monitoring and control. Objectives are essential for making plans and for measuring results.
The FIRST STEP in patient education is the review the Admission Assessment for learning needs. Then meet with the patient to determine what are specific needs for that patient. Individualized Teaching:Is based on the patient assessment, readiness to learn, and patient and family needs.
Examples of effective health promotion activities for child and family health
- Promoting breastfeeding.
- Promoting child and family nutrition.
- SIDS prevention and education [72]
- Injury prevention [73]
- Promoting physical activity.
- Smoking cessation programs such as 'quit' activities and 'brief interventions'
