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Explain the role of health education
What is the role of health education
Role of health education
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According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (2015), health education specialists teach people and communities about behaviors that promote wellness. They plan, design, and implement strategies to improve individuals’ and community’s health. In addition to these functions, they act as health education resource people for the communities or populations they serve, offering information on a wide range of health subjects (Cottrell, Girvan, McKenzie & Seabert, 2015). This is the sixth area of responsibility required by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. Three areas of competencies are contained in this area of responsibility, which are listed below:
Competency 6.1: Obtain and Disseminate Health-Related Information
Competency
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This is one of the required skills. Cottrell, Girvan, McKenzie & Seabert, (2015) states that the health education specialist must possess the skill to access relevant information, using computerized health retrieval systems, accessing health databases, and epidemiological data. Accessing this information is not enough, but to be able to differentiate between valid data and invalid data is of utmost importance in this area of responsibility. This is because as a professional resource person, who has an image to uphold, all information given in programs, forums, seminars, presentations or reports must be correct, valid, and credible (Walley & Wright, …show more content…
Being a resource person requires great charisma and confidence, as well as professionalism. Packaging and presentation are very important. Dressing the part is also vital to acceptance as a resource person, as the common saying goes “Dress as you would like to be
One of the first responsibilities is: “Assess Needs, Resources, and Capacity for Health Education/Promotion responsibilities” within this responsibility, the Education specialist must be competent to “Plan Assessment Process” (NCHEC, n.d., p. 1). The plan Assessment process is the process in which the educator analyzes the subject that is being assessed and then applies learned models to develop plans—which then leads the educator into collecting data to further assist the educator in a developing an adequate plan (NCHEC, n.d. ).
“Healthy People provides science-based, 10-year national objectives for improving the health of all Americans.” ( United States Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Healthy People 2020 , 2011). It acts as a national guide for disease prevention and health promotion. There are various objectives and goals which serve as the guideline to achieve overall improvement in health . ‘Educational and Community-Based Programs’ is one of them. According to U.S Department of Health and Human Services the main goal of these programs is to “Increase the quality, availability, and effectiveness of educational and community-based programs designed to prevent disease and injury, improve health, and enhance quality of life.” (HHS, Healthy People 2020, 2011). This particular goal of Healthy People 2020 focuses on increasing the number educational and community based programs to increase awareness about disease prevention and health among every individual of the society. It focuses on educating them on various topics including chronic diseases, substance abuse, prevention of injury and violence to encourage and enhance health. It emphasizes on increasing the quantity and quality of such programs so that a larger population could benefit from the program and gain effective knowledge to achieve a healthy life.
The educator role of the APHN and NP includes health education within a nursing framework and professional nurse educator roles. The APHN analyzes groups at risk within a community and implements health education interventions. The APHN and NP boost wellness and contribute to conserving and advocating health by teaching the importance of a healthy lifestyle, stress management, physical exercise, and good nutrition. They educate about disease processes and the importance of following treatment systems. In addition, they provide guidance and educate clients on the use of birth control methods, diet, medications, and other therapeutic procedures. They also counsel groups, families, clients, and the community on the importance of assuming responsibility for their own
Public health may be defined as “a social and political concept aimed at the improving the quality of life among the whole population through health promotion, disease prevention and other forms of health intervention”.(1) The purpose of public health practice is to improve the health of society rather than individuals and reduce health disparities between individuals, groups, and communities through organized effort of the communities, individuals and organizations. As Marmot points out: “creating a fairer society is fundamental to improving the health of the population and ensuring a fairer distribution of good health”.(2) Besides this, the public health field is expanding to tackling new and contemporary risks: obesity, sexually transmitted
However, health literacy is more than just read and write; it is the ability to understand and able to use health information to make choices about their health (Benyon, 2014). Low health literacy can have detrimental effect on the health of the client because it may cause misunderstand of the medical label or health information. According to McMurray & Clendon (2015), health literacy divided into three different levels which are functional, interactive/communicative and critical health literacy. As for functional levels, it is the most general and fundamental level for the general public because individuals need to receive and understand the information of health such as risk of health decision, consent forms, health instruction or medicine labels. (McMurray & Clendo , 2015) Turning to the next level, interactive/communicative health literacy, mainly involved personal skills to spread health knowledge to the community, and also , people are able to influence social norm and help others individuals to develop their personal health capacity. Because of this, understanding of how organization work and resounding communication skill which can help to support others and knowing how to get different health services other individuals need (McMurray & Clendo , 2015). The third level is critical health literacy, mainly divided to
Representations of Gender and Race Among White Female Offenders in Comparison to Indigenous Female Offenders Power consistently strives to fix meaning to support their agenda. The process of criminalization is flawed because power relations intertwined with representations of the media can manipulate the topic at hand. Often, white, female offenders are safeguarded in the media due to their racial and gender identity. Sociologist Danielle Dirks examines this idea in her research, which suggests “women are viewed as victims of circumstance deserving of empathy and redemption rather than as criminals” (Dirks, Heldman, & Zack, 2015, p. 131). Empathizing with the criminal is common among white female offenders.
Health literacy is a term not widely understood by the general population. It is defined as “the degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process and understand basic health information needed to make appropriate health decisions and services needed to prevent or treat illness,” (About health literacy, 2014). A person’s level of health literacy is based on their age, education level, socioeconomic standing, and cultural background. Patients with low health literacy have a more difficult time navigating the health care system. According to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, this group of patients may find it harder to find medical services and health care providers, fill out health forms, provide their complete medical history with their providers, seek preventative care, understand the health risks associated with some behaviors, taking care of chronic health conditions, and understanding how to take prescribed medications (About health literacy, 2014). It is to a certain extent the patient’s responsibility to increase their own health literacy knowledge. But to what extent can they learn on their own? Those working in the health field have been trained to navigate the health system and understand the medical terms. They have the knowledge and capability to pass on that understanding to their patients. Health care professionals have a shared responsibility to help improve patients’ health literacy.
The South contributed to the emergence of public health strategy in the United States by demonstrating the need for non-passive government presence in times of economic and social hardship. The South was able to have implement public health strategies during the Civil War, but their destitute state after the war proved difficult in maintaining successful public health strategies.
The goal of improving health literacy is to empower individuals and community, to ensure that they feel comfortable and confident to make effective decisions by obtaining and understanding the relevant information. Strategies that applied in addressing health literacy should reflect respect, cultural safety, community or individuals’ needs and literacy level. Health professionals should facilitate and build capacity in promoting health literacy to allow the target groups have more control over their health and
I have chosen Public Health as my career path because I have a passion for making a difference in people’s lives and helping others achieve their goals. Also, I chose healthcare as a career because health does not only focus on the physical aspects of wellness, but it applies to all areas of wellness, such as, intellectual, social, spiritual, financial, occupational, environmental and emotional wellness. Moreover, Public Health is a challenging, diverse and dynamic field. My philosophy of health is very simple, to prevent, improve and educate the lives of individuals, families, communities and the population. Besides, there is no safer way to touch people’s lives than through public
Information literacy is defined as having the ability to define problems in terms of information needs (Business Dictionary, n.d.). Electronic Medical Records has improved nursing and patient outcomes in the past few years. According to Mills, Francis, McLeod & Al-Motlaq (2015) computerization has contributed enormously towards the reduction of medical errors and the problems associated with such errors. With the use of computers patients are able to check labs from home, email providers with medical question through patient portals and look up patient education information from their primary care providers. Computer literacy and patient health education are essential skills needed to understand and communicate health information to best maneuver through the health care system in order to achieve better patient outcomes (Berkman, Davis, & McCormack,
HEALTH LITERACY FOR CHILDREN Health literacy is the understanding health information and been able to apply it. In order for health literacy to be effective it is believed that it should start early in life. As a community nurse at the Yvonne Learning Center, in a low-income urban area it is important to develop a Health Literacy Program for the children. This program will be developed in order to promote self-learning and ability to be self-sufficient in children that will be carried later on in life to adulthood. Why is health literacy essential?
There has been a great deal of attention given by individuals, the media and by the government to Health Education. There is no doubt that a population which is “health literate” is significant for the sake of the “public health as a whole and consequently for public finances”(Tappe 2013) (Younghee 2013) Many countries including the U.S. have realized just how vitally this issues has become. (Younghee 2013) Sadly however, the ability understand basic health information, with or without health education, as well as access and process the services is only possessed by “50%”of the American public, resulting in the escalation or health care costs as well as poor decision making regarding health care. (Mancuso 2011) Yet the fact is that over the years at local, state, and institutional levels, health educators have been very successfully advocating to influence smoking regulations, child safety seat policies, nutrition policies, and many other health policies and regulations still a stunning “98.0%” of them report “barriers to policy activity”. (Bliss 2013)
There are numerous public health problems that can be addressed in my Southside of Chicago community. Among the several public health problems facing my Southside of Chicago community there are two that are more urgent. Health education or one might say lack thereof is a problem that needs to be addressed. My community is plagued with many of the residents suffering from high blood pressure, diabetes, and the killer virus known as HIV. In most cases these conditions can be prevented with healthier lifestyles and access to nutritious organic foods. In addition, environmental health is another urgent problem my community is facing. Access to clean, safe water and air is supposed to be a fundamental human right aimed at a healthy environment. Yet, my community consists a waste contaminated beach, numerous deteriorated building that are still occupied, and a countless number of restaurant and stores supplying our residents with services that are endangering their health.
Health is a vital component in our everyday life. If it is compromised, everything else goes down with it. Health affects an individual drastically; therefore, it is imperative that we take good care of our bodies in order to maintain normal body functions that can help us go through our normal day-to-day lives without fail. There are many factors that can affect health--one of them is Education. Health education feeds emotions that will motivate us to do a better job at being caretakers of ourselves. It can therefore, be said that health education can encourage people to act on their own personal health.