What is Health Promotion & Education?

Session Objectives Describe the skills of a health education specialist. Identify the numerous settings in which health education specialists work. Understand the role of the health education specialist in the future of population-focused health care. Appreciate the importance of professional organizations to professional development.

What is a health education specialist? The U.S. Department of Labor Bureau of Labor Statistics defines health educators as those who promote, maintain, and improve individual and community health by assisting individuals and communities to adopt healthy behaviors, collect and analyze data to identify community needs prior to planning, implementing, monitoring, and evaluating programs designed to encourage healthy lifestyles, policies and environments.

Health Behavior & Promotion Seven-Areas of Responsibility 1.Perform community health assessments 2.Plan health education interventions 3.Implement health education interventions 4.Evaluate health education interventions 5.Administer health education interventions 6.Serve as a resource person 7.Communicate and advocate for health and health education

Certification Certified Health Education Specialist (CHES) Master Certified Health Education Specialist (MCHES) Exams given in October and May University of Cincinnati, The Ohio State University, University of Akron & Youngstown State University Exam based-on Seven Competencies Not required – but most state and federal jobs ask for CHES/MCHES certification. National Commission for Health Education Credentialing

Workplaces Public Health Local—most HD have a health educator Community Transformation Grants & Healthy Community Grants State Health care Health insurance Industry Non-Profits & Community-based Organizations (CBO) Other

Workplaces 5 out of 10 work in health care and social assistance 2 out of 10 work in State and local government Possible Impact of the Affordable Care Act: Access to free preventive services Future provisions to reimburse for health coaching Medical homes and population-health management Other?

Quick Facts Quick Facts: Health Educators 2011 Median Pay $48,790 per year $23.46 per hour Entry-Level EducationBachelor’s degree Work Experience in a Related Occupation None On-the-job TrainingNone Number of Jobs 55,270 (2012) 56,610 (2011) 63,400 (2010) Job Outlook (by contrast): % (Much faster than average) Source: US Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook

“Specializations” School health education Diabetes & chronic disease management Healthy aging Health communications Disability & health Physical activity & fitness Tobacco cessation & prevention Responsible sexual behaviors Injury prevention (Nationwide Children’s)

Types of Interventions Health education Health communications Health policy and enforcement Health engineering Community mobilization

Affordable Care Act

A few of the key provisions Access to no cost preventive screenings (2011). Counseling for sexual transmitted diseases, tobacco cessation, diet (if chronic disease). Young adults can stay on parents’ health insurance until age 25 (2010). Seniors, via Medicare, pay less for prescription drugs (2010). Electronic Medical Records. Coverage for health education within Medicare – tobacco cessation and weight management. “Workplace Wellness” allotment to small employers (2014). Removal of annual and lifetime maximums for health insurance coverage (2010; 2014).

Medicaid Expansion Medicaid is a state-run health insurance for individuals in poverty and or with a disability. Run by the state, funded by a state/federal partnership. Ohio is “undecided” on the expansion: Governor – yes Majority of legislators – no Implications to work of health educators: New consumers to system and need assistance in correct usage. Opportunity to improve usage of preventive screenings. Health coaching for select risk behaviors: tobacco, prenatal, diet related to chronic conditions.

Additional Implications for health educators Population focus targets groups of people and categories of determinants Our skills in assessing, planning, implementing and evaluating population-focused risk reduction programs are essential. Introduces many new users to health care system and health care behaviors. Primary and secondary prevention behaviors. Financial arrangements to providers are changing: not per service, but per person. Health care system need to keep people healthy.

Professional Organizations Society for Public Health Education (SOPHE) Ohio Chapter – SOPHE American Public Health Association – Public Health Promotion & Education Section Others American School Health Association Society for Nutrition Education & Behavior Academy of Health Behavior

Ohio Chapter - SOPHE A professional organization for individuals who are involved in health education or health promotion. The society provides an opportunity for its members to foster and improve health education principles across the nation. Established in 1983 Received Chapter of Excellence Award the past 2 years. Received National SOPHE Chapter Innovation Award.

Ohio SOPHE Members Number of members: 133 Representing over 50 organizations President: Amy Bernard, Ph.D., MCHES National Delegate to SOPHE: Heather Vilvens Past President Jaime Love accepting one of the Ohio’s many Chapter awards!

Karen H. Evans Memorial Scholarship 2013 Awardees Undergraduate Student – Megan Glynn The University of Toledo Graduate Student – Nicole Hodges The Ohio State University Graduate Student – Ashley Merianos University of Cincinnati

Health Transformation: Inclusion for All Health Educators Institute, October 23 and 24 Salt Fork State Park 25 educational sessions: Actively Caring for People Movement, Shane McCarty of Virginia Tech Diffusion of Human Trafficking, Tony Talbott, University of Dayton Ohio’s Prescription Drug Overdose Epidemic, Ohio Department of Health

Ohio Chapter Activities Ohio Chapter – Society for Public Health Education Quarterly meetings with educational session December 13, 2013: Dr. Deena Chisolm of Nationwide Children's Hospital will discuss health literacy. Active list serve Annual Health Educators Institute Advocacy Work Advocacy Day – November 13 – at the Ohio Statehouse Student Recruitment Collaborate on Smoke-free campuses

Health Education Trivia a)In the news … Health of Ohioans b)Society for Public Health Education c)Affordable Care Act