1. Foundations of Health Education

2. Basic Concepts / Review What is “Health”?  Gold Standard Definition:  “A dynamic state of complete physical, mental, spiritual and social well-being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.” (WHO)  “a dynamic state or condition of a human organism that is multidimensional in nature, a resource for living, and results from a person’s interactions with and adaptations to his or her environments” (McKenzie, Pinger & Kotecki, 2008, p. 6)

3. What is Public Health? The sum of all official or governmental efforts to promote, protect, and preserve the people’s health.

4. Where does all of this stem from? What does the current health care system focus on? Communicable diseases Noncommunicable diseases  Most causes of death stem from modifiable behaviors.  Multicausation Disease Model:  Focuses on noncommunicable diseases: Genetics Behavior Environment Social Circumstances Access to Care

8. In other words….. Health education focuses on prevention.

9. Why is prevention important? “Many of the health problems the nation will deal with in the balance of this century and into the next are fully preventable.” (MINELLI AND BRECKON, 2009, PG. 21) “Cessation of tobacco use, moderate use of alcohol, daily exercise, and good nutrition can prevent literally millions of deaths and negate the need to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on health care.” (MINELLI AND BECKON, 2009, PG 21)

10. Levels of Prevention Primary Secondary Tertiary Limits of prevention  Biological  Technological  Ethical Concern  Economic

11. Past Success Stories Decrease in heart disease Decrease in stroke mortalities Decrease in accidental injuries and motor vehicle deaths Decreased infant mortality (although still needs work) Decrease in cervical cancer Decrease in lung cancer …….

12. Good News There is a demand for health education now.  Consumerism  Inflation  Increase in chronic diseases

13. What is health education? Report of the 2000 Joint Committee on Health Education and Promotion Terminology  March/April 2001, Vol. 32, No. 2., American Journal of Health Education  Health Education: “Any combination of planned learning experiences based on sound theories that provide individuals, groups, and communities the opportunity to acquire information and skills needed to make quality health decisions.”

14. Health Educator “A professionally prepared individual that serves in a variety of roles and is specifically trained to use appropriate educational strategies and methods to facilitate the development of policies, procedures, interventions, and systems conducive to the health of individuals, groups, and communities.”

15. Health Educators Work settings Job responsibilities “We would be terribly remiss if we did not seize the opportunity presented by health promotion and disease prevention to dramatically cut health-care costs, to prevent the premature onset of disease and disability, and to help all Americans achieve healthier, more productive lives.” LOUIS SULLIVAN, FORMER SECRETARY OF U.S. DEPT OF HEALTH & HUMAN SERVICES 1989-1993