From Wikipedia,
the free encyclopedia.
Health education is
defined as the process by which
individuals and groups of people
learn to behave in a manner
conducive to the promotion,
maintenance or restoration of
health.
Education for health begins
with people as they are, with
whatever interests they may have
in improving their living
conditions. Its aim is to develop
in them a sense of responsibility
for health conditions, as
individuals and as members of
families and communities. In
communicable disease control,
health education commonly includes
an appraisal of what is known by a
population about a disease, an
assessment of habits and attitudes
of the people as they relate to
spread and frequency of the
disease, and the presentation of
specific means to remedy observed
deficiencies. (Washington State
Department of Health
[1] )
Health education is included in
the curriculum of most schools. In
the United States, some forty
states require the teaching of
health education. A comprehensive
health education curriculum
consists of planned learning
experiences which will assist
students to achieve desirable
understandings, attitudes and
practices related to critical
health issues including, but not
limited to, the following:
emotional health and a positive
self image; appreciation, respect
for, and care of the human body
and its vital organs; physical
fitness; health issues of alcohol,
tobacco and drug use and abuse;
health misconceptions and
quackery; effects of exercise on
the body systems and on general
well being; nutrition and weight
control; sexual relationships, the
scientific, social and economic
aspects of community and
ecological health; communicable
and degenerative diseases
including sexually transmitted
diseases; disaster preparedness;
safety and driver education;
choosing professional medical and
health services; and choices of
health careers.
References
B. G. Simons-Morton, W. H.
Greene, & N. H. Gottlieb.
Introduction to Health Education
and Health Promotion. 2nd
edition. Waveland Press, 1995.
