The Concept of Health and Health Education

Health Education
• compound word – health and education.
• Health as defined by Rene Dubos is the expression of the success experienced by the
organism in its effort to respond adaptively to environmental changes.
Hoyman states that “health is a dynamic Ecological resultant involving the interaction of many
complex factors and condition
• The World Health Organization defines health as a “state of complete physical, mental and
social well-being and not merely the absence of disease and infirmity” (Hood & Leddy,
2003).
• Health is ever-changing and is best viewed as a continuum.
• Dun describes health in terms of wellness. He points out that a person has different levels of
wellness.
• He also describes wellness in terms of a health – illness continuum, from high level wellness
on one end, a person’s condition can move through GOOD HEALTH, NORMAL
HEALTH, POOR HEALTH to EXTREMELY POOR HEALTH and eventually to DEATH
on the other end of the continuum.
According to this definition, one’s health is never constant; is always changing
• The way health and wellness are defined affects how health is perceived, the responses of
the individual, and the goals and expectations of the individual.
• On the other hand, Education is the “ acquisition of the art of the utilization of
knowledge” .
• Education is becoming something. Nursing program in under graduate level prepare
students to serve this role in many dimensions…….

What Health Education Is….

• A process which bridges the gap between Health Information and Health Practices .
It motivates the person to take information and do something with it -to keep himself/herself
healthier by avoiding actions that are harmful and by forming habits that are beneficial.

 It is helping individuals and groups to better health through equipping every individual
with desirable knowledge, attitudes and skills so that he can make intelligent health
decisions and become competent to carry out activities and make the necessary adaptations
in the face of the challenges of his ever changing environment.

 In its broadest interpretation, health education concerns all those experiences of an

individual, group or community that influence beliefs, attitudes and behavior with respect
to health, as well as processes and efforts of producing change when this us necessary for
optimal health.
  It is clear that health education is basically not telling people what to do about their health ,
rather, it is a process whereby learning situations are created with and for people so that
they may change favorably their health habits attitudes and have adequate knowledge for
the improvement of their personal, family and community health.

Holistic Health Education

• The role of Health Education in promoting healthy behavior is a fact of life today.
• How can we educate so that knowledge is not only power, but also insight, so that children
and youth not only learn about health but also make health a meaningful part of their lives;
• so that we guide the development not only of health knowledge but also of character ;
• so that students not only acquire facts but also have enhanced capacity to maintain health
behaviors.

Purposes of Health Education

• Allows individuals to make informed decisions regarding their life and health.
• Helps people adapt to illness, prevent complications, and follow prescribed regimens.
• Allows people to achieve their maximum health potential.
• Reduces health care costs and prevents patient/public dissatisfaction.
• To develop ways and means of affecting favorable changes in health habits and attitudes of
people
• To help people gain purposeful experiences, knowledge, understanding, habits, attitudes
and ideals that will help them to live healthfully as an individual and as a member of the
community.
• To make people realize the importance of practicing correct health habits such as living in a
clean environment, well ventilated house, taking regular exercise, eating the right kinds of
food and using sanitary facilities like toilets etc., having regular medical exam, using health
department facilities and others.
Merely lecturing to a group of people about the advantages of building a toilet is not a health
education. This is only the dissemination of health information which is but a small part of the
health education process.
• There is a saying that “you can lead a horse to the water, but you cant force it to drink”.
The sense is true in health education. You can tell people what to do about their health but
you can’t force them to do what you say..
• It is only when people realize the need to changing or modifying their behavior that they
will apply the principles of healthful living.
• Health Education, therefore, is the entire process- beginning with awareness and all steps
leading to and including action to improve health or health conditions
 • The focus of Health Education is on PEOPLE and on ACTION.
• In general, it aims to persuade people to adapt and sustain healthful life practices, to use
judiciously and wisely the health services available to them and make their own decisions,
both individually and collectively, to improve their health status and environment.
If we accept that Health Education aims at bringing about favorable changes in Health Habits,
Attitudes and Knowledge of people through their own efforts and actions then it is obvious that
Health Education should begin with the interest of people in improving their condition of living and
their way of life
• It also follows that our fundamental problem is persuading people to drop their old habits
and erroneous ideas and substitute for the new ones. In order to be effective, therefore
health education must take into consideration in its planning, methods and procedures with
the processes by which people acquire Knowledge, Change their feelings, and Modify their
behavior and the factor that Influences such changes.
It is important that nurses / health educators have certain understanding of people in order to
bring about desirable “ changed” behavior.
• An understanding of the culture or way of life of people including: Beliefs, Superstition,
Traditions, Value System, Religious Practices, etc.
• Knowledge of problem that the people recognize and have interest in doing something about
• Knowledge of the Socio- economic level
• Knowledge of the channels of communication
• Knowledge of the community resources, whether human, natural , financial, institutional
and / or technical
• An understanding of past experiences of people with respect to health and illness and with
public health workers and other indigenous workers like hilots, quacks, etc.
• An understanding of the motivation of people why they do the things they do.
• An understanding of the principles of learning and the barriers of learning
• A knowledge of educational methods and media and their effectiveness.

Value of Health Education to Nursing Practice

• Clinical Practice
– Plan of care to patient admission to discharge always includes provision of health
teaching utilizing the two way process or Socratic method
– Planning Patient Education Program for patients to be discharge which aims to
increase the level of knowledge of the patient about his disease condition and be able
to act according to what he knows and increase his competence to his medical
regimen.
Health Center
– Preventive aspect of care

Community
– Primary Health Care – determining the needs and problems of the community and
plan for educational intervention according to the priority needs of the community.

PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH EDUCATION

To promote…
• 1. Good health practices
• 2. The use of preventive services like immunization, screening, antenatal and child health
clinics
• 3. the correct use of medications and the pursuit of rehabilitation regimen
• 4. the recognition of early symptoms of disease and promoting early referral.
5. community support for primary health care

WHAT TO CHANGE
STEPS:
1. Identify what the key problems are
2. What advice should be given
Proposals that seek change should
• 1. be simple to put into practice with the existing knowledge and skills in the community
• 2. fit in with existing lifestyle and culture and not conflict with beliefs
• 3. not require resources or money
• 4. meet felt need of the community
• 5. be seen by the people to convey real benefits in the short term, not in the distant future..
Health education programs should be flexible and should fit in with the people’s beliefs, culture,
needs and circumstances

WHERE TO CONDUCT HEALTH EDUCATION

• 1. In the privacy of a patient’s room, which may involve the patient and his/her family
• 2. In outpatient departments of hospitals/clinics, health centers and other health care
settings.
• 3. In community barangay hall involving different organized groups or members
 • 4. In health education classes, or home/follow up visits
References:
Castro, C. (2000) Teaching Strategies in Health Education with Principles of Teaching and Learning, 1 st
edition, Educational Publishing House, Manila
De Young, S. (2003) Teaching Strategies for Nurse Educators, Pearson Education South Asia, C&E
Publishing Co. MAnila