Introduction

Community health education is an important part of our world today. In fact, if the

year 2020 has taught us anything, it is that community health education is a vital

part of our society. The outbreak of COVID-19 – a pandemic that has infected

millions of people around the world — crippled the global economy and changed

the way we live. However, there have also been great strides made in preventing

the spread of the novel coronavirus, thanks to infectious disease experts and public

health educators who work diligently to keep the public informed.

WHAT IS HEALTH EDUCATION?

Health education is a social science that draws from the biological, environmental,

psychological, physical and medical sciences to promote health and prevent

disease, disability and premature death through education-driven voluntary

behavior change activities.

It is a profession of educating people about health. Areas within this profession

encompass environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional health,

intellectual health, and spiritual health, as well as sexual and reproductive health

education.
Importance of Health Education

One of the most important roles in health education today is in community health

education. Community health educators teach people about behaviors that promote

wellness. Within this field, there is a variety of public health issues to address, such

as disease prevention, environmental health, nutrition, safety and disaster

preparedness, and more.

Community health educators typically work in public health divisions of states,

counties, cities, and towns. They may also work in private sectors, such as health

insurers or counseling programs. They often create and assess health education

programs, write grants and find proposals, conduct research, and oversee health

education programs within their communities.

Whether working with individual residents, organizations, or entire populations,

community health educators make a real impact on society. But what exactly can

you do within community health education? Where do these types of health

professionals fit?

There are many different paths available in the community health education field.

The job opportunity for aspiring public health professionals is bright. In fact,
the U.S Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) expects employment of community

health educators to grow 11% over the next several years.

Professionals who specialize in this field may work in the following settings:

 Community Health

 Consumer Health

 Environmental Health

 Family Life

 Mental/Emotional Health

 Injury Prevention and Safety

 Nutrition

 Personal Health

 Prevention and Control of Disease

 Substance Use or Abuse

Why is Health Education Important?

Community health education looks at the health of a community as a whole,

seeking to identify health issues and trends within a population and work with

stakeholders to find solutions to these concerns.

The importance of health education impacts many areas of wellness within a

community, including:

 Chronic disease awareness and prevention

 Maternal and infant health

 Tobacco use and substance abuse

 Injury and violence prevention

 Mental and behavioral health

 Nutrition, exercise and obesity prevention

Community health educators work with public health departments, schools,

government offices and even local nonprofits to design educational programs and

other resources to address a community’s specific needs.

What is community health education?

Community health is a medical specialty that focuses on the physical and mental

well-being of the people in a specific geographic region. This important subsection

of public health includes initiatives to help community members maintain and

improve their health, prevent the spread of infectious diseases and prepare for

natural disasters.
“Working at the community level promotes healthy living, helps prevent chronic

diseases and brings the greatest health benefits to the greatest number of people in

need,” reports the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The Consequences of Neglecting Health Education

A lack of focus on community health can lead to a range of complex problems that

aren’t easy to correct. For example, crime and safety issues that result from

neglected community health can quickly becoming a self-perpetuating cycle.

“Repeated exposure to crime and violence may be linked to an increase in negative

health outcomes. Children exposed to violence may show increased signs of

aggression starting in upper-elementary school,” reports Healthy People 2020.

Chronic diseases, such as diabetes and heart disease, can also increase if a

community’s overall well-being is suffering. “An unhealthy community tends to be

obese and struggle more from chronic diseases and other health challenges,”

Bognanno says.

Chronic diseases like these not only reduce life expectancy, they have a dramatic

effect on the economy. The CDC reports that 90 percent of the nation’s annual

healthcare expenses are for people with chronic health conditions.

Curbing the spread of infectious disease is also a priority of community health

programs. Without them, communities may find themselves battling outbreaks of

illnesses that put vulnerable populations like the elderly at higher risk.

“If a community has to recover from an emergency event, such as a natural

disaster, reducing the spread of disease becomes a crucial part of the recovery

process,” Backe says.

Factors that Improve Community Health

Improving community health is a huge undertaking that involves cooperation

between public health workers, local government, volunteers and average citizens

alike and the end products of their work can take a lot of forms. “Communities

benefit from walking trails and bike paths, from access to healthy food and

playgrounds, from accessible healthcare services, schools and places of

employment, as well as affordable housing,” Bognanno says.

Education also plays a large role in maintaining community health. Health fairs

and advertising campaigns that expose the dangers of risk factors like tobacco

exposure, poor nutrition and physical inactivity can raise awareness about the

importance of choosing a healthy lifestyle. The CDC has also focused on

promoting nutrition guidelines in schools and increasing the amount of physical

education children receive.

Individuals can step up to the plate for their community’s health by volunteering at

health fairs or blood drives, petitioning local officials to develop more green space

and walking trails and maintaining their own health. “The collective

responsibilities that individuals have for their communal health can lead to positive

interactions within the community as a whole,” Backe says.

Conclusion

When it comes to building a healthy community, the importance of health

education cannot be overlooked. Community health workers collaborate with all

stakeholders in a community - from its citizens to its government, education and

medical officials - to improve health and wellness and ensure equal access to

healthcare.
Reference 

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion, Chronic Disease: A Significant Public Health
Threat, [information accessed January 29,
2019] https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/about/index.htm

- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/about/index.htm

- Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion, U.S. Department of Health

and Human Services, Health-Related Quality of Life and Well-Being, [information
accessed January 29,
2019] https://www.healthypeople.gov/2020/about/foundation-health-measures/
Health-Related-Quality-of-Life-and-Well-Being

- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion, Health and Economic Costs of Chronic
Diseases, [information accessed January 29,
2019] https://www.cdc.gov/chronicdisease/about/costs/index.htm

-Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Chronic Disease
Prevention and Health Promotion, Partnerships to Improve Community Health,
[information accessed January 29,
2019] https://www.cdc.gov/nccdphp/dch/programs/partnershipstoimprovecommuni
tyhealth/index.html

- Health education is a social science

Health Education and Promotion | Kent State University
https://www.kent.edu › ehhs › hedp

- Centers for Disease Control & Prevention. (2007). National Health Education
Standards. Retrieved May 1, 2009,
from https://www.cdc.gov/HealthyYouth/SHER/standards/index.htm