Historical Development and
Concepts of Health Education
Part 2 Health Education Perspectives
Health Education
 Is any combination of learning
experiences designed to facilitate
voluntary adaptations of behavior
conductive to health (Green, et al,
1980)
 It draws health models and theories
from the biological, environmental,
psychological, physical and
medical and even paramedical
sciences like nursing.
 Is a science and a profession of
teaching health concepts to
promote, maintain and enhance
one’s health, prevent illness,
disability and premature death
through the adoption of healthy
behavior, attitudes and
perspectives.
Health education has also been defined
by the Joint Committee on Health
Education and Promotion Terminology
of 2001 as:
 "any combination of planned
learning experiences based on
sound theories that provide
individuals, groups, and
communities the opportunity to
acquire information and the skills
needed to make quality health
decisions.”
Health Education (World Health
Organization definition)
 “Comprises of consciously
constructed opportunities for
learning involving some form of
communication designed to
improve health literacy, including
improving knowledge and
developing life skills which are
conducive, to individual and
community health.”
What is the purpose of Health Education?
 Health education aims to
positively influence the health
behavior and health perspectives of
individuals and communities for
them to develop self-efficacy to
adopt health lifestyles resulting to
healthy communities.
What is the importance of Health
Education?
1. Health education EMPOWERS
people to decide for themselves
2. Health education creates awareness
regarding the importance of
preventive and promotive care.
3. Health education equips people
with knowledge and competencies
4. Health education enhances the
quality of life.
The Legal Basis of Health Education in
the Nursing Curriculum
 The Duties of a Nurse in Rule IV,
Art. VI, Sec. 28 of the Philippine
Nursing Act of 2002 also known
as RA 9173, among which are to:
o “Provide health education
to individuals, families and
communities;
o “teach, guide and supervise
students in nursing
education;
o implement programs
including the administration
of nursing services in
varied settings uke hospitals
and clincs”
Functions of Professional Health
Educator
 Assess individual and community
needs and capabilities and identify
 both internal and external resources
in the community;
 Plan, develop and coordinate with
the different health and
government agencies and NGOs
regarding the health education
programs;
 Do community organizing and
outreach;
 Conduct staff training and consult
with other health care providers
about behavioral, cultural or social
barriers to health;
 Conduct regular periodic
evaluation of health education
programs;
 Make referrals;
 Develop audio, visual, print and
electronic materials to be used for
training and conduct of health
education classes;
 Conduct research work and write
scholarly articles.
The Role of the Health Educator
Health Educator a professionally
prepared individual who 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
(Joint Committee on Terminology, 2001,
p. 100).
The Health Educator’s role is to help
promote, enhance, and maintain the health
of others.
7 areas of responsibility of the health
educator
1. Implement health education
strategies, interventions and
programs
2. Administer health education
strategies, interventions and
programs
3. Conduct evaluation and research in
relation to health education
4. Serve as a health education
resource
5. Assess individually and community
needs for health education
6. Plan health education strategies,
interventions and programs
7. Communicate and advocate for
health and health education
The Teaching of Health Education
 In the United States some fort
states require the teaching of heath
education
 A comprehensive health education
curriculum consists of planned
learning experiences which will
help students achieve desirable
attitudes and practices related to
critical health issues.
Planned Learning Experiences
 Emotional health and a positive
self-image
 Appreciation and care of the
human body and its vital organs;
 Physical fitness;
 Health issues of alcohol, tobacco,
drug use and abuse;
 Health misconceptions and myths;
 Effects of exercise on the body
systems and on general well being;
 Nutrition and weight control;
 Sexual relationships and sexuality;
 The scientific, social, and
economic aspects of community
and ecological health;
 Communicable and degenerative
diseases including sexually
transmitted infections
 Disaster preparedness;
 Safety and driver education;
 Environmental factors and how
those factors affect an individual’s
or population’s environmental
health (ex: air quality, water
quality, food sanitation); life skills;
 choosing professional medical and
health services; and choices of
health careers.
B. Issues and Trends in Health
Education
Trends Impacting on Health Care
1. Social. demographic trends like
aging of the population requires
emphasis on self-reliance and
maintenance of a healthy life status
over an extended lifespan
particularly dealing with
degenerative diseases and
disabilities.
2. Economic. the shifts in payer
coverage, emphasis on managed
care and earlier hospital discharge,
and the issue on reimbursement for
health services provided require
more intensive patient education to
allow the patient and his family a
more independent, compliant and
confident management of care.
3. Political. the federal government
has formulated national goals and
objectives directed towards the
development of effective health
education programs which will
create awareness of health will
risks encourage the adoption of
healthy and lifestyles.
George L. Engel
 a psychiatrist at the University of
Rochester, introduced the
Biopsychosocial model or “BPS”.
where he advocated the need for a
new medical model to explain
health and disease
 Although there have been
criticisms posed against this model,
it has provided a general
framework to guide a great deal of
researches on health behavior
models like the social-cognitive
models which include Bandura’s
Self-efficacy model, Health Belief
Model and others.
Biopsychosocial Model (BPS)
 States that human experience of
health or illness is greatly affected
or determined by the interplay or
interrelatedness of the following
factors:
1. Biological concerned with the
functioning of the different organ
systems of the body and its coping
or adaptive mechanisms like
immunity level, genetic
susceptibility or predisposition
2. Psychological perceptions,
thoughts, emotions, attitudes and
behaviors
3. Social factors socioeconomic
status, cultural beliefs and
practices, poverty, technology,
environmental influences and
conditions.
Characteristics of Effective Health
Education (Hubley, 1983)
 It is directed at people who are
directly involved with health-
related situations and issues in the
home and the community like
parents and people who have
influence in the community or the
so-called opinion markers;
 The lessons are repeated and
reinforced over time using different
methods;
 The lessons are adaptable and use
existing channels of
communication; Ex. Songs, drama
and story telling
 It is entertaining and attracts the
community’s attention;
 Uses clear, simple language with
expressions;
 Emphasizes short term benefits of
action;
  Provides opportunities for
dialogue, discussion, and learner
participation and feedback;
 Uses demonstrations to show the
benefits of adopting the practices
Relationship Between Health Education
and Health Promotion
The primary role of health educators is to
develop appropriate health education
programs in consultation with the people
they serve through;
 Planning
 implementing
 And evaluating the health
plans/programs
Steps in developing a health
education/promotion program (Cottrell
et al, 2001)
 Assessing the needs of the target
population;
 Developing appropriate goals and
objectives;
 Creating and intervention that
considers the peculiarities of the
setting;
 Implementing the intervention;
 Evaluating the result.
Health Education Today and Future
Trends
 The call for developing global
health strategies with the
integration of health education and
action is now a clamor that can no
longer be ignored. Globalization,
war, terrorism, social instability,
disease, poverty and environmental
degradation are among the key
challenges facing the world today
(Otieno, 2005).
Emerging Trends in Health Care
 In the United States of America,
patients are being discharged
quicker due to the:
1. New “healthcare economics”
1. There is the present
emphasis on primary care
and the continuing
development of managed
care which advocates the
early discharged of clients
from the hospital to reduce
healthcare insurance costs
and prevent “over-
treatment of patients”
which are unethical
practices of some doctors
and hospitals.
2. Providers will increasingly
establish “center of
excellence” to provide
services effectively and at
moderate cost
3. Decentralization of care,
also known as Medical
Prosumerism, is an
emergent issue
4. Alternative Medicine is
another form pfosumerism.
Consumers use a wide
variety of folk practices to
promotes health and
potentially cure diseases
5. Medical Globalization like
other industries, health care
is increasingly subject to
globalization
2. Advances in medical technology
The most current development in
managed care is disease
management (Hunter and Fairfield
1997)
o Disease management
systems “seek to improve
patient compliance with
optimal health behavior by
 promoting proper
appointment keeping,
administration of
treatments, and proper
general health behavior in
terms of lifestyle issues.

Future Directions for Patient Care

(Wasson and Anderson, 1993; Abruzzese,
1992; Anderson, 1990)

1. New settings and environmental

linkages

 most teaching will occur in the

ambulatory care setting
 inter-organizational linkages to
enhance cooperative endeavors in
the patient education enterprise
will increase
 more people are unhappy with
orthodox medicine and are turning
to alternative medicine

1. New Technologies

 the use of computer based

instruction for hospitals ambulatory
care settings, physician’s offices or
homes will increase
 the use of interactive video
programs will increase resulting to
greater access to reliable
information

1. Greater emphasis on wellness

1. wellness screening
programs will increase
2. emphasis on illness
prevention and health
promotion
3. Increased third-party
reimbursement as cost
benefit ratios demonstrate
the cost-effectiveness of
consumer education.