Defining What Health Education Is
Health education is actually a branch of social science, and yet it is also a very broad subject. It encompasses different areas about health—environment, biology, psychology, as well as medical and physical sciences. Its main goal is to modify negative behaviors or retain the good approaches toward health. A teacher in health education has to deal with different kinds of people. He or she may be asked to talk to a big group of students who are pursuing health care courses, or he or she may be requested to travel to far-off communities and educate families and informal organizations on how to improve their health—and way of living—with the right kind of information.
The Significance of Health Education
There are a lot of reasons why health education should be taught not only in colleges and universities but also in communities all over the world. For one, an individual learns how to keep himself or herself healthy, thus saving a lot of money on health care. In 2008, the United States spent as much as $2.4 trillion on health care, and it will continue and balloon to more than $3 trillion four years after. Moreover, more than 1 million families had foreclosed homes because they spent all their funds on high costs of medical care. Around 25 percent of the domestic problems stem from medical debt. When a person knows how to keep himself or herself fit, he or she can avoid paying for prescription drugs, as well as hospitalization and outpatient services.
Of course, health education can prevent diseases and premature death. The mortality rate of individuals these days has gone shorter. You can definitely find men and women as young as thirties and forties who are already dying with varied diseases, such as cancer, heart ailments, and a lot more. What's more, children are becoming susceptible to these illnesses. One of the leading causes of death among kids and teens is obesity, which could have been prevented with proper health education.
Lastly, health education can tremendously improve the quality of life of the citizens. Just imagine yourself healthy and living out your life to the fullest. You don't end up a burden to the government because you're uninsured. They can save on health care costs and use some of the allocated funds to other projects such as fostering health education or generating more jobs for its people. There are no medical debts to think about, and you can live long to be more productive for yourself and for your family.
How Does One Become a Health Educator
If you believe that improving the quality of living and life of people with proper dissemination of information about health and well-being is your true calling, then there's a huge chance that you're fit to become a health educator.
Nevertheless, you should know that the road to becoming one is not going to be very easy. It's very important that you're prepared not only physically but also mentally. You need to have proper college education.
For you to become a health educator, you should have a high school diploma or its equivalent, as well as a bachelor's degree in any of the following fields: public health, health education, community health, or health promotion. When you already have your diploma, you are then required to take a written examination of the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing Incorporated. It's very important that you can pass the examination, so you will be given a certification and you will be called a certified health education specialist. This will be your ticket to work in different areas of health education. However, if you wish to climb the ranks and perhaps become a head of public health department in a university, you have to go through a master's degree or even a PhD degree program for public health.
The Places Where You Can Find Work
If you're a public health educator, you can definitely find employment in educational institutions, especially in colleges and universities that are offering health education courses. You may also teach in lower levels, where health education is often integrated in science.
You will also find health educators volunteering or working in communities who have very little access to sufficient information on health care. It will then be your job to organize special seminars, fora, and workshops. You will also serve as advocates for different health campaigns, as well as counselors for those who seek health advice and services. You will be there to assist other health professionals such as doctors and nurses.
Lately, you will find health educators working for companies, particularly the big ones. Their main job is to evaluate the health conditions of employees through constant screenings and appraisals. They can help determine if an employee is no longer fit to work or needs drastic improvement in his or her lifestyle. The health education officer shall also evaluate existing programs of the company that are related to stress management, physical fitness, and substance abuse, to name a few If there is none, it will be your responsibility to help develop one for the employees.
Learn More about Health Education
If you wish to be enlightened more about health education, there are a lot of great places and organizations that you can go to. You can first approach the American Association for Health Education. You may also check out small health education chapters in your area. You can start out as a volunteer, until you can pursue a professional life in health education.
You don't have to operate or invent medications to help preserve a life. You can become part of health education and give the right information.