Health Education Professional Philosophy

          Health education is absolutely essential to our society and to improving the overall health of individuals. The more you know about your personal health, the better prepared you can be to make informed decisions and do what is best for you. Health education allows an individual to empower themselves by taking control of their personal  health and wellbeing and serving as their own health advocate. It is so important to provide health education to all populations and communities as it greatly improves their quality of life.

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         Your health affects everything you do, from how you feel to what you’re capable of accomplishing. It is a significant determinant in quality of life, and I would argue that it is the most important determinant.  Any positive behavior, such as eating healthy and exercising, has a positive effect on your health, while behaviors such as smoking and negative body image have negative effects.  Behavior change is an essential aspect of health education and it is important to understand the theories related to behavior change to be able to improve the quality of life for individuals in the community.

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            Focusing on primary prevention is a huge reason why health education is effective. Intervening with an individual before they develop an illness or injury is crucial. Prevention efforts are more cost effective than treatment. Additionally primary prevention stops risky health behaviors from beginning.  Once a risky behavior has initiated, health complications follow. Consequently, an individual's health and wellbeing is compromised.  Primary prevention serves to prevent the health condition from developing and encourages individuals to make positive and healthy lifestyle changes.

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            The holistic approach of health education, involving each dimension of health, is the aspect I enjoy the most. A healthy lifestyle includes eating well and staying active, but it goes beyond the physical dimension of health. I believe that there are six dimensions of health: physical, emotional, spiritual, intellectual, environmental, and social health. I believe health education connects each dimension of health seamlessly to promote wellbeing. 

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            The goal of health promotion is to bring awareness to health conditions in conjunction with education.  Health promotion enables individuals to increase control over their personal health.  I enjoy the health promotion aspect and attend as many community outreach events as I can as a health educator. I have seen firsthand how health promotion events can provide further education to individuals and having the opportunity to give tips and resources to people is invaluable.

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            Planning, implementing, and evaluating health education programs is the primary role of a health educator.  I learned about these concepts in HSC4713, Planning and Evaluating Health Education Programs. However, my internship afforded me the opportunity to put what I learned into action. I created my own programs and presented them to individuals with disabilities during my internship. Receiving their feedback and seeing how they benefited from my presentations solidified my belief that planning, implementing and evaluating are essential health education skills.

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         Health education provides individuals with the education, tools, and resources needed to change their behaviors and live healthy lives. I take pride in the fact that my career path will improve the quality of life of individuals in the community. After completing my Bachelors degree in health Education, I plan to pursue my Masters of Science in Health Education. This additional education will provide further understanding of the field and mold me into the best health educator I can be.