Health Education is a unique and separate academic discipline. It influences individual, family, and societal development, knowledge, attitudes and behavior and seeks the improvement of individual, family and community health. Health education helps individuals seek that which moves them toward optimal stages of wellness. It means also to aid individuals and families in overcoming the debilitating effects of economic deprivation, the lack of balance, disease and accidents of life.
Mission of Health Education
The mission of health education is to motivate young people to maintain and improve their health, prevent disease, and avoid or reduce health-related risk behaviors. It is the role of the health educator to provide young people with the knowledge and skills they need to be healthy for a lifetime and to utilize these health enhancing skills as a means for achieving life’s goals.
National Health Standards
The National SHAPE America Health Education Standards state:
- Standard 1: Use functional health information to support health and well-being of self and others.
- Standard 2: Analyze influences that affect health and well-being of self and others.
- Standard 3: Access valid and reliable resources to support health and well-being of self and others.
- Standard 4: Use interpersonal communication skills to support health and well-being of self and others.
- Standard 5: Use a decision-making process to support health and well-being of self and others.
- Standard 6: Use a goal-setting process to support health and well-being of self and others.
- Standard 7: Demonstrate practices and behaviors to support health and well-being of self and others.
- Standard 8: Advocate to promote health and well-being of self and others.