Definition and Nature of Field
Health education is an applied field of study that incorporates elements of biology, psychology, sociology and education in an effort to enhance individual's abilities to maintain and/or enhance their health and their quality of life.
The goal of health education is to provide experiences for people to be able to develop the skills and acquire the knowledge necessary to lead healthy lifestyles. This is accomplished by promoting the development of peoples’ attitudes, knowledge and skills regarding their health behavior.
Health education can be performed in a variety of school or community settings. School health educators might be employed at the elementary, middle, or high school levels. As teachers, their primary daily interaction is with school age children, however, they also work with adults (e.g., colleagues, parents, and various community members). Community health educators might work in medical care facilities, or community based agencies (e.g., a local hospital or chapter of the American Red Cross). They may develop a wide range of health programs for people of all ages or they may specialize in one area of health (e.g., injury prevention, nutrition, or substance use and abuse) with one specific population.
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