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The Importance of Health Education
February 8, 2018
Marcy Vadurro
Director of Product Marketing
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ImportanceofHealthEducationBanner
When it comes to building a healthy community, the importance of health
education cannot be overlooked. Community health workers collaborate
with all stakeholders in a community - from its citizens to its
government, education and medical officials - to improve health and
wellness and ensure equal access to healthcare.
What is the Importance of Health Education?
Community health education looks at the health of a community as a
whole, seeking to identify health issues and trends within a population
and work with stakeholders to find solutions to these concerns.
The importance of health education impacts many areas of wellness
within a community, including:
* Chronic disease awareness and prevention
* Maternal and infant health
* Tobacco use and substance abuse
* Injury and violence prevention
* Mental and behavioral health
* Nutrition, exercise and obesity prevention
Community health educators work with public health departments,
schools, government offices and even local nonprofits to design
educational programs and other resources to address a community's
specific needs.
ImportanceofHealthEducationBody3
"The value in these programs is having a topic or issue tailored to the
needs of the audience...and working with them one on one to make
behavioral changes," said Daphne Guillaume, a certified health
education specialist and public health adjunct faculty at Southern New
Hampshire University (SNHU).
Overcoming Health Disparities
In addition to providing educational resources and programming to a
community, public health educators also work to ensure all members of a
community have equal access to wellness resources and healthcare
services.
According to the American Public Health Association (APHA), common
health disparities affecting Americans include:
* Racial or ethnic health disparities
* Socioeconomic health disparities
* Gender health disparities
* Rural health disparities
ImportanceofHealthEducationBody1
"We look at the issues that are going on in our communities through a
social justice lens," said SNHU adjunct faculty member Dede Teteh, a
certified health education specialist and public health researcher.
"The main difference between [public health] and medicine is we don't
look at people one by one. We work with communities and examine trends
in behaviors and health outcomes. We attempt to decipher what's going
on within communities and determine how we can best support their
wellness efforts. But we don't act without their input or partnership."
Community Health Education and Government Policy
The importance of health education also extends into policy and
legislation development at a local, state and national level, informing
and influencing key decisions that impact community health.
From campaigns and legislation to enforce seat belt use and prevent
smoking to programs that boost the awareness and prevention of
diabetes, public health workers provide research and guidance to inform
policy development.
"You're not just educating the individual person, you need the impetus
and motivation to come from the whole community," said SNHU Associate
Dean of Health Professions Denise Bisaillon. "You have to reach the
leaders in the community. The more people invested in a change, the
more likely its success."
The Economic Importance of Health Education
Health education can also boost a community's economy by reducing
healthcare spending and lost productivity due to preventable illness.
Obesity and tobacco use, for example, cost the United States billions
of dollars each year in healthcare costs and lost productivity.
According to the American Public Health Association (APHA) the annual
loss in economic productivity due to obesity and related issues is
expected to total as much as $580 billion by 2030. The total economic
cost of tobacco use costs the United States more than $300 billion each
year, including $156 billion in lost productivity, according to the
CDC.
Programs designed to help community members combat these expensive
health issues not only boost individuals' health, but also provide a
strong return on investment for communities.
According to the CDC, states with strong tobacco control programs see a
$55 return on every $1 investment, mostly from avoiding costs to treat
smoking-related illness. The national cost of offering the National
Diabetes Prevention Program is about $500 per participant,
significantly lower than the $7,900 spent on diabetes care per Type 2
diabetes patient each year.
ImportanceofHealthEducationBody4 A Growing Field
As the health, social and economic impacts of community health
education continue to grow, so does the field of public health and
health promotion.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), employment in
the community health education field is projected to grow by 16%
through 2026, more than twice the average for all occupations.
Workers with a community health education degree can find opportunities
in a wide variety of settings, according to the BLS, including:
* Schools and colleges
* Hospitals and healthcare facilities
* Nonprofit organizations
* Private businesses and employee wellness programs
* Government organizations and public health departments
As communities continue to focus more on improving the health and
wellness of its citizens, the field of community health education will
also continue to grow, said SNHU adjunct faculty Michelle Gifford.
"I believe that more and more communities are seeing benefits from
wellness-related initiatives and receiving positive marks about them,
hence community leaders are seeing this as not just a business-driven
necessity, but also something that impacts the well being and quality
of life of their citizens," Gifford said.
Marcy Vadurro is a marketing professional within nursing and health
professions in higher education.
Health
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