Description
Share with your classmates how a person might use each of the five major health education/promotion philosophies and the eclectic philosophy you learned about in your reading assignment to address a societal problem that can be addressed by health education/promotion (for example, smoking, seat belt use, air pollution, exercise, diet, medication compliance, cancer risk reduction, or any of the topics you found on HealthyPeople2020.gov website).
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The History of Health and Health Education/Promotion
Early humans may have learned about health by observation and by trial and error. They probably learned to bathe by noticing that animals had less foreign matter on their bodies after bathing, and insects did not bite if the animal was coated in mud. They learned which plants and roots contained healing benefits and which ones were poisonous. They learned this through trial and error. Health education may have dawned during this time. If one person discovered a poisonous plant, they were likely to educate others. The same would be true for a plant that was found to have medicinal properties. Early man learned the health benefits of properly preserving food and the importance of burying the dead.
In early Egypt, priests held the role of physician. Documentation shows that medical treatment during this time consisted of spells, pharmaceuticals, and exorcisms as the Egyptians believed that illness was the work of an evil spirit. Egyptians were known to be very cleanly and used a sewage system. In 1500 B.C., the Hebrews documented a hygiene code in the book of Leviticus that spelled out the importance of cleanliness, diminishing the spread of contagious diseases, disinfecting homes after an illness, disposal of waste, protection of food and water, and guidelines for women during menstruation and childbirth.
In early Greece, a more scientific view of medicine developed. The Greeks also started treating health in a holistic manner focusing on a balance among physical, mental and spiritual health. The famous physician Hippocrates was Greek and lived from 460 BC to 377 BC. He was the first to understand that the human body was made up of specific particles called atoms. The Greeks understood the importance of balancing athletics, expanding the mind, and resting.
The Romans were famous for building the aqueducts that carried extensive amounts of fresh water to the citizens of Rome. They also had an underground sewage system. They felt that cleanliness was extremely important and they built many bath houses that were a big part of their culture. Roman doctors studied anatomy extensively. The Romans built the first hospitals!
In the Middle Ages, many of the Greek and Roman advances in health were forgotten. Because of political unrest and invasions from other countries, most people lived within city walls in very close quarters with their neighbors and with animals. This created some extremely unsanitary conditions. During the Middle Ages there were many epidemics including leprosy, the bubonic plague, smallpox, diphtheria, measles, influenza, tuberculosis, anthrax, trachoma, and syphilis. As a result, priests, doctors, and community leaders performed some level of health education.
The Renaissance was a time of rebirth and was known as a time of great enlightenment. Many diseases were treated by bloodletting and barbers were the primary performers of surgery. Problems with hygiene and the disposal of bodily waste remained an issue. During this time, the understanding of anatomy improved, surgical procedures were advanced, and the microscope was invented. In the Age of Enlightenment, medical knowledge and health education were still lacking, but advancements were made. A smallpox vaccination was discovered and philosophers promoted the concept of health promotion.
In the first half of the 1800s, disease epidemics were still prevalent. There was a call for government intervention into public health. It was learned that contaminated water was causing the spread of disease and Louis Pasteur studied how microorganisms reproduce, the importance of immunization, and the technique to pasteurize milk. Joseph Lister discovered the importance of aseptic surgical conditions.
Public Health in the United States
In the 1700s, cities in the United States began forming health boards. They were poorly staffed and funded and had no governing authority. The health status in the US did not improve due to overcrowding, immigration, and poverty. Public health offices began to emerge at the state and federal levels. From 1900 to 1920 the area of public health saw significant reform. Regulations were passed that required safe food handling and such volunteer agencies as the American Cancer Society were created. The concept of illness prevention began to emerge. In 1933, Franklin Roosevelt signed the New Deal which allotted public funding for disease control, hospital construction, and safe water and sewer systems.
The Social Security Act of 1935 allotted money for health department programs with funding for sanitary public facilities and maternal and child health. Hospital construction boomed after World War II. Health education emerged as being very important in the 1950s. In 1965, Medicare and Medicaid were created allowing health services to the elderly and the impoverished.
In the mid-1800s, health education in schools began. The effects of alcohol and drug use were taught starting at the end of the century. In the early 20th century, research showed that health education resulted in improved health. The U.S. Public Health Service published Healthy People in 1979, which highlighted the importance of health promotion and illness prevention. This document was updated in Healthy People 2000: National Health Promotion and Disease Prevention Objectives. Another document, Health People 2010 was developed to address the needs of the aging community and to address the health disparity between socioeconomic groups. Healthy People 2020 was released in December 2010 with four major goals (see page 57).
Philosophical Foundations
Having a personal philosophy helps guide us through our choices and decisions in life. Many feel that health educators should strive for a philosophy of symmetry. This is the art of teaching physical, emotional, spiritual and social health promotion. A holistic approach is one where the mind and body are not separate entities, but one unit. Humanism and wellness are other philosophical approaches. You as a health educator may choose to develop your own philosophy.
In developing your own philosophy, you may want to begin by creating a list of your beliefs and personal values. Recognize themes that occur in your list and explore why you value certain topics. You can then create a philosophy statement that exemplifies the way you think, act and view the world around you. Philosophies may change over time as you learn, as you act, and as you have experiences in life.
Prominent Health Education Philosophies
Behavior change
Cognitive-based
Decision-making
Freeing/Functioning
Social change
Each is discussed in depth in your reading assignment. Some health educators find it important to change their health education philosophies depending on the setting in which they are teaching showing a propensity for adapting to the learner(s).
Critical Thinking
What is the Hippocratic Oath and what does it mean?
Why was the invention of the microscope important?
Why do you think it took so long to develop public health policies in the U.S.?
Is there one health education philosophy that you completely disagree with? Why or why not?
Sample Solution