1
Achieving wellness now and through a lifetime
requires knowledge, self awareness, motivation,
and effort. Paul Insel and
Walton Roth
Created by Sandra Owen Dept. Kinesiology and
HealthGeorgia State University
2
How does Health differ from Wellness?
3

• Health is the absence of disease and determined
  by factors out of our control such as genetics,
  age, gender.
• Wellness is determined by decisions made about
  how to live our life and requires that we balance
  physical, emotional, intellectual, spiritual,
  social, and vocational aspects of our life.

4
What is Healthy People and its two main goals?

• Healthy People includes the national health
  objectives for the United States and spans a ten
  year period. These objectives guide health
  education, instruction, and research.
• Two main goals of Healthy People
• Increase quality and years of healthy life
• Eliminate health disparity among Americans
  (health status, health risk, and use of
  prevention services)

5
How does education differ from instruction?
Education is spontaneous and is influenced by
personal experiences (culture, social
interactions, travel)
Instruction is planned, sequential, and includes
specific age appropriate teaching strategies and
assessments.
6
How did health education historically emerge?
Dates back to late 19th century when first
academic program to train school health educators
was established.
In 1940, quality assurance policies and early
credentialing emerged.
Over the next several decades, professional
associations developed guidelines and
accreditation.
By 1970, skill based competencies were developed.
Behavioral and social sciences have provided a
strong theoretical base for health education and
instruction.
Today,250 college and university programs prepare
health educators at the undergraduate, masters
and doctoral levels.
7
How is the role of the Health Educator Defined?
Facilitate and promote individual and community
health by assisting individuals and communities
in adopting healthy behavior.
Collect and analyze data to determine individual
and community health needs.
Plan, implement, monitor, and evaluate health
education and instruction.
They promote critical thinking and problem
solving effective communication self-initiated
learning and self-responsibility for health
choices. This is known as health literacy.
8
What are the major areas for Health Educators?
Global Health
Community Health
Public Health
School Health
Salary range is 35,000- 150,000/year
9
School Health Education is comprehensive and
coordinated
Comprehensive school health education
includes1.National and state health education
standards2.Five components of health
literacy3.Ten major health content fields4.
Protective factors for resiliency5.
Decision-making and refusal skills
Coordinated school health education
includes1.Coordinating and integrating school
health education into physical education,
nutrition services, counseling2.Promoting a safe
school environment3.Promoting health promotion
services for faculty and staff4.Involving
parents and the community in the school health
program
CDC School Health Index assists schools in
evaluating the quality of their program
CDC Health Education Curriculum Assessment Tool
assists schools in evaluating its health
curriculum
CDC School Health Education Resources
10
Professional Associations for Health Education
Society for Public Health EducatorsAmerican
Public Health Association American Association
of Health Education American School Health
Association