Health Education

 

In 2020, the estimated total population in India amounted to approximately 1.38 billion people. India currently has the second-largest population in the world. India ranks 131 out of 189 countries on the United Nations Human Development Index, which ranks countries on how well they ensure health, education and decent living standards. According to Economic Survey 2020-21, IMR per 1000 child live births has decreased from 66.7 to 32 in 19 years i.e. 2000-2019. Whereas, the MMR per 100000 live births has also decreased from 374 to 145 in 17 years i.e. from 2000-2017. Despite improvements in MMR and IMR, India still needs to improve significantly. 

Poverty in India cannot be overcome without dramatically expanding and improving access to quality of Public education, health and sanitation. Health & Education are social Investments, not just public expenditure.

Lacking healthcare facilities among people needs to promote health education, which may improve their lifestyle. Health education teaches about physical, mental, emotional and social health. It motivates people to improve and maintain their health, prevent disease, and reduce risky behaviours. It also focuses on emotional, mental and social health too. Educating people on the importance of health builds their motivation.

Health Education is a social science that draws from the biological, environment, psychological, physical and medical sciences to promote health and prevent diseases, disability and premature death through education-driven voluntary behavior change activities. Individuals and groups of people learn to behave in a manner conducive to the promotion, maintenance, or restoration of health.

The importance of health education impacts many areas of wellness includes:

v  Chronic disease awareness and prevention

v  Maternal and infant health

v  Tobacco use and substance abuse

v  Injury and violence prevention

v  Mental and behavioral health

v  Nutrition, exercise and obesity prevention

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. Different online programs/seminars etc. designed to help people combat expensive health issues, this not only boost individual’s health but also provide a strong return.

Methods and approaches of Health Education

1. Individual Approach

Doctors and nurses, who are in direct contact with patients and their relatives, have opportunities for much individual health education. The topic selected should be relevant to the situation. For instance, a mother who has come for delivery should be told about child birth-not about malaria eradication. 

The biggest advantage of individual health teaching is that we can discuss, argue and persuade the individual to change his behaviour. The disadvantage is that the numbers we reach are small.

 2. Group Approach

The groups are many – mothers, school children, patients, industrial workers – to whom we can direct health teaching. The choice of subject in group health teaching is very important; it must relate directly to the interest of the group. For instance, mothers may be taught about baby care; school children about oral hygiene; a group of TB patients about tuberculosis, and industrial workers about accidents.

 3.  Mass Approach

For the education of the general public, we employ “mass media of communication’ – Posters, health magazines, films, radio, television, health exhibitions and health museums. Mass media are generally less effective in changing human behaviour than individual or group methods. But however, they are very useful in reaching large numbers of people with whom otherwise there could be no contact. For effective health education mass media should be used in combination with other methods.

As individual continue to focus more on improving their health and wellness, the status of betterment in the field of health education may continue to grow.