The Importance Of Health Education
Health education (EpS) is a fundamental pillar for any country and current society. It is a process that seeks for the population to acquire a series of knowledge and skills that allow them to make decisions regarding their own health.
Although many people think that the concept of health is only the absence of disease, the truth is that it encompasses much more aspects. We must understand health as a state of personal and social well-being.
In addition, it is important to bear in mind that, in order to achieve good health, it is necessary to promote responsibility for each person. Not only so that you can adopt healthy habits with yourself, but because you also influence others.
Therefore, in this article we explain the importance of health education, in addition to mentioning some typical measures and proposals of this process.
How is health education defined?
In recent years, health education has been gaining strength and is considered one of the basic processes within education and society. According to the World Health Organization, health education is defined as:
According to other authors , it is a process by which people learn to behave in a way that favors the promotion, maintenance or restoration of health. That is, healthy attitudes and habits are incorporated.
In addition, this process goes further. It seeks that each person develops a critical capacity to make decisions regarding this issue, which allow them to take care of their own health and that of others.
Health education also helps to analyze all the factors that influence the health of a population. For example, examining environmental, social or economic causes that cause disease or health problems.
How is health education done?
Like any other educational process, health education can be carried out using different methods. First, there are the direct or bidirectional methods. They are those in which the role of the educator and the listener are established.
In order to carry out direct methods, there needs to be a certain closeness between the person who educates and the rest. It would be, for example, a class where the teacher transmits knowledge or a group discussion.
Within these methods, we also find talks on health content and dialogue. A clear example of dialogue is when the doctor, in a consultation, makes a series of recommendations directed to the patient.
On the other hand, there are indirect methods, also called unidirectional. The basis of these is that a person emits a message that can reach a greater number of people through means such as television.
Among the indirect methods are audiovisual and sound media. For example, health education can be done through brochures, posters, or newspapers. Also, through the radio or the cinema.
The importance of the internet
We must emphasize that, at present, the Internet is one of the fundamental aspects in health education. It is the largest source of information that exists. The problem is that this information may not be the most adequate or accurate.
Therefore, you have to know how to use this tool, looking for reliable and educational sources. In fact, there are more and more applications and programs that aim to promote, in some way, health and healthy habits.
Finally, it should be noted that health education is not a process that focuses only on young people, but seeks the collaboration of the entire population. It is never too late to start raising awareness and taking responsibility for our health.
