Health education

Question 1

Which diseases form part of the Quadruple Burden of Disease in SA?

OR

Which 4 health problems are the leading causes of death and disability in SA?

Answer 1

• HIV/AIDS and TB
• Maternal, infant and child mortality
• Non-communicable diseases
• Injury and violence

Question 2

What are the aims of health education?

Answer 2

• To motivate people to adopt health promoting behaviours by providing appropriate knowledge and helping to develop positive attitudes.
• Help people to make decisions about their health and acquire the necessary confidence and skills to put their decision into practice
• Behaviour change to prevent diseases.

Question 3

Explain the 3 levels of prevention of disease

Answer 3

1. Primary level of prevention:
   >Directed at healthy people (not yet exposed).
   >Aim: keep people healthy and prevent them from getting disease e.g. hygiene, abstain, safe sex, immunization.
2. Secondary level of prevention
   >Directed at people who are already exposed to a health condition. e.g. Hypertension, Diabetes, Tuberculosis, HIV.
   >Aim: to prevent disease from getting worse e.g. quit smoking; healthy diet, regular exercise, taking medication.
3. Tertiary level of prevention
   >Directed at people with incurable chronic diseases/ permanent disabilities
   >Aim: to prevent complications (death/disability). e.g AIDS, Stroke.

Question 4

List the principles of health education

Answer 4

• Must be needs based!
• HE aims at change of behaviour- therefore its NB to understand human behaviour and effective teaching processes (communication and adult learning)
• Encourage participation of the individual/community (community involvement)
• Start from known to unknown and make it a 2 way communication
• Adapt the HE to suit the audience (target group) age, gender, literacy level, health problem, social environment
• Apply the principles of adult learning
• Health educators must make themselves acceptable.
• Health Education is based on scientific findings and current knowledge.
• Health educators must practice what they profess.
• It must be remembered that people are not absolutely without any information or ideas.
• The grave danger with health education programs is the pumping of all bulk of information in one exposure or enthusiasm to give all possible information.
• The health educator should use terms that can be immediately understood. Highly scientific jargon should be avoided

Question 5

What are the basic responsibilities of a health educator?

Answer 5

1. Assessing the individual and community needs for health education.
2. Planning effective health education program.
3. Implementing HE programs.
4. Coordinating the provision of effective HE services.
5. Acting as a resource person for HE.
6. Communicating health and health education needs, concerns and resources.
7. Evaluating the effectiveness of HE.