Individuals and Families Experiencing Homelessness

Abstract

The paper describes about health education, the role of health professionals as educators, the ethical principles of health education, theories and common principles of learning, barriers to teaching, and the obstacles to learning for homeless people. It explains theories and models of health behaviour and how health educators take theoretical principles and put them into practice. It explains methodologies and instructional materials used in educating homeless people, recommendations and evaluation of the health education program.

Individuals and Families Experiencing Homelessness

Introduction

Health education is a science that is derived from the physical, psychological, environmental, and medical sciences to help promote health and prevent disability and disease through education-driven activities. It is the development of systemic strategies to improve health attitudes, knowledge, skill, and behaviour of individuals and communities (Hwang, 2000).The aim of health education is to influence the health behavior and the living conditions. It improves the health status of individuals, communities, families, and the nation. It enhances the quality of life (Buchanan & Jain, 2001).

Discussion

Trends in Health Education and Role of Health Professionals as Educators

The health educators are responsible to teach health subjects and to promote and implement co-ordinated health programs in school, colleges, universities, groups and communities. They provide awareness about health services to students and their parents to promote healthy environments in community. At the school level, they develop specific education methods and materials to promote their health (Berti, Zylbert, & Rolnitzky, 2001). In colleges or universities, health educators empower students to create healthy community. They teach courses, develop mass media campaigns, and train counselors. They educate about disease prevention, emotional health, environmental health, sexual health, nutrition and eating issues, substance abuse prevention, safety, first aid, and disaster management (Nabors, Weist, Shugarman, Woeste, Mullet, & Rosner, 2004). In organizations, health educators coordinate counseling of employee and education services. In organizations, they perform employee health screenings. They promote programs about hypertension, weight control, stress management, substance abuse prevention, nutrition, physical fitness, and smoking cessation. They help organizations to meet safety regulations and identify health resources for workers (Nabors, Weist, Shugarman, Woeste, Mullet, & Rosner, 2004).

In community, health educators support problem solving and to develop and implement strategies to improve health status of community members.

Evaluate community needs.

Design health education programs.

Manage community health education programs.

Identify resources.

Write grants.

Build coalitions.

Make referrals.

Organize communities for action.

Encourage community to promote healthy behaviour.

Use education/training methods.

Promote disease prevention concepts.

Promote health-enhancing behaviours.

Identify health risks.

Promote the use of health services and health information.

Evaluate the influence of cultural beliefs on health (Nabors, Weist, Shugarman, Woeste, Mullet, & Rosner, 2004).

Code of Ethics for the Health Education Profession

The health education promotes individuals, groups, and community health. Health educators uphold the integrity of this profession. The Code of Ethics of health education is based on fundamental principles such as promoting justice and avoidance of harm. The responsibility of health educator is to encourage the ethical behavior with whom they work. Health educators should promote these guidelines when making decisions (APHA, 2011).

Responsibility to the Public

The responsibility of ...