1. Brianna Bland
My Health Education Philosophy
The World Health Organization’s definition of health education is defined as “any
combination of learning experiences designed to help individuals and communities improve
their health, by increasing their knowledge or influencing their attitudes.” In my eyes health
education is looked at as a broad topic that covers many areas of health. My definition of
health is to have a positive health status in all five categories of health: spiritual, mental,
emotional, physical, and social health. An individual’s mind, body, and soul all balance each
other out and influence whether an individual will reach optimal wellness.
My philosophy on health education is that health behaviors can only be influenced by
the knowledge, attitudes, values, and beliefs that an individual holds. As a health educator, one
must understand these things about an individual before attempting to change their health
behaviors. For health educators to understand human health behaviors they must be
motivated, obtain high self-efficacy, be culturally competent, and require a set of health
counseling skills. I believe these skills listed are the most important ones a health educator
should possess. As a professional in health education I live by the words, be the change you
wish to see in the world.