THE IMPORTANCE OF HEALTH EDUCATION AS AN INTEGRAL PART OF PRIMARY HEALTH CARE
by Kenneth Kee 1993
A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctorate of Philosophy with a Major in Health Care Administration and approved in 1993
ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION:
This paper examines how health education and promotion forms an integral part of the Primary Health Care System.
It also shows how the concept of health has changed from its original definition by the World Health Organization as a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of of disease and infirmity to something more realistic, dynamic and measurable.
The original definition has been described as an ideal state which is rarely attainable in real life.
The definition of of health care has also changed from a hospital based curative medicine to one of Primary Health Care and Preventive Medicine.
Primary Health Care is emphasized as the cornerstone of all good health care systems.
The escalating cost of health care associated with high technology and hospital based medicine in the treatment and rehabilitation of chronic diseases has led to the realization among many health care providers that many of the risk factors in the chronic diseases can be prevented at the Primary health care level.
A more rational approach to the current health may require more of a preventable rather than a curative approach in medical treatment.
To this end health education and promotion has proved its importance in the fight against disease and form an integral part of the health care system.
This paper also examines some well known models of health education and promotion such as the Tanahill's model of identifying key groups and their roles in health education and the Green's Proceed-Precede planning framework which identifies various behavioral and environmental factors affecting health.
It recommends various strategies for the [promotion of health such as formulation of definite goals, intersectional collaboration in health education and community participation in health education and community participation.
This dissertation about health education has brought me more knowledge about health issues than 20 years of practice in the field of primary health care.
It has focused my mind on the very important field of preventive medicine and health education.
It has made me more determined than ever to continue my work as a health educator as well as a medical practitioner
It has made me even more aware of the need of continuous medical education to keep abreast of the latest advances in medicine.
Unless I continuously update my medical knowledge I will not be able to explain the latest medical advance to my patient.
Lastly I must always remember that it is the patient who will benefit from my knowledge and that knowledge is not to be kept but to be imparted.
In the words of Professor Rosalind Miller:
"it is a society with myopic vision that foster episodic medical care than health care that includes Primary prevention particularly for those at greatest risk and where social welfare and health problems are indispensable"
by Kenneth Kee 1993
A Dissertation Presented in Partial Fulfilment of the Requirements for the Degree of Doctorate of Philosophy with a Major in Health Care Administration and approved in 1993
ABSTRACT OF DISSERTATION:
This paper examines how health education and promotion forms an integral part of the Primary Health Care System.
It also shows how the concept of health has changed from its original definition by the World Health Organization as a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of of disease and infirmity to something more realistic, dynamic and measurable.
The original definition has been described as an ideal state which is rarely attainable in real life.
The definition of of health care has also changed from a hospital based curative medicine to one of Primary Health Care and Preventive Medicine.
Primary Health Care is emphasized as the cornerstone of all good health care systems.
The escalating cost of health care associated with high technology and hospital based medicine in the treatment and rehabilitation of chronic diseases has led to the realization among many health care providers that many of the risk factors in the chronic diseases can be prevented at the Primary health care level.
A more rational approach to the current health may require more of a preventable rather than a curative approach in medical treatment.
To this end health education and promotion has proved its importance in the fight against disease and form an integral part of the health care system.
This paper also examines some well known models of health education and promotion such as the Tanahill's model of identifying key groups and their roles in health education and the Green's Proceed-Precede planning framework which identifies various behavioral and environmental factors affecting health.
It recommends various strategies for the [promotion of health such as formulation of definite goals, intersectional collaboration in health education and community participation in health education and community participation.
This dissertation about health education has brought me more knowledge about health issues than 20 years of practice in the field of primary health care.
It has focused my mind on the very important field of preventive medicine and health education.
It has made me more determined than ever to continue my work as a health educator as well as a medical practitioner
It has made me even more aware of the need of continuous medical education to keep abreast of the latest advances in medicine.
Unless I continuously update my medical knowledge I will not be able to explain the latest medical advance to my patient.
Lastly I must always remember that it is the patient who will benefit from my knowledge and that knowledge is not to be kept but to be imparted.
In the words of Professor Rosalind Miller:
"it is a society with myopic vision that foster episodic medical care than health care that includes Primary prevention particularly for those at greatest risk and where social welfare and health problems are indispensable"
