Scopes of health education

HEWs are the first bridge between communities and health care system. They will educate community members about the appropriate use of the healthcare and social service systems, and assess community needs and perspectives.

As a health educator, you will perform health education at three level of disease prevention. At the community level, it includes raising awareness about prevention activities. Health education includes secondary prevention methods such as early diagnosis and treatment and extends to the tertiary prevention of rehabilitation.

There are three distinct levels of disease prevention in health education: primary, secondary, and tertiary health education.

a) Primary Health Education

Primary health education is comprised of those preventive measures that forestall the onset of illness or injury during the pre-pathogenesis period, before the disease process begins. It is directed at healthy people and the primary aim is to prevent the occurrence of ill-health. Many health education programmes focus on primary health education. HEWs give a preventive and promotive message which keep the community from encountering certain disease/health problem.

Health education programmes on proper nutrition, immunisation, and breastfeeding are some of the examples. Children who are vaccinated against major killer diseases such as measles, poliomyelitis, etc. will be protected from suffering and dying from these diseases.

b) Secondary Health Education

Illness and injury cannot always be prevented. In fact, many diseases such as cancer and heart diseases can establish themselves in humans and cause considerable damages before they are detected and treated. In such cases, the sooner the case is identified and medical personnel intervene, the greater the chances of limiting disability and preventing death.

Any health education programme aimed at promoting early diagnosis and prompt treatment of a disease to limit disability and prevent more severe pathogenesis is called secondary health education.

At this level, Health Extension Workers educate patients about their condition and what to do to get further relief of pain.

The primary aim at this level is to stop the progress of diseases to the severest form of the problem. At this stage, complete recovery from the disease or problem is possible, but if neglected, complications may occur, e.g. health education programme on early treatment of malaria, tuberculosis treatment, blood pressure examination, breast-cancer screening

c) Tertiary Health Education

At this level, HEW re-educates, and rehabilitate the individual who has already acquired a disability, impairment, or dependency.

Any health education programme specifically aimed at patients with an irreversible, incurable, and chronic condition is called tertiary health education/promotion.

For example, educating after lung cancer surgery, working with the diabetes individual to ensure the daily injections are taken are some of tertiary health education activities.