Emphases in Health Education Over Time

Accounts of early activities of public health educators, statements of the American Public Health Association on the qualifications and functions of these educators, and studies concerned with their responsibilities, functions, work, or roles are reviewed. These point up the three major foci in public health education over time in the U.S., viz, dissemination of information, community organization, and health behavior and program planning. Functions of public health educators in emerging settings for practice are presented and the implications of this movement (i.e., movement of health educators into non-traditional settings) for the public health education profession are discussed Some parallels can be noted in (a) the changes which have occurred in the needs for health education and information expressed by the U.S. public, consumers, and health professionals and (b) the changes in the functions and activities of public health educators. In early years when health knowledge was locked up in the minds of a small number of the more educated citizenry, principally physicians, nurses, and dentists, and little had been printed about health matters, health educators helped meet the expressed need for health information. Later as it became apparent that the solution of health problems required organization of resources and efforts and &dquo;learn by doing&dquo; became a focus as a method of education, health educators became community organizers. In more recent years they have become health behaviorists and program planners in response to social legislation and as they attempt to adapt health education programs to changes in life styles, the needs of various ethnic groups, an apathetic public, and the needs expressed for health educator expertise by other health professionals