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GENERAL SERVICES
Health Education
The need for education in health matters is no less essential today than it was in
the Dark Ages, when life was "nasty, brutish and short". Indeed, man has not yet
reached that highest state of well-being that might have been expected from such
rapid changes in environment and in medical knowledge. The sicknesses of
yesterday have been largely mastered, only to be replaced by others, most of which are
avoidable by the individual himself. The gap between health knowledge and health
practice, however, appears to be widening.
Education in health, therefore, is of prime importance, and the staff of the Health
Education Section of the Department is aware of the responsibility it holds to make
every effort to improve the general level of personal and community health through a
programme of education.
Health Education in School
Recent years have seen increased awareness of the importance for all children of
the feeling of stability, goodwill and enjoyment that accompanies the satisfaction of
their physical, mental and social needs — for all are involved. With this in mind,
staff of the local health authority, i.e. Health Visitors, Health Education Officers
and others participated in health education programmes in schools.
In Primary Schools, the children are helped to an understanding of health and the
functions of their bodies, ways in which they can maintain good functioning and the
abuses or neglect which will prevent good health. The approach in Secondary Schools
is somewhat different. The concern of health education with the physical and emotional
changes of adolescence are self-evident. Whilst there is still as much need for
strengthening of good habits, there is also a need to influence the pupils to make
proper use of the new forces which are at work in them, and prepare them for adult life.
Most of the schools, where Health & Welfare Department staff were teaching
health subjects, had a full year's programme, whilst a few asked for shortened
programmes or occasional talks. The subjects covered included the effects of smoking,
alcohol and drugs on physical, mental and social life, education for family life
(covering sex education, childbirth and child care), human relationships and mental
and social health.
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