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34
HEALTH EDUCATION AND HOME SAFETY
Miss D.S. Elliott, S.R.N., H.V.Cert., Dip. H.E.
Principal Health Education Officer
Professor Clair E. Turner wrote "Doing things to people or for people
is often easy, but it is expensive and often of temporary benefit. Stimulating
and guiding people to assume responsibility for themselves may take
more time but it is relatively inexpensive and its results are more lasting.
Moreover the people are strengthened by the latter process and frequently
weakened by the former."
The health education section is very much concerned with stimualting
and broadening general interest in health education and with creating
opportunities for communication between various sections of the health
department and between the department and the public. The pattern of
morbidity, mortality and medico-social problems is changing and with it
the priorities in health education. Moreover, health departments are under
great pressure from many statutory and other organisations to educate the
public and promote action on a wide variety of health matters from dental
health, home safety, family planning, weight control, cancer, venereal
disease, sex education to the promotion of mental health, health education
in schools and many other topics.
Efforts are being made to ensure a greater share for health education
within the activities of voluntary, social and local authority organisations.
At the same time as the volume of activity increases it is necessary to
raise health education standards and the section does a great deal of work
in the education and in-service training of students and health workers
of all kinds.
Frequent changes of staff in the health department as a whole have
made continuity and the maintenance of some of the established health
education activities a difficult task this year. Some misunderstanding
has arisen about the purpose and scope of the discussion groups in the
toddlers' clinics and this would seem to be an opportune time to clarify
the policy. Although the groups are held in these clinics the topics are
not confined to subjects concerning toddlers. Talks and discussions on
growth and development both mental and physical form part of each year's
programme and are obviously very important. However, one must remember
that on matters of health the mother is usually the most important and
influential member of the family unit. As a wife her first loyalty and care
are for her husband and his well-being and she welcomes opportunities to
discuss this. She is also an adult whose mental and physical health and
general example are vital to the whole family. Normally she has few
opportunities to discuss her own problems but knowledge and reassurance
are reflected in her general attitude at home. Although attending the clinic
with a toddler she may well have school children whose development,
approaching puberty or sibling rivalries she needs to understand. There