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THE HEALTH EDUCATION SERVICE
The chief enemy of health is ignorance, since from this spring
a host of other enemies—fear, carelessness, obstinacy, and the belief
that the terrible thing always happens to someone else. Health education,
consistently carried out by expert staff can dispel ignorance.
Since people very so widely in character, attitudes and degree of
education, every possible propaganda method must be employed.
There are those who like to get together in groups to discuss a
variety of subjects—and it is then surprising to discover how wide is
the range of their interests.
It also becomes apparent how little knowledge some members of
a group possess on some matters, which to other members of the group
are well known.
Health Education in Clinics
The Health Education Officer, after due consultation and consideration,
prepares a yearly list of themes—generally one for every
month. All material needed to reinforce the spoken word is assembled
and distributed to clinics throughout the Borough. This material
includes posters, pamphlets and indeed every form of visual aid that
can possibly be provided.
It is a newspaper adage that one picture is worth a thousand
words and nowhere does this apply more than in health education.
Many people are extraordinarily unimaginative and many more are
plain inattentive—and it is to these that the visual aids are so
important.
Of necessity, the range of subjects is somewhat repetitive—some
subjects such as dental health, immunisation, sexually-transmitted
diseases, obesity, hygiene, mental health, prevention of accidents in
the home, cervical cytology, smoking hazards, are standard, but by
varying the method of presentation and including each time the
various advances that are constantly being made in the understanding
and treatment of the matters discussed, interest can be maintained.
Besides this, repetition of a theme reinforces the impression it makes
on the minds of those attending, and with a constantly changing
population there will always be many to whom the subject is entirely
new.
Health Education in Schools and Youth Clubs
Nowhere is the idea of 'catching 'em young' more important
than in health education. It is widely accepted that habits formed in
childhood, whether they be good or bad, are those most likely to
persist. The younger the child the more ingrained the habit.
This is what makes the training of parents so important, for, as
William Stern says in ' The Psychology of Early Childhood',:
'Without exception, mothers exercise the strongest suggestive influences
Their belief becomes the child's dogma.'
Of course, not all parents exercise the right influence and health
education staff must try, to the best of their ability, to induce this
beneficial influence where it is not evident.
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