Professional Philosophy of Health Education

Professional Philosophy of Health Education

I believe that the primary goal of health education is to improve people’s quality of life and this can only be achieved if people live in good health. This should be done right from the early stages of life. Children who grow up knowing the importance of having and maintaining a healthy lifestyle will still maintain that even when they are adults. Every generation has special needs where health is concerned. Teenagers’ needs are not the same as children’s needs or those of an older age. Old people need different kind of health education than the middle aged and it is up to the health educators to make sure that everybody’s needs are catered for.

Teenagers and young adults today are facing a myriad of health related complications because of the lifestyles they are leading. The best way to resolve this is to focus on educating them and taking an active role in ensuring that they are leading a healthier lifestyle. The educational philosophy I am most comfortable in is cognitive-based. This is because it is focused on providing information and expanding the knowledge base on matters related to health. I enhance people’s knowledge about risk factors such as the effects of uncontrolled and unprotected sexual behavior, the effects of drugs, alcohol and substance abuse, the consequences of having carefree dietary patterns such as eating unhealthy foods and the results of leading a sedentary lifestyle, void of physical activities. Currently, I am a respiratory therapist and I work in a hospital. Working in a hospital has exposed me to many situations, some of which are difficult.

The decisions one has to make on a daily basis are not easy. Sometimes, like during emergencies, we are faced with situations where we have to share the available resources. Some of these decisions have proven to be difficult and they have resulted to conflicts even among the members of staff. For instance, a situation might emerge where two people, one of them old and the other a child, needing the same treatment and the resources available can only sustain one of them. The doctor has to choose whether to treat the old patient or the child. I have been fortunate enough not to face such a situation until now. However, when faced with an ethical dilemma such as mercy killing, I would take a more cautious approach. I do not advocate for such an act and I would prefer to let nature take its course. I would want to work at a place where there is the most need and people are suffering. I have been encouraged to do this after seeing the sacrifices made by successful members in the society such as Bill Gates who donates a significant portion of his money to provide drugs and vaccines for the poor without expecting any returns. I do not have much experience working for charities but I have volunteered my time during the holidays where I fed the homeless. (499)