Public health professionals are at the forefront of the COVID-19 pandemic response. However, the roles and responsibilities of health educators in pandemic response are unknown. Researchers examined multiple factors that described how health educators’ work priorities and lives have been affected by COVID-19. An electronic questionnaire was administered nationally to health educators to assess the effect of the pandemic on their professional responsibilities, the challenges they are facing, and their fears about the future. Of the 913 respondents, 487 (43%) reported changing work priorities, with 80% of that group (389) sharing that their work priorities shifted focus to COVID-19. Most felt qualified to take on the new job responsibilities, but many feared the inability to get back to previous work roles or for their organizations to financially withstand the pandemic. Regardless of workplace setting or job priorities, health educators are prepared in the skills outlined in the Responsibilities and Competencies for Health Education Specialists, which may have led to their abilities in shifting roles so quickly and effectively. Findings from this study may prepare public health agencies to better use and train health educators for their roles in rapidly shifting public health priorities.
We examine the field of health communication with a multimethodological analysis, presenting a brief historical synopsis of the academic literature as well as the results of a survey administered to academicians who identified communication and health to be major fields of interest. After this descriptive backdrop of health communication, we offer a prescription for an ideal health communicator--that is, one with an interdisciplinary background--to use ethical, persuasive means to craft, deliver, and evaluate campaigns that promote good health and disease prevention; to plan, influence, and implement health policy; and to employ ethical decision making that will enhance the quality of life for individuals and communities throughout the globe.
This paper reviews the range of health surveillance activities which can be utilized in the workplace by occupational health professionals for assessing fitness for work and contributing to the prevention of occupational illness and promotion of good health. The systematic approach described categorizes health surveillance procedures into occupational or non-occupational, risk-based or unfocused, and as primary, secondary or tertiary preventive measures. All categories of health surveillance are currently being practised to some extent, but the type of surveillance may not match the needs of the workplace in some situation. In order to aid health professionals in deciding which procedures should be implemented, recommendations based on an assessment of health risks are made. The key proposal is to establish a minimum level of periodic health surveillance for all workers based on a targeted lifestyle health risk assessment and a structured health questionnaire. Additional procedures can then be added sequentially as appropriate to manage any health risks in the workplace. The role of the unfocused periodic general medical examination is discussed in the context of the systematic approach and allows occupational professionals to critically appraise its usefulness.
Health education specialists (HES) can reduce obesity burden within the public and healthcare systems. This study examined HES’ obesity knowledge and attitudes toward obesity with their willingness to integrate obesity health education (HE) into current work roles. A sample of 1297 completed the survey. No relationships were found between respondents’ obesity knowledge and willingness, nor between bias and willingness, while 90% were willing to integrate obesity HE into current work roles. Additional results show age, years in practice, and currently working in obesity predicted willingness. Health education specialists are willing to integrate obesity health education regardless of knowledge or biases.
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