Health and Health

UNIT 1 HEALTH AND HEALTH Education

EDUCATION
Structure
1.1 Introduction
1.2 Objectives
1.3 Health
1.3.1 Concept
1.3.2 Aspects
1.4 Factors Influencing Health
1.5 Health Education
1.5.1 Meaning
1.5.2 Scope
1.5.3 Aims and Objectives
1.6 Let Us Sum Up
1.7 Unit-end Exercises

1.1 INTRODUCTION
This is the introductory unit of the block on Health Education. It describes the
meaning and scope of Health and Health Education in general and also in the
context of primary school. There are some factors affecting our health these
have been explained briefly. The aims and objectives of Health Education have
been also discussed in brief.

1.2 OBJECTIVES
After going through this unit, you will be able to:
l explain the current concepts of health, health education and health promotion
and their application in the context of the primary schools and the community;
l list and describe some of the common factors that contribute towards health;
l discuss the role and scope of health education in primary schools;
l prepare children as messengers of health in their communities; and
l identify and act upon opportunities for health promotion in schools and
communities.

1.3 HEALTH
We all have heard these phrases:
If wealth is lost,
Nothing is lost,
If health is lost,
Something is lost.
9
Health Education If character is lost,
Everything is lost.
A healthy mind rest only in a healthy body. Mans happiness in life depends
upon good health, vigour and vitality.
Life without health is a misery, a virtual death.
All these phrases reflect the importance of health in our lives. The following
texts will describe the concept and scope of health.

1.3.1 Concept
Health is everybodys concern. We all are concerned with our own health, the
health of our children, our families, friends and colleagues. Teachers have always
been most concerned about the health and well being of their students.
Generally we all want not only to be healthy but also to remain healthy. But the
main question coming to our mind repeatedly is What is health? What does
being healthy mean to us?
The most commonly found answer is freedom from any disease.
Activity 1
Please collect answers of 10 individuals on the question What is Health?
Based on their answers develop the definition or meaning of Health, which
according to you is the most appropriate one in todays context. Please write
your answers in the space given:
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
Activity 2
Collect opinions of about 10 individuals on what steps they take to remain
healthy? Based on their answers, please write your answer.
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
........................................................................................................................
The above two activities must have helped you to realize the meaning and
importance of health in our lives. It also shows the contribution of health in our
lives.
10
You might have observed from the answers of the 10 individuals on the question Health and Health
what do you mean by health is that it is viewed differently by different people. Education
A common man may consider it nothing more than not being sick. For a teenager
it may be having good grooming and for a child of late childhood it is being
equated with he is to climb trees. For a mother, it is being stocky in context with
her children. A sportsman views it to have enough stamina and skills to excel in
the games. Generally, a child with happy face, free from any apparent signs of
diseases, manifesting normal developmental milestones and healthy habits, might
be healthy but we may not even consider him/her healthy in the absence of data
regarding his/her present state of health or history or family diseases.

11
Health Education If you consider your role as a teacher, healthy may mean the intellectual
capacity to be able to read and write and educate others. A person with physical
disability would perceive health as the capacity to cope with his disability and
to develop skills which would allow him to live and work with independence
and dignity.
Health is now seen as a positive assest which one has responsibility to earn
and maintain.
The World Health Organisation (1948) has defined health is a state of complete
physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or
infirmity.
Health implies a sufficient reserve of physical strength, ability and endurance
as well as mental equilibrium to meet the demands of life.
Would you agree with this definition?
No. Why?
It is not perfect. It cannot be achieved.
Yes. Such a state is impossible to achieve, and at least not for long period of
time. Moreover, this definition assumes a static position whereas life itself is not
static.
So, how can we define health?
Health may be seen as the ability of people to change to the constantly changing
demands and expectations in life.

1.3.2 Aspects
There are four main aspect of health. These are:
Physical Health,
Mental Health,
Social Health,
Spiritual Health
These aspects are interrelated and interdependent in nature.
Physical Health: It implies a good complexion, a clear skin, bright eyes, lustrous
hair, firm flesh, proportionate body, favourable attitude, sound sleep, regular
activity of bowls and smooth bladder. Physical fitness enables a person to live,
enjoy and work most and to serve the best.
Mental Health: Sound health depends on the state of the mind and the body.
Both affect each other. Mental health enables us to understand the mind the
emotion, the instincts and the tendencies. This also, leads to understand others
emotions, traits and behaviour. This is very important in the proper growth and
development of any individual. The normal emotional development in a child
leads to the maturity of mental life in an adult. With love and security a child
grows up as a useful member of the society.
Social Health: Social health is expressed in good conduct. A healthy child is
optimistic and confident. He/she maintains positive attitude of life and enjoys
its blessings.
Social health means making acquaintances that are satisfying and lasting and
assuming responsibilities in accordance with ones capacities.
12
Spiritual Health: This is maintaining of an even, cheerful and helpful spirit. It Health and Health
becomes our duty to regulate our behaviour towards our youngsters; and provide Education
opportunities, which lead to stability of emotions to ensure spiritual health to
them.

Check Your Progress

Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below.
b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the unit.
1. List the four aspects of health.
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
2. Tick mark ( ) the correct statements

i) All aspects of health are interdependent.

ii) Social health is not important for the development of total

health of children.

iii) School should focus on development of physical aspect

of health only.

iv) Development of mental health aspect is possible only in

school going children.

v) School and home both play important part in the total

development of children.

1.4 FACTORS INFLUENCING HEALTH

You might have found some people remain healthy and some have been ill
most of the time. If you will talk to them, you may find the healthy ones live
disciplined and active life, they take balanced diet and do morning walk and
physical exercises daily. On the other hand the people with poor health have
poor eating habits, rely on fast foods, no physical exercises, etc. Only fractions
of people have poor health since birth or due to unavoidable factors but majority
of us can retain and maintain our health.

Recall your childhood when your parents, teacher and other elders have
repeatedly reminded you to brush your teeth early in the morning and before
going to bed, wash hands before and after meals, etc. Now we are aware of the
motive behind these instructions. You might have also encountered people, inspite
of taking proper care, fell sick. If shows that there are number of factors which
effect our health. Generally, we can divide them into various types:

i) Heredity: This plays an important role in shaping ones personality. It

includes health, characteristics and immunity of the parents, mothers growth
during pregnancy, nutritional status of the family, eating habits, racial
characteristics and hereditary diseases.

ii) Mental Attitudes: Positive attitude adds zest to life and increases health
and will power. Adjustment and accommodation also leads to happiness.
13
Health Education iii) Environment: It includes the immediate surroundings i.e. climatic
conditions, religious, socio-cultural customs, and emotional conditions in
which an individual lives. It is of two types (a) internal and (b) external.
Internal environment refers to cleanliness of clothes, bedding, house, school,
park, locality, streets, ventilation, supply of pure water availability of
balanced diet, etc.
iv) Socio-cultural Factors: Socio-cultural practices, customs, etc. influences
an individuals life to a great extent. In India, superstitions still play a vital
role in social life.
v) Personal Habits: The habits of an individual have a direct impact on his/
her health. Thus development of proper personal habits in children is very
important for their health and healthy living.
One question is repeatedly bothering all of us
Why good health is so important ?
Please write down your opinions here:
i) It is the solid foundation on which a mans happiness rests.
ii) Health is a resource in which the whole community has a stake and it is
desirable to maintain and promote it.
iii)
iv)

Check Your Progress

Note: a) Write your answer in the space given below.
b) Compare your answer with those given at the end of the unit.
3. List the factors affect our health.
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................
.............................................................................................................

1.5 HEALTH EDUCATION

1.5.1 Meaning
The first question coming to, your mind will be What is Health Education. If
we take the laymans meaning it is a kind of education aware us towards our
health, health of our family and society. Thus health education focuses on creating
environment which may enables us to live the best and serve the best. It is an
action or process which affects changes in our practices, knowledge and attitudes
related to changes in Health and its retention and promotion. If we go with the
core definition, it is an art of living. We practice it in order to have a sound
body and sound mind. It is closely related with the principles of hygiene. Thus
14
in order to keep us healthy, we inculcate the habit of cleanliness or hygiene in
us an well as other people in the community. It also educates us for maintaining Health and Health
and developing our physical and mental health. Through health education we Education
can acquire and practice the information of different principles of hygiene in
our daily lives. This definition gives us the general definition of health education
for all. You may be thinking how it should be placed in schools and specially in
primary schools role, as health is everybodys concern.
In schools it is seen as a compulsory action oriented programme. It is defined as
a systematic programme for developing the habits, attitudes and knowledge
that will contribute to physical, mental and emotional health. The present meaning
of health education has extended its definition, not only upto providing
information of health and health related illness but also inculcation of healthy
attitudes among the people. Therefore, health education helps others and us in
the society to acquire knowledge and behaviour related to health in order to
maintain ones health and meet emerging health problems successfully in future
life.
Thus the school health programme helps to improve the health of all school
going children and through them the health of the community and the world.
In other words, health education is a process, which prepares an individual to
know and understand how and why details relating to health.
1.5.2 Scope
Health is everybodys concern, our health closely affects our other activities
like economy, prosperity, our relationship with others and so on. Thus, health
education includes:
a) The balanced and nutritive diet and how one should prepare it.
b) The need for fresh air, water, ventilation, light, physical exercise, recreation,
rest and sleep, etc.
c) The habit of cleanliness with regard to body, bodily organs, dress and
dweling place.
d) Knowledge of the structure and functioning of various organs and systems
of the body.
e) Information about common diseases, their causes, symptoms, precautionary
measure and cure.
f) Sanitation of home, school, neighbourhood, community, slums,
overcrowded cities, factory areas, markets, villages, etc.
g) The sewage system, arrangements for fresh water supply, the sanitary
arrangement in the city, health centres and their functioning.
The above points reflects its wide scope and also its inter-linkages with our
personal, school and community life.

1.5.3 Aims and Objectives

Major aims of health education are listed hereunder:
i) to provide information about health and its value as a community assets.
ii) to maintain norms of good health.
iii) to take precautionary and preventive measures against communicable
diseases.
iv) to develop and promote mental and emotional health.
v) to develop a sense of civic responsibility.
15
Health Education The objectives of health education in the context of primary education are:
i) to enable the children to develop an objective point of view of health with
respect to traditional and modern concepts of health,
ii) to enable the children to identify health problems and understand their own
role of health and medical agencies in meeting those problems.
iii) to enable the children to take interest in the latest events related to health,
iv) to enable the children to set an example of desirable health behaviour,
v) to prepare the children to understand the causes of the various types of
pollutions and their means of prevention,
vi) to enable the children to gain adequate knowledge of First-Aid,
vii) to help children to understand the importance of movement education, sports,
games, yogic exercises as well as their linkages with health education
programme,
viii)to inform children with the functioning of various organisations working
for the maintenance of health.

Check Your Progress

Notes: a) Write your answers in the space given below.
b) Compare your answers with those given at the end of the unit.
4. Define health education in your words.

............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
5. List any three aims of health education.

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................

6. List any four objectives of health education.

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................

............................................................................................................
............................................................................................................

16
 Health and Health
1.6 LET US SUM UP Education

Health education is an important and integral component of health promotion

and involves a combination of the following:
l Motivation to adopt health promoting behaviours;
l Helping people to make informed decisions and applies that to make healthy
choices in their lives within their life constraints through correct attitudes
and skills development.
Health education is concerned with the behaviour of people. Therefore, it must
take into account the forces that influence those behaviours and the role of
human behaviour in the prevention of disease. As a profession, it uses educational
processes to stimulate desirable change or to reinforce health practices of
individuals, families, groups, organisations, communities and other social
systems. Its intent is the development of health knowledge, the exploration of
behaviour change options, and the consequence of these changes.

1.7 UNIT-END EXERCISES

1. Select any five primary school children of your area. Interview them on
issues related to healthy habits, skills and attitudes,. Prepare a report based
on their answers.
2. You have to develop a programme outline to organise a school health
programme on pollution for primary school children. Prepare a report
highlighting the aims and objectives, role and involvement of children in
and outside school and possible impact of this programme on childrens
health attitudes.
3. Describe health education and its significance for the children and the
community.

ANSWERS TO CHECK YOUR PROGRESS

1. Physical, Mental, Social and Spiritual.
2. i) and v).
3. Heredity, Mental Attitudes, Environment, Socio-cultural Factors, Personal
Habits, etc.
4. Health education is a part of education focuses on information and other
details regarding health of oneself, ones family and society.
5 and 6. You can write any three aims and four objectives listed in the sub-
section 1.5.3.

17