Importance of Well-designed Health Communication Activities in Schools - Research Paper Example

Health Promotion/Communication in Schools Health Communication/Promotion Health communication consists of broad strategies to improve the health of the communities and people. It is considered as a technique or technology used to influence a population, individuals, and organizations in order to improve human and environmental health. In schools, health communication introduces a variety of approaches including media advocacy, social marketing, risk communication, informatics, and entertainment education (Yessis &Hoffman, 1999). For Canadians the optimal health can only be achieved when better efforts are made for promoting health and preventing illness by making the nourishment an integral part of these efforts. Most of the population opts for a diet that promotes good health and simultaneously lowers the risk of chronic disease. Therefore, the public and private sectors are involved in extensive level of communication so that they can spread the awareness message about diet and health (Health Canada, 2004). Health & Physical Literacy /Media Health literacy is a separate form of literacy that is becoming more and more vital for economic, social and health development. The optimistic and multiplier effects of general literacy and education on population’s health are well known and researched. Health researchers and health care professionals have long been concerned about the link between education and health (Kickbusch, 2001). In Canada, education and literacy rank as key determinants of health, along with various determinants. In the health report it is stated that the literacy levels, which are mostly related to the level of education, are important predictors of employment, active participation in the community, and health status. Other than this they are also important predictors of the success of any nation (Health Canada, 1999). Learning about health through new information technologies might provide more opportunities that are more interactive and effective. When a person is being educated through net surfing, chat rooms and talking to others that are suffering with the same problem in reality, it increases their level of understanding. Quality of Life and How we Can Effect Change by Starting in Schools Adolescents spend a considerable portion of their lives in school setting. Their ongoing experience in schools not only affects their academic developments but also places a strong role in influencing their social-emotional and physical health development, both positively and negatively (Wells, 2000). In addition to the direct teaching, if the schools provide opportunities to the students to develop relationally, emotionally, and behaviorally, it will provide lasting impact on their lives. Heath development in the schools is an approach that involves a broad spectrum of programs, activities, and services which take place in schools and their surroundings communities. These actions are designed to positively enhance student’s health and improve the environment in which they are living (Klinger.D, 2010). The Quality of Life of Communities and Individuals and How Health Promotion in Schools can Impact Health and Well Being Quality School Health is a comprehensive approach to school health that includes quality health programs, activities curriculum, and interventions that ensure a healthy school environment. It not only involves the participation and collaboration from the students but also from parents, school staff, and community partners. They focus in the health issues that are specific to the needs and concerns of every school community (PHE Canada, 2010). If the schools of Canada will promote basic knowledge of health in their premises the students will learn better as they will apply their knowledge in their everyday life and feel healthier about them; in turn they will develop the foundation for healthy physical, social, and emotional development. Likewise, the students will learn the importance of living a healthy lifestyle and apply this knowledge and skills to develop better attitudes and behavior in their everyday healthy living (PHE Canada, 2010). Health Policy and Equity Equity has been an implied goal of health policy, in many countries and international health organizations for the past many decades. Health equity has also emerged as an important theme in research and advocacy. Equity in health reflects a step towards the reduction of unequal opportunities to be healthily associated with the less privileged social groups, like poor people; disenfranchised racial, religious or ethnic group; rural residents and women. In Canada, and all over the world, over the last few decades WHO has considered health and health services in the social, cultural, and economic context. It is also noted that the social values and political processes determine the allocation of resources for health. This fact makes is unlikely that equity will be achieved without any political interest, which gives rise to inequalities in the distribution of health determinants (WHO, 2005). The Social Determinants of Health The scope of health promotion is determined as much by expecting health outcomes as by methods and forms. Its purpose is to enable people to gain greater control over the determinants of their health. Likewise, the health promotion is defined as any combination of educational and environmental supports for conditions and actions of living a healthy life (Daniel & Green, 2010). In Canada, the primary factor that shapes the health of the citizens, their medical treatments or lifestyles, is their living conditions that control the determinants of health (Raphael & Mikkonen, 2010). In other cases when the determinants are ones over which individuals have personal control, this control ideally resides with the individuals. However, there are also some complex issues that affect the health of others, such as drunk driving or public smoking. In such cases the control must be taken through collective decisions and actions by the authorities (Daniel & Green, 2010). Improving the health of Canadians requires thinking about the health and its determinants in a more sophisticated manner than it has been done so far. Health Disparities Mostly people that bear greatest health burdens have the least access to information, technologies, healthcare, communication, and supporting social services. For this reason, even the most carefully designed health communication programs will have limited impact if the communities do not have access to vital health services, professionals, and communication channels that are part of the health development projects (Healthy People 2010, 2010). The key areas of health disparities in Canada are “income” lower SES associated with reduced life expectancy in both the genders. Low birth weight is another reason as girls do not want to eat in their pregnancy in the fear of gaining more weight. As a result, there is higher infant mortality in Canada. Other than this, there is increased incidence of infectious injury and suicide. The second reason for health disparity is “aboriginal status”; aboriginal people have shorter life span. They experience higher rates of death from accident, injury, chronic disease, and infectious disease. Other than this, “geographical location” becomes another problem as it becomes difficult to reach the extreme north of the country. And the last reason is “gender”. Though in Canada women live longer, but as compared to men they suffer more from chronic diseases. As for men, income related gaps are larger for them (Public Health Agency for Canada, 2006). Conclusion Health is a societal system that has become increasingly complex in all components, and requires a wide range of knowledge to respond adequately in times of illness. Health literacy involves the ability to read, comprehend, and act on health care information. Such abilities will equip them to read consent forms, medicine labels and inserts, and other written health care information. Other than this they, not only, understand the written and oral information given by the health care providers but also act upon the necessary procedures and directions such as medication and appointment schedules. Thus, increasing the health literacy among the students is a step in promoting their health care behaviors. Other than this, great emphasis is placed on the nutrition in health promotion and prevention in education. Therefore, the schools in Canada are providing knowledge to develop provincial, territorial, and local nutrition policies in schools. They are teaching skills that are required to engage in heath promotion activities. They are also encouraging the students to actively participate in networking, communication, and community outreach activities that foster health promotion exercise and policy development (School of Public Health, 2010). Therefore, a well designed health communication activities in schools can help the individuals to have a better understanding of their own and their communities’ needs so that they can take appropriate actions to maximize healthy lifestyle in the country. Reference Daniel, M. & Green, W. L. 2010. Health Promotion and Education Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.enotes.com/public-health-encyclopedia/health-promotion-education Health Canada, 2004. Food and Nutrition. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/fn-an/nutrition/pol/action_healthy_eating-action_saine_alimentation-01-eng.php Health Canada ,1999. Toward a Healthy Future: Second Report on the Health of Canadians. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/phdd/report/text_versions/english/index.html. Healthy People 2010. Health Communication. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.healthypeople.gov/document/html/volume1/11healthcom.htm Kickbusch, I. 2001. Health Promotion International. Volume16 (3). Pp 289-297. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://heapro.oxfordjournals.org/content/16/3/289.full Expand+ Klinger, 2010. School differences in adolescent health and wellbeing: Findings from the Canadian Health Behaviour in School-aged Children Study. Pp 850-858 Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.schoolhealthlearning.net/uploads/1/3/8/0/1380517/saab_ssmpaper.pdf School of Public Health, 2010. Centre for Health Promotion Studies. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.publichealth.ualberta.ca/centres_departments/chps.aspx PHE Canada, 2010. Quality School Health. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.phecanada.ca/programs/quality-school-health Public Health Agency of Canada, 2006. Addressing Health Disparities in Canada through Intersectional Action on the Social Determinants of Health. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.who.int/social_determinants/presentations/canada.pdf Raphael, D. & Mikkonen, J. 2010. Social Determinants of Health: The Canadian Facts. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.who.int/pmnch/topics/health_systems/201005_mikkonen_raphael/en/index.html Wells, J. (2000). Promoting emotional well-being in schools. In A. Buchanan, & B. Hudson (Eds.), Promoting children’s emotional well-being (pp. 161–192). London: Oxford University Press. WHO, 2005.Priorities for Research to take forward the Health Equity Policy Agenda. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.who.int/bulletin/volumes/83/12/948.pdf Yessis. J & Hoffman-Goetz. L, 1999. Communication courses in Canada Graduate Programs in Health Promotion. Accessed on 13 December 2010. From http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1P3-42963773.html Read More