Health Educators Working For Wellness
Health educators promote wellness and healthy lifestyles. Covering a wide range of topics, these workers teach individuals and communities about behaviors that encourage healthy living and prevent diseases and other problems. The subjects they cover, and the methods they use, depend on where they work and whom they instruct.
The specific duties of health educators vary by work setting. But whether they work in a hospital, school, business, or other setting, all health educators use similar skills and tools. In general, health educators begin by assessing their audience and planning a program that suits its needs. Then, they implement the program and evaluate its success. In determining the needs of the audience, health educators must also assess appropriate methods for presenting the material. For example, a program targeting the elderly would involve different pacing and cultural references than one aimed at high schoolers.
After assessing audience needs, health educators must decide how to meet those needs. They have a lot of options. They can organize a lecture, demonstration, or health screening or create a video, brochure, or display. Often, health educators create a program that combines several of these elements.
Planning usually requires collaboration with other professionals. To prepare a program on childhood obesity, for example, a health educator might need to consult with pediatricians, exercise physiologists, and nutritionists.
Implementing a plan may first require that health educators secure funding by seeking out and applying for grants, writing a curriculum for a class, or creating written materials for distributing to the public. It might also require that they complete some administrative tasks, such as finding a speaker to present the topic or a venue for the event to be held.
During the program, health educators' roles vary. They might present the topic themselves or serve primarily on the sidelines, introducing the speaker or encouraging audience participation. The next section, "People and places," describes in more detail how health educators' instructional tasks differ, based on where they work and the populations they serve.
Usually, after a program is presented, health educators evaluate its success. They focus on evidence-based methods of evaluation, such as tracking the absentee rate of employees or students or creating and using participant surveys. Through evaluation, they can improve the plans for future programs by avoiding problems, learning from mistakes, and capitalizing on strengths.
Full-time health educators generally work a standard 9-to-5 day, 40-hour per week schedule. As programs, events, or meetings require, however, they may need to work in the evenings or on weekends. Health educators held 57,900 jobs in May 2006, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS). They worked primarily in general medical and surgical hospitals, individual and family services, and local and State governments. In addition, a small number of them worked in outpatient care centers. Median annual wages of health educators were $41,330 in May 2006, according to BLS. The highest earning 10 percent made more than $72,500, and the lowest earning 10 percent made less than $24,750.
BLS projects employment of health educators to grow faster than the average for all occupations through 2014. Job growth is driven by the rising costs of healthcare, increased awareness of preventable diseases, the need for early detection of diseases, and an increasing recognition of the need for qualified health educators. People seeking work in this field should have favorable job prospects.
A bachelor's degree is generally the minimum requirement for an entry-level health educator position. However, some employers may prefer to hire people who have a bachelor's degree plus related experience from an internship or volunteer work. A master's degree in health education or a related field is usually required for higher level positions or to work in public health. More than 250 colleges and universities offer undergraduate and graduate programs in health education or a similarly titled area of study.
Associations are also a good source of career information. For general information about health educators, contact:
- American Association for Health Education, 1900 Association Dr. Reston, VA 20191, 9800) 213-7193 (703) 476-3400 www.aahperd.org/aahe
- Society for Public Health Education 750 First St. NE., Suite 910 Washington, DC 20002 (202) 408-9804 www.sophe.org
- National Commission for Health Education Credentialing, Inc., 1541 Alta Dr., Suite 303 Whitehall, PA 18052 ,(888) 624-3248 (484) 223-0770 www.nchec.org
Source: Occupational Outlook Quarterly, Colleen Teixeira, 6/2007
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