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Philosophy

Explore the importance of personal and professional philosophies in the field of health education, and how they may sometimes conflict. Learn about harm reduction as a progressive approach to public health.

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Philosophy

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  1. Philosophy

  2. What is a philosophy? • Statement summarizing the attitudes, principles, beliefs, values, and concepts held by an individual or group. • Individual = philosophy statement • Group = mission statement

  3. Tomasso's Pizza & Subs 1229 West Palmetto Park Road Boca Raton, FL • Mission StatementWe are Committed to using the finest ingredients in our recipes. No food leaves our kitchen that we ourselves would not eat.

  4. Nyack Hospital 160 North Midland Avenue Nyack, NY 10960 • Slogan / MottoExceptional skill. Extraordinary care. • Mission StatementThe mission of Nyack Hospital is to provide competent, innovative, and accessible emergency and acute care services for the residents of Rockland County. We are caring people operating an extraordinary community hospital. Vision. In its second century of service, Nyack Hospital and New York-Presbyterian Healthcare System will set the pace for sophisticated care in Rockland County. Getting better means all of us will be responsible for taking great care of our patients, each other, and our hospital.

  5. Mission Statements “Western Oregon University is a comprehensive university that creates personalized learning opportunities, supports the advancement of knowledge for the public good and maximizes individual and professional development. Our environment is open to the exchange of ideas, where discovery, creativity and critical thinking flourish, and students succeed.”

  6. SOPHE (Society of Public Health Educators) • “… to provide leadership to the profession of public health education and to contribute to the health of all people and the elimination of disparities through advances in health education theory and research, excellence in professional preparation and practice, and advocacy for public policies conducive to health.”

  7. What is your philosophy? • Complete the following: • I believe education … • I believe schools … • I believe educators … • I believe communities … • I believe governments … • Do you have a particular life philosophy?

  8. Philosophy • The way in which you consistently act toward other people is often a reflection of your philosophy concerning the importance of people in general. • The profession of Health Education is considered a helping profession. • Those who work in the profession should value helping others.

  9. Developing a philosophy • Education or study • Life experience • Guidance from mentors and role models • Lessons from friends and relatives

  10. Personal versus Professional • Ideal = one’s personal philosophy and professional philosophy were perfectly matched and consistent. • What happens if one’s personal and professional philosophies don’t match up? • Are health educators ever called upon to act in ways that may not be congruent with their personal belief systems?

  11. Professional Philosophy and Health Education • Health educators’ primary concern is to protect and enhance the health of those within their jurisdiction. • “Health is not a moral issue.” • Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop

  12. Potential Challenges • Sexuality Education • Abortion • Harm Reduction Methods • Others?

  13. Harm Reduction • Harm reduction is a philosophy of public health intended to be a progressive alternative to the prohibition of certain potentially dangerous lifestyle choices in society. • The central idea of harm reduction is the recognition that some people always have and always will engage in behaviors which carry risks, such as causal sex, prostitution, and drug use. • The main objective of harm reduction is to mitigate the potential dangers and health risks associated with the risky behaviors themselves.

  14. Needle exchange is one of the most effective AIDS prevention programs currently available for injection drug users who are not in treatment. Without a vaccine or a cure, prevention is the only tool we have to control the spread of HIV. Public Health runs a needle exchange program for four basic reasons: • Needle exchange reduces blood-borne diseases in our communities without increasing drug use. Studies have shown decreases in both the number of persons who become infected with HIV and the number of people who get hepatitis in communities that have needle exchange programs. • Preventing HIV infection in injection drug users also prevents HIV in women and newborn children. Many women are at risk for HIV because of their own injection drug use or because they are sexual partners of injection drug users. • By working with injection drug users, we can help them get into drug treatment. • Finally, Public Health safely disposes of all contaminated syringes turned in to the exchange. This reduces the number of discarded syringes on our sidewalks and in our bus stops, yards, parks and play grounds. Our goal is to get used syringes out of circulation as quickly as possible. The longer a syringe remains in circulation, the more opportunities there are for that syringe to pass on a blood-borne disease.

  15. Philosophy of Symmetry • Health has physical, emotional, spiritual, and social components and each is as important as the other. • Health educators should seek to encourage a balance (symmetry) among those components when working with all people. • Holistic perspective, humanism, wellness.

  16. Case Study • Ann is a normal weight, 40 year-old mother of two. She smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, does not exercise regularly, and has a family history of heart disease. • Ann is enrolled in a required health education course at the local university. She is returning to school to become an elementary education teacher. • As part of the health course, Ann is required to complete a health risk appraisal and review her assessment with you.. The health educator.

  17. Predominate Health Education Philosophies • Behavior Change Philosophy: • Focuses on modifying unhealthy habits • Examples: Behavioral contracts, goal setting, self-monitoring. • Cognitive-Based Philosophy: • Focus on content and information, increase in knowledge to help in making decisions.

  18. More Philosophies • Decision-making philosophy: • Simulated problems, case studies, scenarios, create and analyze potential solutions, critical thinking skills developed. • Freeing/Functioning Philosophy: • Goal is to free people to make the best health decisions based on their needs and interests, not necessarily on the interests of society.

  19. Philosophies continued • Social Change Philosophy: • Emphasizes the role of health education in creating social, economic, and political change that benefit all. • Eclectic Health Education Philosophy: • Situational approach

  20. Thoughts on Helping Professions • Salaries and advancement • Scheduling, hours worked per week • Mental, emotional impact of work • Work settings

  21. Stress and Burnout • Stress • Characterized by overengagement • Emotions are overactive • Produces urgency and hyperactivity • Loss of energy • Leads to anxiety disorders • Primary damage is physical • Burnout • Characterized by disengagement • Emotions are blunted • Produces helplessness & hopelessness • Loss of motivation, ideals, hope • Leads to detachment & depression • Primary damage is emotional

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