This type of information  aims to prevent disease, prepare for emergencies, reduce health disparities and promote overall wellness for individuals and communities. Health-related service providers at the local, state, national and international levels are trained to not only act proactively but to respond to life-threatening emergencies like natural disasters, biological warfare attacks and infectious disease outbreaks.

Reducing health disparities is a significant challenge that public health professionals face, but there are countless opportunities to remedy this issue. This all comes to life through the power of health sciences and distributing information to diverse populations.

Why Public Health Education is Important

Because public health involves the wellness of communities, it’s important for public health professionals to understand trends in disease prevalence and mortality rates within a defined population.

Public health education is an essential component in ensuring that a community has the resources needed to promote healthy lifestyles. Health departments play a major role in distributing this information, but health educators are the ultimate advocates for public health. Community members are better able to take precautions after receiving current and accurate information about public health issues like infectious disease outbreaks or risk factors for developing chronic conditions.

Public health professionals have a profound opportunity to provide tremendous support to the medical system. Clinical health and public health relate to one another, but they are different. The public health system provides epidemiological reports, disease tracking, health data visualizations and public outreach to lessen the number of people who become sick or injured, in turn lowering the ultimate number of hospital or medical clinic patients. 

How Public Health Education is Distributed

Information distribution is a primary goal for public health education. Health promotion that uses education enables people to make informed decisions regarding their health and quality of life. Tailoring educational resources to reach diverse communities and accounting for health equity can help to keep more people healthy and break down disparities. 

Many different organizations and public health professionals share health information. Doctors and nurses provide health education, and government organizations like the provide national information through initiatives and programs.

Educational institutions, nonprofit organizations and public health educators are also great sources for public health information. Public health educators, specifically, specialize in certain areas to provide more niche education.

Public health information is shared via conferences, courses and public service announcements.  Some topics include:

• Injury and violence prevention 
• Mental and behavioral health promotion
• Exercise and obesity prevention
• Chronic disease awareness and prevention
• Tobacco use and substance abuse prevention
• Maternal and infant health promotion
• Infectious disease prevention

How Public Health Education is Researched

Research plays a major role in public health education because it identifies the most recent findings and proven solutions to health problems. This allows public health professionals to develop and implement evidence-based methodologies that lead to community wellness.

Peer-reviewed research articles provide a solid foundation for strong public trust in the medical and scientific community. This type of research endures a process that checks for quality and validity. A public health educator is more likely to teach about best practices in disease prevention when the methods have been proven and reviewed by other qualified professionals in the medical and scientific community. Public health education must be backed by legitimate research findings to protect the health and safety of its consumers.

How to Get Started in Public Health

A career in public health education can look a few different ways. Just like with most fields, it’s important to grow specialized skills and education. Public health professionals can work in a variety of specialties including community health, epidemiology, environmental health, global health, behavioral science, public policy and more. Entry-level roles like community health workers and medical records specialists can often start their careers with a high-school diploma and on-the-job training. Health education credentialing is also a great place to start and even keep your skills fresh throughout your career. Many public health professionals earn these credentials through the .

Other roles like health educators, social and community service managers, environmental scientists and nutritionists need at least a bachelor’s degree in a health education program or public health education program. A public health education degree is the best approach to succeeding in this field because you’ll have the knowledge and skills you need to promote healthy living. Continuing education is usually needed for all occupations.

Below are some roles that require graduate school and the best-aligned corresponding programs offered at ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ (ACE), where you can pursue advanced public health education degrees fully online and on your schedule. 

Beyond the programs listed above, ACE also offers an Ed.S. in Public Education, for those wishing to pursue advanced studies without the dissertation requirement, as well as a micro-credential in public health and health leadership, quick program that hones specific skills.

Resources for Public Health Education

Public health education is richly accessible, especially with resources available across the internet. Below are three great places to start:

Make a difference in public health education with the healthcare programs at ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ.

Today’s world is not too different from Thoreau’s. Rapid technological advancements, social media, virtual reality and artificial intelligence have created a society far removed from nature. It may be time to take a note from Thoreau’s playbook.

How do green spaces lead to improved wellness?

Green spaces – often used to define parks, trails and access to nature in urban areas – include land with natural vegetation that is open to the public. Enjoying green spaces promotes healthier levels of cortisol and decreases the prevalence of preventable disease.

In an , researchers found that individuals who moved to areas with more green space showed marked improvement of mental health even years after the move. The opposite was identified for those moving to areas with less access to green space, and there was a notable decline in their mental health during the first year after the move.

How can you get the most benefit from green spaces?

Accessing green spaces is free therapy. Minor changes in your routine can significantly impact your mental health and well-being. Have your morning coffee outside, take lunch to your local park and use local trails to increase your exposure to green spaces. Such activities also promote socialization. Whether you make it a family affair, meet friends for a walk or just enjoy people watching, getting outdoors can meet your social needs. Even access to artificial green spaces can promote well-being. (I say this as I type with a large tapestry of a forest behind me on my office wall.)

A variety of existing and emerging theories show remarkably positive responses to time in nature and there are still more theories that people are discovering. I encourage you to spend time in nature, whether it’s enjoying a local park or admiring a picture of the ocean. Take your mind away from the stress of the day and focus on being present in the moment with whatever green space you are in. As Thoreau once said, “We can see great dignity and beauty everywhere in the natural world, even in its small and mundane events.�

Make an impact on the wellness of others with ·¬ÇÑÊÓƵ’s nursing and healthcare programs.