Why Is Health Education Important?
Written by:
North Carolina Central University
• Apr 2, 2025
We have all heard that knowledge is power. In terms of health, this can be slightly reframed as knowledge is empowerment. The more an individual understands about their health and the outside influences that could help or harm it, the more empowered they will be to make smart choices that can potentially lead to a lifetime of optimal health.
This is the primary reason why health education is important. Individuals interested in pursuing a career in health education, and potentially earning a Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education, can play a key role in helping communities and their residents become empowered when it comes to their health through knowledge and guidance.
Health Education at a Glance
Health education professionals combine their medical and social science knowledge to promote health and well-being within a community. They take a proactive approach, equipping people with information about fundamental health concepts and healthy habits, in areas that range from the basic, such as personal hygiene, to the specific, such as reproductive health.
Health education professionals have two main goals. They aim to provide people with the information they need to make smart decisions about their health, which can potentially help them maintain their current health and prevent disease. They also strive to address key issues that can prohibit equity within a community.
Health education workers promote healthy behaviors in a number of ways. For example, school-based education programs can help students start to develop habits that can lead to a lifetime of good health. Community programs can focus on a specific topic, like smoking cessation or the link between obesity and heart disease.
Besides promoting healthy habits directly to members of the community, health education professionals work with other public health officials on building community-wide strategies to address current health challenges and improve community health outcomes.
Health Education in Action
In considering why health education is important, it can be helpful to look at specific ways health educators have a positive impact on the health and well-being of a community.
Health Education in Schools
Health educators in the classroom typically provide middle school and high school students with knowledge about their bodies and strategies that can keep them healthy and focused so they can excel in the classroom and beyond.
Specifically, they strive to show adolescents the correlation between unhealthy behaviors like substance use and poor grades and test scores. Their goal is to help students develop healthy habits that they can carry into adulthood.
Health Education in Workplaces
The focus of health education professionals who address workforce-related issues is on helping workers understand the importance of maintaining healthy habits and remaining active when a sizable chunk of their day is spent at work.
They may develop work-related wellness programs that encourage or incentivize healthy behaviors. They may create materials that emphasize proactive behaviors intended to mitigate the chances of health risks. They also may address staying healthy while working through the use of ergonomic workstations and encouraging workers to take breaks.
Health Education in Health Care Settings
When patients know how to take care of themselves outside of a clinical setting they often require fewer visits with providers, which can lead to cost savings for the patients and a lighter patient load for professionals. Health education professionals in health care settings provide useful resources to patients to help them understand their health issues and how best to care for themselves and manage their illnesses. Because health care procedures and practices are constantly evolving due to technical innovations and changes in legal requirements, some health care facilities bring in a health care consultant to help them streamline their processes and incorporate more opportunities for health education workers to provide assistance to patients.
Challenges to Health Education
It is important for those in health education roles to recognize the potential roadblocks to providing health information to others so they can develop strategies to mitigate their effect.
Lack of Access in Rural Areas
People living in rural areas often do not have access to the same level of health resources as those living in cities and suburbs. There are several social determinants that typically affect this lack of access, including the following:
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High rates of poverty
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Limited reliable transportation options
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Disparities in education and language comprehension
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Low health literacy levels
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Cultural and social norms pertaining to common health behaviors
Understanding these discrepancies within rural communities can allow health educators to create strategies that will allow them to meet people living in these areas at their level, and to make information as accessible to them as possible.
Health Misinformation and Disinformation
When false and misleading health information spreads through a community, it can have dangerous, if not deadly, consequences. The increasing use of social media channels as a source of health information has exacerbated this problem in recent years. Health education professionals need to be aware of the types of misinformation that are being spread in their community. This can allow them to build effective educational strategies to not only dispel the false information but also mitigate the potential damage it may cause.
Become a Force for Good Health
Why is health education important? It isn’t just because it can help people make better choices about their health. It also can help bring about health equity and break down barriers that are preventing certain populations from achieving good health outcomes. This means health education professionals have the unique opportunity to make a significant impact on populations as a whole.
North Carolina Central University Online’s Bachelor of Science in Public Health Education program can get you ready to make a noticeable impact on society. Our immersive online program can help you develop the foundational skills needed to address the challenges of public health head-on. Our curriculum is designed to help you prepare to sit for the certified health education specialist (CHES) exam.
Learn how NCCU Online can provide you with the necessary knowledge and skills to thrive as a professional.
Recommended Readings
What Can You Do With a Public Health Degree?
Sources:
Association of American Medical Colleges, Mitigating Health Misinformation Through Medical Education
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, CDC Workplace Health Model
Rural Health Information Hub, Barriers to Health Promotion and Disease Prevention in Rural Areas