#1249
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 08:40:23 -0600
From: Kaleif J Palmer <kp_palm@LYCOS.COM>
Subject: remove me
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
>**
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 18:21:44 -0500
>From: nfb <nfb@GWU.EDU>
>Subject: CHHCS News Alerts: Trial Shows Vaccine May Prevent HPV Infection/FDA
> Approves New Rapid Test for HIV Antibody
>
>**
>** Leading into the Future-AAHE
>** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
>**
>
>CHHCS News Alerts 11/25/02
>
>Trial Shows Vaccine May Prevent HPV Infection:
>A vaccine tested in a clinical trial was 100 percent successful in
>preventing infection with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) in
>sexually active young women. HPV-16 is one of five HPVs that are
>responsible for most cervical cancer.
>
>
>FDA Approves New Rapid Test for HIV Antibody:
>The Food and Drug Administration has approved the OraQuick Rapid HIV-1
>Antibody Test for use by trained personnel as a point-of-care test to
>aid in diagnosis of infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1
>(HIV-1).
>
>
>Web Manager
>The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS)
>
>------------------------------
>
>End of HEDIR-L Digest - 24 Nov 2002 to 25 Nov 2002 (#2002-268)
>**************************************************************
>
_____________________________________________________________
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------------------------------
#1250
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 08:40:59 -0600
From: Kaleif J Palmer <kp_palm@LYCOS.COM>
Subject: remove
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
---
>
On Tue, 26 Nov 2002 00:01:47
Automatic digest processor wrote:
>There is one message totalling 38 lines in this issue.
>
>Topics of the day:
>
> 1. CHHCS News Alerts: Trial Shows Vaccine May Prevent HPV Infection/FDA
> Approves New Rapid Test for HIV Antibody
>
>** Advertise Jobs On The HEDIR
>**
>** Check Your HEDIR Info & Photos
>**
>
>----------------------------------------------------------------------
>
>Date: Mon, 25 Nov 2002 18:21:44 -0500
>From: nfb <nfb@GWU.EDU>
>Subject: CHHCS News Alerts: Trial Shows Vaccine May Prevent HPV Infection/FDA
> Approves New Rapid Test for HIV Antibody
>
>**
>** Leading into the Future-AAHE
>** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
>**
>
>CHHCS News Alerts 11/25/02
>
>Trial Shows Vaccine May Prevent HPV Infection:
>A vaccine tested in a clinical trial was 100 percent successful in
>preventing infection with human papillomavirus type 16 (HPV-16) in
>sexually active young women. HPV-16 is one of five HPVs that are
>responsible for most cervical cancer.
>
>
>FDA Approves New Rapid Test for HIV Antibody:
>The Food and Drug Administration has approved the OraQuick Rapid HIV-1
>Antibody Test for use by trained personnel as a point-of-care test to
>aid in diagnosis of infection with human immunodeficiency virus type 1
>(HIV-1).
>
>
>Web Manager
>The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS)
>
>------------------------------
>
>End of HEDIR-L Digest - 24 Nov 2002 to 25 Nov 2002 (#2002-268)
>**************************************************************
>
_____________________________________________________________
Get 25MB, POP3, Spam Filtering with LYCOS MAIL PLUS for $19.95/year.
------------------------------
#1251
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 09:24:08 -0600
From: Michael Pejsach <healthedman@COX.NET>
Subject: "To Advance We Must Unite!" Should we/Could we
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
** Come on now...do we REALLY need
** more than one organization
** representing Health Educators?
** Well, then, which one? Find out:
**
Found a film on the "herstory" of the making of the American Nurses
Association, "To Advance We Must Unite! History of the American Nurses
Association 1896-1996."
I wonder if we need to do the same, "unite," to advance the health education
profession?
On the other hand we can continue to pay multiple membership fees for AAHE,
SOPHE, ACHA, ASTHPH (sp?), and AWHP, et al, helping to build infrastructure
and layers of administration for the organizations, not necessarily the
protection we need. That doesn't include fees for belonging to
content-oriented groups like ASHA and APHA (School Health, or Public Health
and Health Promotion sections?).
We can choose to belong to our favorite group (AAHE, SOPHE, ACHA, ASTHPH, OR
AWHP), keeping them small, and relatively weak, and hoping that a coalition
of sorts (one where folks come to the table with agendas for the
organization, not necessarily for the profession) markets our profession, or
we can push to merge or create a new singular voice. Unite, or Divide and
conquer? By the way...what has the coalition done for YOU?
We can stay "divided," and allow the rule of divide and conquer dissolve our
profession, or we can unite the existing organizations or start fresh with a
on a coalition that, on occasion, creates wonderful documents and policies,
or we can move in an exponential way necessary to protect our profession!
Divide and conquer, or unite and build? OUR choice. Apathy or action?
------
Possible origins of "divide and conquer:
1. "Divide and govern. Divide a nation into parties, or set your enemies at
loggerheads, and you can have your own way. A maxim of Machiavelli."
2. "divide et impera" -- "divide and rule". The motto of Louis XI of France.
Though this political axiom--conveying that government is more easily
maintained if factions are set against each other and not permitted to unite
against the ruler--is attributed to the Florentine political philosopher
Niccolo Machiavelli (1469-1527), he in fact denounced it.
Sounds a lot like our current coalition structure? What do you think?
------
Michael Pejsach
PS: Imagine a world that has one organization, with an array of sections,
representing health educators. Imagine funding from the HHS/CDC, HRSA and
others, going to one source (like the ANA). Imagine that, together with
certification organization, the profession would be clearly defined --we
wouldn't have to wait for government to define us and count our numbers...we
would know! Imagine going in for a job interview and you are competing with
others who are trained and professionally prepared as health educators, not
nurses or social workers....WOW!
What's stopping us? I don't know. Could it be: Health Education academic
programs that don't have the number of health educators needed to train
health educators (imagine nurses being trained by anthropologists and social
workers, or physicians trained by nurses and social workers?), and this
threatens them?; folks in power in upper levels of health education
organization, fearing a loss of power or number of board positions (looks
good on the resume) available if there is a merging of organizations?
Michael Pejsach, Ed.D., CHES
Life&Health Enhancement Services
5101 W. Esplanade, #10
Metairie, LA 70006
Voice: (504) 779-KICK
Voice/fax: (504) 885-4254
**
** Come on now...do we REALLY need
** more than one organization
** representing Health Educators?
** Well, then, which one? Find out:
**
**
** Review/Learn about PRECEDE/PROCEED @
**
------------------------------
#1252
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 11:22:12 -0500
From: Susan Massad <smassad@FRC.MASS.EDU>
Subject: Bowling For Columbine
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
HEDIR folks:
I know that this topic was already posted by another HEDIR colleague about
3-4 weeks back, but I really wanted to reiterate the message. Last weekend
I finally got to see the movie Bowling for Columbine, not just because I am
a big fan of Michael Moore, but because I thought that "Tough Guise" (Media
Education Foundation) was one of the best documentaries I had ever seen, and
was curious if this film had a similar message. This film really got at the
whole culture of violence and lax handgun laws in the US. Definitely this
would be a good topic for discussion and debate in any health courses that
include social issues. SO, I highly recommend this one. Happy Thanksgiving
and a happy safe holiday to you all.
Peace,
Susan Massad
Framingham State College
------------------------------
#1253
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 10:54:05 -0800
From: Kinnie Douglas <kinnied@YAHOO.COM>
Subject: health ed terminology
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Fellow HEDIRs
Is there a 2000 Report from the Joint Committee on Health Education
Terminology? I know an update from the 1990 report was being worked on. Is
it complete?
I'd appreciate any information, web links, etc. any of might have.
Kinnie Douglas, MPH, CHES
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------------------------------
#1254
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 15:31:05 -0500
From: Susan Wooley <swooley@ASHAWEB.ORG>
Subject: Re: health ed terminology
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
The 2000 Health Education Terminology was published in the Journal of
Health Education, Vol. 32, No. 2 (March/April 2001)
and in the Journal of School Health, Volume 72, No. 1 (January 2002)
Susan Wooley
American School Health Association
7263 State Route 43, P. O. Box 708
Kent, OH 44240 USA
330-678-1601; FAX 330-678-4526
swooley@ashaweb.org
-----Original Message-----
From: Kinnie Douglas [SMTP:kinnied@YAHOO.COM]
Sent: Tuesday, November 26, 2002 1:54 PM
To: HEDIR-L@SIU.EDU
Subject: health ed terminology
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Fellow HEDIRs
Is there a 2000 Report from the Joint Committee on Health Education
Terminology? I know an update from the 1990 report was being worked on.
Is it complete?
I'd appreciate any information, web links, etc. any of might have.
Kinnie Douglas, MPH, CHES
---------------------------------
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** Advertise Jobs On The HEDIR
**
** Check Your HEDIR Info & Photos
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------------------------------
#1255
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 17:20:13 -0500
From: Michael Pejsach <healthedman@COX.NET>
Subject: Responses to: "To Advance We Must Unite!" Should we/Could we?
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
As of this time, here's what the POLL shows (@
http://
healthbehavior.com/AHEApoll.shtml):
1. "Do you believe that Health Educators need a single
organization versus 3 or 4?" (n=197)
76.5% answered "Yes," (three "Yes" choices combined)
17.26% Answered "No."
6.60% Answered "Not Sure"
2. "Which Health Education Organization membership would you
give up?"
AAHE: 31.62%
None: 23.53%
SOPHE: 21.32%
APHA: 10.29%
ACHA: 4.41%
Other: 4.41%
ASHA: 4.41%
Total Votes: 136
3. I believe that AHEA should be the singular voice for the
profession?
Strongly Agree: 46.51%
Agree: 24.03%
Strongly Disagree: 13.18%
Neither Agree nor Disagree: 10.85%
Disagree: 5.43%
Total Votes: 129
ALSO: 51 folks from 24 states have applied for membership. Could
be that they "joined" as there is no cost or benefits of AHEA at this
time.....not yet. If you are interested, PLEASE join: go to
http://
healthbehavior.com/AHEA.shtml and click on "Join AHEA Now."
When and if we become a 501(c)3 organization you will have a
chance of deciding whether or not you want to become a dues-
paying member. The numbers we get can help us convince
funding sources to help us with start-up moneys.
I am using "WebMail" from a remote location, so please accept my
apologies for the previous empty post (I hit return) and any spelling
errors.
Thank you and have a Happy Thanksgiving,
Michael
PS: The Hall of Fame NEEDS YOU! PLEASE MAKE THIS A
SUCCESS. This is an important part of getting health education
outside into the PUBLIC EYE (in other words it's not another
professional association award, it's YOUR award!!!!!): Nominate a
health education professional you belive should go into the Health
Education Hall of Fame for the Year 2003. Go to
http://
healthbehavior.com/halloffame.shtml
----------------------
Michael Pejsach, Ed.D., CHES
Life&Health Enhancement Services
5101 W. Esplanade, #10
Metairie, LA 70006
Voice: (504) 779-KICK
Voice/fax: (504) 885-4254
**
** Come on now...do we REALLY need
** more than one organization
** representing Health Educators?
** Well, then, which one? Find out:
**
**
** Review/Learn about PRECEDE/PROCEED @
**
------------------------------
#1256
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 17:29:13 -0500
From: Susan Wooley <swooley@ASHAWEB.ORG>
Subject: Announcing Health in Action -- A New Publication
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
The American School Health Association is pleased to
announce the launch of its newest publication . . . . . .
Health in Action
Each 20-24 page issue will cover a single topic within the
context of the school environment. During the 2002-2003
school year, topics will cover the chronic health conditions
of diabetes and depression, as well as two topics that place
all students at risk, namely HIV infection and violence prevention.
In each of the 4 issues per year, subscribers will receive:
- Current knowledge on a critical health topic that is relevant
for what occurs at school and at school-sponsored events
- Ideas for lesson plans
- Ideas for how various members of the school community
(teachers, nurses, counselors, administrators, food services personnel,
coaches, parents, students, etc.) can contribute to improved health outcomes
- Lists of additional resources on each topic
To view or download a sample mini-edition on diabetes or to become
a charter subscriber, just go to the Health in Action site
Depression and Other Mood Disorders is in the mail to subscribers now.
We welcome your thoughts and comments about our newest publication.
For more information about the American School Health Association,
or send an e-mail to asha@ashaweb.org.
------------------------------
#1257
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 16:22:40 -0500
From: Susan Villari <villari@POBOX.UPENN.EDU>
Subject: Human Sex books
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Colleagues:
I have been asked to revamp Penn's Human Sexuality course currently offered
through our School of Nursing (500 level course.) For the past two years,
we have used the text Sexual Interactions: Basic Understandings by
Allgeier(s) but I would like to explore other text possibilities.
Could folks recommend other textbooks they have used in teaching a
foundations course in human sexuality- in particular, textbooks appropriate
for students at the undergraduate and graduate level.
Thanks very much for your help,
Susan Villari
Susan Villari, MPH
Director, Health Education
University of Pennsylvania
3609-11 Locust Walk
Philadelphia, PA 19104-6222
215-573-3525
215-573-7944(fax)
villari@pobox.upenn.edu
Co-editor of Just Sex: Students Rewrite the Rules on Sex, Violence,
Equality and Activism
------------------------------
#1258
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 18:01:33 -0500
From: nfb <nfb@GWU.EDU>
Subject: CHHCS News Alert: Clinical Trial Tests Herpes Vaccine for Women
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
CHHCS News Alert 11/26/02
Clinical Trial Tests Herpes Vaccine for Women:
A clinical trial to test whether an experimental vaccine will prevent
genital herpes in women began enrolling volunteers last week. Some 7,550
women who are free of two common types of herpes simplex viruses-HSV-1
and HSV-2-will participate in the trial at 16 sites in the United
States.
Web Manager
The Center for Health and Health Care in Schools (CHHCS)
------------------------------
#1259
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 17:01:25 -0600
From: "Romas, John A." <john.romas@MNSU.EDU>
Subject: Underage Consumption
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Greeting HEDIR Folks,
We are at Minnesota State University, Mankato. We are curious about the
following information regarding underage consumption on college campuses:
1. Are there programs for 1st time offenders on your campus?
2. How does your institution hand this issue (i.e. education, legal,
financial, etc).
We look forward to your replies to either <canda.corcoran@mnsu.edu> or <john.romas@mnsu.edu?
Many thanks,
JR
- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -
John A. Romas, MPH, PhD
Professor and Director
Community Health Internship
Department of Health Science
MINNESOTA STATE UNIVERSITY
213 Highland Center North
Mankato, MN 56001
Telephone (507) 389-5934
Fax (507) 389-2958
Email: john.romas@mnsu.edu
------------------------------
#1260
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 17:03:24 -0500
From: Michael Pejsach <healthedman@COX.NET>
Subject: <No subject given>
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
------------------------------
#1261
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 20:27:28 -0500
From: Michael Pejsach <healthedman@COX.NET>
Subject: Re: Solutions to multiple organizations?
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Dr. McElroy,
No need to apologize.
Let me ask you this: Do we have a single voice?
When a TV producer friend of mine was looking for a specialist for
the CSI TV series (CBS), she went to the singular voice for the
medical profession, the AMA. Where would she go to find a
consultant for a health education-related situation comedy ? To the
coalition? To AAHE? Why AAHE, why not SOPHE. (By the way,
she went to the AMA again. She forgot to call me, albeit where
would I send her?)
No one is proposing “another” organization, just one that merges
the three or four out there, those with similar visions and missions
(shouldn’t all of their visions be identical: to enhance the health
education profession?), so that we have a large, and potentially
powerful voice, instead of a “divided (and conquered?) voice.”
Now here’s the skinny of it all: AAHE and SOPHE and a couple of
other groups can merge and get on with our need for turf
protection and marketing, or AHEA moves to the forefront to get
that job done. Then, yes, we would have another organization
doing the business of protecting the profession, educating the
world about the profession, etc. I'll bet, though, that as AHEA
succeeds as a singular voice, other memberships would drop (see
Poll data).
Who can afford memberships in all of these organizations?
Another organization? Well, I believe, and may be wrong, that
"what we have here is a failure" on the part of our professional
organizations to promote, market, sell, and protect our turf with the
same voracity and energy that the ANA and AMA have
demonstrated over the years. Why can't we have the same thing?
Are numbers the issue (why we shouldn't compare ourselves with
docs and nurses)....do you think it will get better if we have 2,000
health educators in one camp, another 2,000 in another, and
another 2,000....etc? Are our total numbers the issue (compared to
docs and nurses). Perhaps, but probably because so many of our
colleagues are not classified as health educators, as there is no
classification for, "uh...what did you call yourself, a PE teacher?"
How many health educators have you trained who are now in jobs
called "epidemiologists," (God I hope I spelled that right), or
"consultant of something?"
What do YOU want? Do you feel that there IS a need for turf
protection, and marketing of health education and health
educators, or is everything alright in your neck of the woods. Are
health educators hired as health educators; nurses and social
workers who are not trained as health educators are not hired nor
do they call themselves health educators; health educators are
reimbursed (so you don’t “have to” hire nurses); and, health
educators are acknowledged team members in health care, etc?
What’s going on out there in the field? Do you know? I’m not
certain health educators are getting the respect, the jobs, the pay
we deserve.
I can tell you that here in Louisiana, untrained social workers and
nurses are hired as “health educators.” Now that might not be a
problem because they are nice people, and pretty competent....but
look at our health status data. Wouldn’t a team with qualified
members, ALONG with social workers and nurses doing their
thing, have a better impact on health behaviors, and thus (in the
long run) health status here in Louisiana? Don’t we need
individuals working on health care teams and public health
department teams who are professionally prepared to apply
psycho-social beahvioral theory to the serious health behavior
related issues we face? Maybe it's because we (our professiona
lorganizations) haven't publicized the fact that some administrators
are hiring folks, in the name of reimbursement, who don't know
how to really affect voluntary behavior change, continue to design
info-driven pamphlets, and do lectures three times a week.
I think a big part of “where we will be” as prevention grows, is how
our professional organization takes charge, protects our turf, and
markets our skills. The nurses do it! Our profession needs a single
voice to get in the face of ignorance, one that educates (markets?)
to make change happen.
Why doesn’t the coalition of health education organizations (how
many are represented, 10 now?) set as their goal the merging of
organizations into a single voice to enhance our profession?
I'm bascially a lazy sort of fellow and would rather have them do it.
Unfortunately, I'm in love and love makes me do crazy things.
I love my profession and figure that whatever I do will make it
better. We need to change from board driven organizations to
practitioner driven organizations. We need to change "2,000
members here, and 2,000 members there" frame of reference to
one of unity and singularity. It's important. I also believe that,
"when spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion" (Ehtiopian
Proverb).
Happy Thanksgiving. Best wishes to you and yours, I am,
Sincerely,
Michael
"If I am not for myself, who will be? But if I am only for myself, who
am I?" -Jewish Proverb."
Michael Pejsach, Ed.D., CHES
Life&Health Enhancement Services
5101 W. Esplanade, #10
Metairie, LA 70006
Voice: (504) 779-KICK
Voice/fax: (504) 885-4254
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sender immediately and delete the message. Thank you.
**
** Come on now...do we REALLY need
** more than one organization
** representing Health Educators?
** Well, then, which one? Find out:
**
**
** Review/Learn about PRECEDE/PROCEED @
**
------------------------------
#1262
Date: Tue, 26 Nov 2002 21:29:01 -0600
From: "Kenneth R. McLeroy" <kmcleroy@SRPH.TAMUSHSC.EDU>
Subject: Re: Solutions to multiple organizations?
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Michael:
Thank you for your reply. I had trouble with my original question being
posted on the HEDIR-L, since my e-mail address had changed. For others
on the list, I simply asked:
" I am sorry. But would someone please explain to me how adding another
health education organization is a solution to this problem."
The answer I received below was a restatement of the problem, the need
for a single voice. Moreover, the proposal was for merging existing
organizations into one.
I think organizations emerge for a variety of reasons, including the
desire by some professionals, who may feel left out of existing
organizations, to establish a place for themselves in a new hierarchy. I
must confess that I cannot take seriously the merging of the various
health education organizations into a single one. Moreover, I think that
status, prestige, and power for professions comes from a variety of
sources, not just from having one voice. One source is having
something--knowledge, skills, control over resources--that the
population desires. Perhaps we should focus on strengthening the value
of what we provide, rather than bemoaning the fact that we don't get no
respect.
I actually think that SOPHE in particular has made enormous strides in
recent years in serving as an advocacy organization, as well as in
strengthening the profession. Less this look self-serving, I am not, nor
have I even been, an officer in SOPHE. The closest I have come is
serving on the Heatlh Education and Behavior Editorial Board for 13
years. However, I have served as Chair of the Health Education and
Health Promotion Section of APHA. That said, I value my relationships
with both organizations (APHA and SOPHE), and I can't imagine them
merging.
If health educators are committed to improving the health of the
public, I would encourage them to belong to both organizations.
Regards
-Ken McLeroy
>>> Michael Pejsach <healthedman@COX.NET> 11/26/02 07:27PM >>>
**
** Leading into the Future-AAHE
** Official Sponsor of the HEDIR
**
Dr. McElroy,
No need to apologize.
Let me ask you this: Do we have a single voice?
When a TV producer friend of mine was looking for a specialist for
the CSI TV series (CBS), she went to the singular voice for the
medical profession, the AMA. Where would she go to find a
consultant for a health education-related situation comedy ? To the
coalition? To AAHE? Why AAHE, why not SOPHE. (By the way,
she went to the AMA again. She forgot to call me, albeit where
would I send her?)
No one is proposing "another" organization, just one that merges
the three or four out there, those with similar visions and missions
(shouldn't all of their visions be identical: to enhance the health
education profession?), so that we have a large, and potentially
powerful voice, instead of a "divided (and conquered?) voice."
Now here's the skinny of it all: AAHE and SOPHE and a couple of
other groups can merge and get on with our need for turf
protection and marketing, or AHEA moves to the forefront to get
that job done. Then, yes, we would have another organization
doing the business of protecting the profession, educating the
world about the profession, etc. I'll bet, though, that as AHEA
succeeds as a singular voice, other memberships would drop (see
Poll data).
Who can afford memberships in all of these organizations?
Another organization? Well, I believe, and may be wrong, that
"what we have here is a failure" on the part of our professional
organizations to promote, market, sell, and protect our turf with the
same voracity and energy that the ANA and AMA have
demonstrated over the years. Why can't we have the same thing?
Are numbers the issue (why we shouldn't compare ourselves with
docs and nurses)....do you think it will get better if we have 2,000
health educators in one camp, another 2,000 in another, and
another 2,000....etc? Are our total numbers the issue (compared to
docs and nurses). Perhaps, but probably because so many of our
colleagues are not classified as health educators, as there is no
classification for, "uh...what did you call yourself, a PE teacher?"
How many health educators have you trained who are now in jobs
called "epidemiologists," (God I hope I spelled that right), or
"consultant of something?"
What do YOU want? Do you feel that there IS a need for turf
protection, and marketing of health education and health
educators, or is everything alright in your neck of the woods. Are
health educators hired as health educators; nurses and social
workers who are not trained as health educators are not hired nor
do they call themselves health educators; health educators are
reimbursed (so you don't "have to" hire nurses); and, health
educators are acknowledged team members in health care, etc?
What's going on out there in the field? Do you know? I'm not
certain health educators are getting the respect, the jobs, the pay
we deserve.
I can tell you that here in Louisiana, untrained social workers and
nurses are hired as "health educators." Now that might not be a
problem because they are nice people, and pretty competent....but
look at our health status data. Wouldn't a team with qualified
members, ALONG with social workers and nurses doing their
thing, have a better impact on health behaviors, and thus (in the
long run) health status here in Louisiana? Don't we need
individuals working on health care teams and public health
department teams who are professionally prepared to apply
psycho-social beahvioral theory to the serious health behavior
related issues we face? Maybe it's because we (our professiona
lorganizations) haven't publicized the fact that some administrators
are hiring folks, in the name of reimbursement, who don't know
how to really affect voluntary behavior change, continue to design
info-driven pamphlets, and do lectures three times a week.
I think a big part of "where we will be" as prevention grows, is
how
our professional organization takes charge, protects our turf, and
markets our skills. The nurses do it! Our profession needs a single
voice to get in the face of ignorance, one that educates (markets?)
to make change happen.
Why doesn't the coalition of health education organizations (how
many are represented, 10 now?) set as their goal the merging of
organizations into a single voice to enhance our profession?
I'm bascially a lazy sort of fellow and would rather have them do it.
Unfortunately, I'm in love and love makes me do crazy things.
I love my profession and figure that whatever I do will make it
better. We need to change from board driven organizations to
practitioner driven organizations. We need to change "2,000
members here, and 2,000 members there" frame of reference to
one of unity and singularity. It's important. I also believe that,
"when spider webs unite, they can tie up a lion" (Ehtiopian
Proverb).
Happy Thanksgiving. Best wishes to you and yours, I am,
Sincerely,
Michael
"If I am not for myself, who will be? But if I am only for myself, who
am I?" -Jewish Proverb."
Michael Pejsach, Ed.D., CHES
Life&Health Enhancement Services
5101 W. Esplanade, #10
Metairie, LA 70006
Voice: (504) 779-KICK
Voice/fax: (504) 885-4254
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**
** Come on now...do we REALLY need
** more than one organization
** representing Health Educators?
** Well, then, which one? Find out:
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