Spiritual_Wellness_Holistic_Health_and_the_Practic

Guiding Principles on Health Education 31
do so. It wasn ’ t long, however, until I inherited or was asked to develop a number of
topic - specific health courses. Overnight, I had become a subject matter specialist in
human sexuality, substance abuse, consumer health, and more recently, thanatology.
Despite my tendency to overwhelm some students with subject matter, I still try to
function as an “ educational bridge ” between fact and fancy, between concept and misconception,
and between research and its application (Beyrer, 1985).
While I serve as a catalyst in decision making and clarification of ethical issues,
I sometimes feel as if I am mainly a consultant on health - related matters. In fact, some
of my best class sessions are spent in answering or commenting on a myriad of students
’ questions, not unlike Larry King ’ s Open Phone America or Rush Limbaugh ’s
Open Line Friday . On such occasions, I make pertinent applications, indicate connections
between topics and between personal behaviors and potential consequences of
actions, analyze facts and theories, and build concepts.
One of my colleagues, Dr. Wayne A. Payne of Ball State University, believes that
some health educators assume the role of “ secular minister. ” I think such a label often
describes my major function in the classroom. It certainly beats the criticism of my
harshest detractors who describe me as a benevolent “ social engineer. ” In a sense,
I nurture hope and resolve guilt. I disturb and shake people out of complacency; I raise
consciousness and express outrage; I display concern and then raise more questions in
genuine puzzlement. I have even cautioned students that those under the influence of
alcohol and other drugs may engage in high - risk sexual behavior that could, in turn,
result in death, especially if the HIV virus is transmitted and the infected person
develops the Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndrome. In other words, sex “ under the
influence ” can be deadly! Amen!
And now I should like to share with you four of the guiding principles that have
helped me tremendously as I try to influence favorably the health - related knowledge,
attitudes, and behaviors of college students during the last decade of the twentieth
century.
EMPOWERMENT
Recently, I have become intrigued with the concept of personal empowerment in relation
to health education. In my attempt to become more skill - oriented in my teaching
objectives and to become more of an enabler for my students, I have begun to emphasize
behaviors that can enhance health and to deemphasize factual trivia that
serve mainly as convenient bases for test questions. Although this skill focus is not
a new goal of health education, the concept of empowerment is revitalizing, more
consciousness - raising, and much more socially focused than the traditional educational
approaches that stress individualism and actions that may eventually trickle
down to preordained behavior change and lifestyle program (Fahlberg, Poulin,
Girdano, & Dusek, 1991).
Although ideally developed for community health advocacy, as noted by Miner and
Ward (1992), I can see the potential of empowerment as another means of “interpersonal”