A health educator educates the public about the importance and development of healthy behaviors. They also help to implement programs and/or strategies to improve overall health in a community or an individual. They collect information to target the health concerns of individuals, communities, or a specific population to develop programs of wellness and education about available health care services.
How to Become a Health Educator
To become a health educator, you would normally be required to have a bachelor’s degree in health care or health care promotion. Many jobs want a (CHES) certified health education specialist credential. Since a health educator manages and promotes health programs to families, communities, or individuals you should also be comfortable in public speaking.
A health educator would be knowledgable of sociology and anthropology, to include group behavior and dynamics. They would have the ability to speak clearly and listen attentively to others.
Job Description of a Health Educator
A health educator designs and offers training workshops, community or school presentations, or conferences in health education. They organize and distribute educational information or developed materials for wellness initiatives across a state, community, or agencies. They address various health concerns such as vaccines or smoking with educational materials.
A health educator interacts with other health specialists and civic groups to target a communities’ health needs and provide services in order to create and meet health care goals. They develop and conduct diagnostic studies and evaluations to determine the quality and performance of those health education programs.
Article Citations
Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, Health Educators.
National Center for O*NET Development. 21-1091.00. O*NET OnLine.
