To be successful in their jobs, public health educators need to have a few qualities. By educating people on how to incorporate healthy living into their lives, healthcare and social service providers are continually looking for ways to reduce healthcare costs while improving the quality of care. These are only a few of the tasks that a public health educator must perform. Public health educators are skilled experts who gather and analyse data on health issues affecting various populations and offer educational programmes to assist in educating the public on how to live as healthily as possible. Here are some qualities of a successful public health educator, in addition to training and experience.
1: Education
Education in public health professionals must be well-versed in the subject matter. The public health educator must be credible and have the ability to communicate data, statistics, and information to the general public in order to convince people that better healthcare and healthier lifestyles are necessary. To work as a public health educator, you must have at least a bachelor’s degree in health promotion or health education. The training program’s internships give the student the opportunity to gain practical experience while assisting seasoned public health educators.
2: Excellent Communication Skills
Any leadership position requires effective communication, but public health educators require it the most. They devote a significant portion of their days to educating the public about healthcare, illnesses, cures, and healthy living in general. The public health educator must be able to speak openly with individuals or groups of people in addition to having good listening skills.
3: Knowledge of Health Sciences
Unfortunately, even though they may have graduated at the top of their class, some public health educators know very little about health science. Health science is the study, research, and application of health to assist individuals in achieving better health and functioning. To effectively communicate health science to the public, public health educators must have a solid grasp of how it operates. The effective public health educator will convey important health information to a group of people without passing judgement.
4: Cultural Competency
Not only must a public health educator be culturally competent, but they must also have a solid grasp of the various cultures. Each culture has a unique perspective on healthcare and how much better healthcare is needed. Because they are unaware of any other options, they might assume they are receiving the best medical care or are leading a healthy lifestyle. The public health educator must be able to recognise cultural variations and choose the most effective means of informing and maintaining their cultural counterparts’ awareness of health issues.
5: Understanding of Health Issues and Ability
to Access Healthcare
In the community, the public health educator meets with a wide range of people. Others may be socially disadvantaged populations, while some may be people from different cultures. Public health educators should be familiar with each of these populations because they travel to all of them. They need to be aware of the reasons why certain regions have more health problems than others. They must also be aware that not all populations can get access to healthcare in the same way. The public health educator must have a thorough understanding of each population, including their needs and perceptions of quality healthcare, in order to be effective with them.
Public health educators will remain in demand as professionals look for new ways to enhance healthcare and raise awareness of the need for healthier lifestyles. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, health educators and community health workers should experience a 16 percent increase in employment over the ten-year period from 2016 to 2026. (BLS). The candidate can anticipate a fulfilling and successful career by displaying the qualities needed to be a successful public health educator.
