Page 8 - Health, Population and Environment Education 9

Happy and satisfied Self actualization

Mentally alert Self confident and self controlled
Good appetite and sound sleep

When people are free from mental tension and anxieties, they remain happy. Happiness
increases positive energy in our body which supports to become healthy. When people
have good appetite, the systems and organs can function well. Sound sleep makes our
body relaxed, prevent dizziness, weakness and strengthens the immune system so that
people can overcome diseases. Cooperativeness and friendly behaviour make people
popular and happy. Self discipline makes control over bad activities (smoking, drinking
alcohol, taking drugs, crimes, violence) and mental tensions. Self confidence boosts up self
esteem, reduces fear and anxiety. Self actualization makes us to realize on our mistakes
which supports in reducing mental tension and remain happy and healthy.

b. Introduction to health education

People need to remain healthy. They should make some efforts for becoming healthy. Health
education provides knowledge on various aspects of health and guides in many ways to
take care of our health and body. It is the education on health and health related matters.
According to the society of Public Health, health education can be defined as, “A process
which affects changes in the health practices of people and in the knowledge and attitudes
related to such changes.”

Health education can be defined as an educational process through which individuals
gain knowledge, skills and understanding about health matters in order to modify
superstitious and traditional beliefs on health matter so as to gain quality of life.
Health education is such an educational process which provides us knowledge, ideas and
understanding on maintenance of personal hygiene, sanitation, cleanliness, management
of wastes, need of clean and safe water, importance of balanced diet, control of diseases
and pollution etc. With the knowledge and understanding on all those health matters,
people can bring change in their attitudes and behaviours towards maintaining health.
They can even modify various superstitious beliefs on health matters. Hence, people can
remain healthy and happy with the knowledge, understanding and change in attitudes
as well as behaviours.

c. Importance of health education
We can summarize the importance of health education under following points.

i. Health education helps to develop and practice healthy behaviours and healthy rules.
ii. It provides knowledge and understanding about maintenance of personal hygiene,
cleanliness, sanitation, management of wastes, etc.
iii. It gives ideas about diseases, their causes, symptoms and preventive measures.
iv. It generates awareness on existing ecological health hazards in a place.

8 GREEN Environment Population and Health Education Book-9