Planning the Health Education Program

PLANNING THE HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAM Name: Name of Institution: Date: Health education programs are specifically designed to help people access health care services and information. Medical experts know that information is power and for them to spread medical awareness, they offer live-saving tips to their patients and other healthcare providers. This program empowers patients, local communities and doctors to save lives and minimize any threats of a disease epidemic. It helps in identifying the leading causes of deaths or diseases and incorporates the WHO guidelines for prevention and care of common known diseases (Gilbert, Sawyer, & McNeill 2011). There are certain factors that need to be considered when designing a health education program for obese children in the community. Children in the Lawton community in Oklahoma are fast becoming obese simply because the community lacks healthcare and dietary information regarding junk and nutritional food items. Community health education program is designed to inform the community of initial signs and symptoms of diseases or health conditions so that there is an early detection. For a successful health education program, doctors need to promote community integration of affected individuals and their families (Bartholomew 2011). Some of the factors that need to be considered when designing health education program include; physical, environmental, legal, social and mental factors. Some of the social factors to consider include; relationships among children, ethnic and racial composition among children in the community. Research has shown that obesity is health condition that is common among white American children aged below 18years. However, there are rising number of obesity cases among other ethnic communities such as African Americans Asian Americans and Hispanics. When planning for the program, children should be integrated to one location for their healthcare learning sessions (Issel, 2004). Physical factors such as physically impaired children should be considered when drafting the program. Physically challenged children are deemed to suffer obesity because they are less likely to engage in sports or any kind of physical activity. The program should not discriminate against any child because of their physical condition since they also need medical attention in dealing with obesity. Environmental factors play a major role when it comes to engaging the community in Lawton to reduce the rising cases of child obesity. This suggests the atmosphere surrounding homes where children are born, raised, nurtured and fed is friendly, harsh, abusive, violent, welcoming or conservative. This is will help in establishing methods or intervention techniques in dealing with obesity among children from different backgrounds (Watson, 2011). Legal factors mean the laws protecting and safeguarding the rights of children from exploitation,...