Philosophy
What is a philosophy?
Statement summarizing the attitudes,
principles, beliefs, values, and concepts
held by an individual or group.
• Individual = philosophy statement
• Group = mission statement
Tomasso's Pizza & Subs
1229 West Palmetto Park Road Boca Raton, FL
 Mission Statement
We are Committed to using the finest ingredients in our
recipes. No food leaves our kitchen that we ourselves would
not eat.
Nyack Hospital
160 North Midland Avenue Nyack, NY 10960
 Slogan / Motto
Exceptional skill. Extraordinary care.
 Mission Statement
The mission of Nyack Hospital is to provide competent,
innovative, and accessible emergency and acute care services for
the residents of Rockland County. We are caring people operating
an extraordinary community hospital. Vision. In its second century
of service, Nyack Hospital and NewYork-Presbyterian Healthcare
System will set the pace for sophisticated care in Rockland
County. Getting better means all of us will be responsible for
taking great care of our patients, each other, and our hospital.
Mission Statements
 “… to maximize individual professional development in
health and movement science and to promote healthy
lifestyles and communities.”
 “Western Oregon University is a comprehensive university
that creates personalized learning opportunities, supports the
advancement of knowledge for the public good and
maximizes individual and professional development. Our
environment is open to the exchange of ideas, where
discovery, creativity and critical thinking flourish, and
students succeed.”
SOPHE
(Society of Public Health Educators)
 “… to provide leadership to the profession
of public health education and to contribute
to the health of all people and the
elimination of disparities through advances
in health education theory and research,
excellence in professional preparation and
practice, and advocacy for public policies
conducive to health.”
Philosophy versus Philodoxy
What is your philosophy?
 Complete the following:
 I believe education …
 I believe schools …
 I believe educators …
 I believe communities …
 I believe governments …
 Do you have a particular life philosophy?
Philosophy
 The way in which you consistently act toward other people is
often a reflection of your philosophy concerning the
importance of people in general.
 The profession of Health Education is considered a helping
profession.
 Those who work in the profession should value helping
others.
Developing a philosophy
 Education or study
 Life experience
 Guidance from mentors and role models
 Lessons from friends and relatives
Personal versus Professional
 Ideal = one’s personal philosophy and professional
philosophy were perfectly matched and consistent.
 What happens if one’s personal and professional philosophies
don’t match up?
 Are health educators ever called upon to act in ways that may
not be congruent with their personal belief systems?
Professional Philosophy and Health Education
 Health educators’ primary concern is to protect and enhance
the health of those within their jurisdiction.
 “Health is not a moral issue.”
 Former Surgeon General C. Everett Koop
Potential Challenges
 Sexuality Education
 Abortion
 Harm Reduction Methods
 Others?
Harm Reduction
 Harm reduction is a philosophy of public health intended to be a
progressive alternative to the prohibition of certain potentially
dangerous lifestyle choices in society.
 The central idea of harm reduction is the recognition that some
people always have and always will engage in behaviors which
carry risks, such as causal sex, prostitution, and drug use.
 The main objective of harm reduction is to mitigate the potential
dangers and health risks associated with the risky behaviors
themselves.
Needle exchange is one of the most effective AIDS prevention programs currently available
for injection drug users who are not in treatment. Without a vaccine or a cure, prevention is
the only tool we have to control the spread of HIV. Public Health runs a needle exchange
program for four basic reasons:
a.Needle exchange reduces blood-borne diseases in our communities without increasing
drug use. Studies have shown decreases in both the number of persons who become infected
with HIV and the number of people who get hepatitis in communities that have needle
exchange programs.
b.Preventing HIV infection in injection drug users also prevents HIV in women and
newborn children. Many women are at risk for HIV because of their own injection drug use
or because they are sexual partners of injection drug users.
c.By working with injection drug users, we can help them get into drug treatment.
d.Finally, Public Health safely disposes of all contaminated syringes turned in to the
exchange. This reduces the number of discarded syringes on our sidewalks and in our bus
stops, yards, parks and play grounds. Our goal is to get used syringes out of circulation as
quickly as possible. The longer a syringe remains in circulation, the more opportunities there
are for that syringe to pass on a blood-borne disease.
Philosophy of Symmetry
 Health has physical, emotional, spiritual, and social
components and each is as important as the other.
 Health educators should seek to encourage a balance
(symmetry) among those components when working with all
people.
 Holistic perspective, humanism, wellness.
Case Study
 Ann is a normal weight, 40 year-old mother of two. She
smokes a pack of cigarettes a day, does not exercise regularly,
and has a family history of heart disease.
 Ann is enrolled in a required health education course at the
local university. She is returning to school to become an
elementary education teacher.
 As part of the health course, Ann is required to complete a
health risk appraisal and review her assessment with you..
The health educator.
Predominate Health Education Philosophies
 Behavior Change Philosophy:
 Behavioral contracts, goal setting, self-monitoring.
 Cognitive-Based Philosophy:
 Focus on content and information, increase in knowledge to
help in making decisions.
More Philosophies
 Decision-making philosophy:
 Simulated problems, case studies, scenarios, create and
analyze potential solutions, critical thinking skills
developed.
 Freeing/Functioning Philosophy:
 Goal is to free people to make the best health decisions
based on their needs and interests, not necessarily on
the interests of society.
Philosophies continued
 Social Change Philosophy:
 Emphasizes the role of health education in creating
social, economic, and political change that benefit all.
 Eclectic Health Education Philosophy:
 Situational approach
Thoughts on Helping Professions
 Salaries and advancement
 Scheduling, hours worked per week
 Mental, emotional impact of work
 Work settings
Stress and Burnout
 Stress
 Burnout
 Characterized by
 Characterized by
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overengagement
Emotions are overactive
Produces urgency and
hyperactivity
Loss of energy
Leads to anxiety disorders
Primary damage is physical
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disengagement
Emotions are blunted
Produces helplessness &
hopelessness
Loss of motivation, ideals,
hope
Leads to detachment &
depression
Primary damage is emotional