Planning and the professional preparation of health educators: implications for teaching, research, and practice.
Planning skills are one of the seven essential responsibilities of health educators, according to the National Commission of Health Education Credentialing program; yet little information is available about who provides training in planning, what type of training is offered, and what planning models are taught. A survey of 253 accredited graduate and undergraduate health education programs (response rate = 56%) was undertaken to gather information about planning and the professional preparation of health educators. Results revealed that planning instructors were primarily full-time, experienced, and about one half were CHES certified. Overall, 88% (113/129) of respondents taught the PRECEDE-PROCEED model, and 62% (81/131) taught the planned approach to community health (PATCH) model. Few planning differences were found at the graduate and undergraduate levels. Content analysis of 56 course syllabi revealed that 80% (45/56) required students to complete a program plan proposal or document as the culminating project for the course. Implications for teaching, research, and practice are discussed.
Linnan
Laura A
LA
Department of Health Behavior and Health Education, The School of Public Health, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, USA. linnan@email.unc.edu
Sterba
Katherine Regan
KR
Lee
Ann Marie
AM
Bontempi
Jean Breny
JB
Yang
Jingzhen
J
Crump
Carolyn
C
D003479:Curriculum; D040441:Health Educators / Q000193:education*; D006801:Humans; D010934:Planning Techniques; D011364:Professional Practice; D012106:Research; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D013663:Teaching; D014481:United States