Generic role verification of entry-level health educators in Canada

The purpose of this study was to verify the generic role of entry-level health educators in Canada.

The data were collected using questionnaires developed through the initial phases of the Role Delineation Project in the United States. The sample consisted of 194 Canadian health educators who worked in community, school, or medical care settings. The significance of results was determined using analysis of variance F and H tests, t-tests, Kruskal-Wallis Post Hoc Multiple Comparison Procedures, Pearson r. Spearman's rho, and Fisher Z_f transformations.

The major conclusions drawn from the study were:

1. Health education provided a stable occupation for its practitioners; often in combination with related administrative, general teaching, or patient care responsibilities.

2. There was a generic role for entry-level health educators which included: assessing the need for health education, planning health education programs, coordinating planned health education programs, providing direct health education services, and continuing to develop professionally.

The most important recommendations emanating from the study were to thoroughly enumerate the population of health educators in Canada to facilitate carrying out future studies, and to continue investigating the role of entry-level health educators; particularly, the place therein of evaluating health education.

In retrospect, it was recognized that further professionalization of health education in Canada could be stimulated by this study, but only if its leaders acknowledge the possibilities and act collectively to set and achieve desired professionalization goals.