Health education

Health promotion is understood to be a group of measures implemented with the aim of promoting an optimal state of physical, mental and social health in the population. This group of measures includes actions in the field of health education, public health policies, disease treatment and preventive measures.

Health education is a basic instrument in health promotion and preventive action. It is a method of intervention that is also part of the care provided.

For many years there was little interest and little emphasis was placed on preventive measures in the elderly population precisely because of their age, on the idea that preventing and modifying risk factors was of little use near the end of life. However, this thought has been abandoned in recent years with the growing interest in this population group and the knowledge that it is possible to promote and maintain their health.

The objective of health promotion in the elderly population is to maintain the highest degree of autonomy and avoid the appearance of diseases. It establishes a top priority to improve the quality of life, which implies promoting behaviors that favor an adequate lifestyle. However, in the elderly, disease prevention has special aspects. On many occasions the diseases are already present and perhaps more important than the classic objectives of reducing mortality and increasing life expectancy, are the objectives of preventing and delaying functional deterioration, avoiding dependency and maintaining autonomy and quality of life .

Classically, preventive measures are classified according to the phase of disease in which they develop. Thus, one can speak of:

• Primary prevention, when we try to avoid the appearance of injuries and diseases by acting on risk factors and promoting healthy lifestyle habits.
• Secondary prevention, which tries to detect and treat already existing diseases early, although asymptomatic until that moment.
• Tertiary prevention, which tries to avoid sequelae, aggravations, relapses, as well as promoting their rehabilitation and recovery.

In the elderly, all types of prevention are important, although most of the measures will be included among the secondary prevention measures, as already existing injuries or diseases are found in their initial phase in an attempt to prevent their progression, and among the tertiary prevention measures, trying to avoid disability and provide recoveries.

Through health education, the aim is to ensure that elderly people are able to abandon the habits of life that may have detrimental repercussions on their quality of life, while at the same time replacing them with others that have been shown to be healthier. Health education is essential in this age group, having proven effective in improving the quality of life of the elderly. All this will redound not only to the benefit of the elderly patient, but also their family and social environment.

Health education activities, which should cover the entire life of all citizens, are capable of establishing barriers to the appearance of diseases and their complications. The surveillance activities of the prevention and health promotion programs adapted to the comprehensive care of the healthy elderly person should be a common practice in primary care activities.

The elderly, as a group, respond positively to advice on prevention and are able to change their habits even after the age of 75. Their response to vaccination activities may be better than in the younger population.

As long as health is preserved, one is not aware of the importance it has, only when it diminishes or is lost does one try to find the means to heal. It is much more advantageous to follow the advice that protects and guarantees health.

Health education requires more than the mere information and supply of knowledge, to achieve changes in attitudes and lifestyles. Eliminating the risk factors that cause disease is a necessary measure to maintain good health.

Acquiring good habits is the best measure to follow to stay healthy. Through health education, a better quality of life can be achieved.