[ Browse by Service Category : Health Supportive Services : Sub-Topics of Health Education (96) ]
AIDS/HIV Prevention Counselling
Programs that provide counselling services for individuals at risk for contracting or transmitting the HIV virus with the objective of supporting their ability to make behaviour changes that will reduce their risk of acquiring or transmitting HIV. Counselling involves a personal risk assessment, development of a personalized action plan and the decision to seek an HIV test. Individuals who have a history of injection drug use, sex with a person with HIV/AIDS, sex with a man who has sex with other men, sex with an injection drug user, a sexually transmitted disease, or exchanging money or drugs for sex are considered to be at high or increased risk and are targets for prevention counselling.
Appearance Enhancement Consultation Programs
Programs that help cancer patients, accident victims, burn patients and others with temporary or permanent conditions that affect their features, cope with the appearance-related effects of their illness, injury, disability or treatment regimen by teaching them cosmetic techniques that will help restore their appearance and self-image. Services may include workshops, literature and information about make-up, hair alternatives, skin and nail care as well as wig, scarf, hat and turban demonstrations (for cancer patients coping with the side-effects of chemotherapy and radiation) or suggestions regarding appearance enhancement options available to people with other types of challenges. Participants may receive cosmetics donated by the cosmetic industry that they can use at home.
Chemicals Information
Programs that provide general information about specific chemical substances and compounds, active ingredients used in drugs, and food additives which may include a description of how they are used and an indication of any potential toxicity.
Disease/Disability Information
Programs that provide information about the causes and origins, preventive measures, symptoms, screening/diagnostic procedures, and/or methods of treatment or management including the latest research for specific illnesses or disabling conditions.
First Aid Instruction
Programs that instruct the public in the basic lifesaving techniques involved in the administration of emergency assistance to individuals who have been injured or otherwise disabled prior to the arrival of trained medical personnel.
General Health Education Programs
Programs that provide information that helps the public make choices which promote personal health, prevent illness and disability, take advantage of opportunities for early detection, and support their ability to deal effectively with health problems when they arise. General health education programs provide information about a wide variety of health related topics rather than specializing in a particular area.
Medication Information/Management
Programs that conduct a review of the prescription and over-the-counter medication and other substances (e.g., herbal remedies, vitamins and other supplements, illegal drugs) that people are taking, and answer any questions they may have about their medications or their medication regimen. The reviews address a number of issues including appropriate therapeutic uses of particular substances; adverse side effects; interaction/reaction with foods and other drugs; product identification and availability or equivalency; safety when used by children, pregnant or breastfeeding women or older adults, many of whom may have multiple prescriptions; and outcomes. The objectives of the program are to support the individual's ability to self-administer medications as prescribed and to ensure their safety and well being, particularly in circumstances where their medication regimen is complex.
Physical Activity and Fitness Education/Promotion
Programs that promote the benefits of an active lifestyle and encourage people of all ages to participate in regular physical activity as a means of improving health, preventing disease and enhancing the overall quality of their lives. The programs may be tailored for specific populations such as children, adolescents, older adults, employees or people with disabilities; and generally explain why physical activity is important, offer suggestions regarding easy ways to integrate physical activity into a daily routine (such as taking the stairs, going for a walk or parking further away than one usually does), describe specific benefits that can be experienced (such as building strong bones, strengthening muscles, maintaining flexibility, achieving and maintaining ideal weight, maintaining cardiovascular health, meeting new friends and improving physical self-esteem), and provide guidelines for the type and level of activity that is required to develop and maintain fitness or achieve other health-related goals.
Poison Control
Programs that provide emergency information, usually on a 24-hour basis, for medical personnel or others who may need to take immediate corrective action to treat an individual who has been poisoned or to prevent such an occurrence.
The above terms and definitions are part of the Taxonomy of Human Services, used here by permission of INFO LINE of Los Angeles.