The role of health educator is to work with the community and teach them on behaviors that would promote health. Health educator’s main roles include developing and implementing strategies that improves the health of the community and individuals (Tappe et al., 277). They are supposed to gather information regarding health issues that affect the community. Health educator who educates the community about lung cancer is involved in working closely with the community to ensure that they uphold activities that could protect them from the disease.
Cancer Awareness Training
The health educators mobilize and work closely with people who are willing to promote the general well-being of the community. They would be trained on how to raise lung cancer awareness in the community. The health educator would be responsible for the training and for provision of the training materials (Tappe et al., 279). The educator organizes practical workshops and provides on-going support to those that would be involved in raising lung cancer awareness in the community. The awareness measures include well-designed questions to reliably assess lung cancer awareness. People should be made aware that anyone could get lung cancer. The graph below show the increasing trend of lung cancer among the Americans
Encourage Public Talks on Lung Cancer
The health educator mobilizes and encourages the community to talk publicly about lung cancer. In order to do this, he must conduct training and conduct sufficient research on how to talk publicly on lung cancer issues. The training focuses on debunking the myths associated with lung cancer and guiding participants on how to overcome barriers (Pope III 1132). The health educator provides the participants with the tools needed to improve their confidence level. At this stage, the educator uses his experience of handling families, patients and other healthcare professionals to make the participants ready to talk about lung cancer in public.
Engaging in Road Shows
One of the most effective ways of beating lung cancer is the awareness road shows. Health educator would join others to go around the community talking to people about the issue of lung cancer. The road shows include other health professionals who talk to people and raising awareness of lung cancer in the community. During road shows, the educator is involved in teaching the public about their body, how to live healthy and how to make positive changes by embracing positive behaviors.
Generation Public Education on Lung Cancer
There is a general fear among members of the public on issues regarding cancer (Tappe et al., 282). General education aims to enlighten the public on lung cancer and the benefits of having early screening for cancer. The educator discusses the incidences and risks factors of lung cancer. He could also carryout simple path physiology of the diseases in a way that the majority of the people could understand (O’Rourke and Edwards 142). Major signs and symptoms of the diseases are discussed with the community members to enable them know things to report to health practitioners.
Health educator could also discuss the available tests carried out in hospitals to ascertain the existence of the disease. Stages of lung cancer are also covered in the general education. The stages enable the public to identify what the initial stages might look like and then seek medical attention if they identify with any stage. Health educator also uses general education to teach the community about the treatment option available to the members of the public. He can even introduce complex terms such as hospice concept and help grieving families by identifying measures that facilitate easier grieving process.
Works Cited
American lung cancer association. American lung cancer association’s lung force aims to defeat lung cancer with promising research. Lung Organization. (2015).Retrieved from < https://www.lung.org/about-us/media/press-releases/american-lung-associations-LF-Research-Defeat-Lung-Cancer.html>
O’Rourke, N., and R. Edwards. “Lung cancer treatment waiting times and tumor growth.” Clinical Oncology 12.3 (2000): 141-144.
Pope III, C. Arden, et al. “Lung cancer, cardiopulmonary mortality, and long-term exposure to fine particulate air pollution.” Jama 287.9 (2002): 1132-1141.
Tappe, Marlene K., and Regina A. Galer‐Unti. “Health educators’ role in promoting health literacy and advocacy for the 21st century.” Journal of School Health 71.10 (2001): 477-482.