ISHN Comment: One of the poorly understood goals of an effective health & life skills education program is to promote a concern for the health of others. In the US, that specific goal has been part of the National Standards for Health Education for many years. Yet, progress towards that goal is rarely reported. There are other societal underpinnings to health education that could be used in a comparison study. For example, in Africa, one could examine the impact of the "ubuntu" concept (which emphasizes the connection between individuals and the village. Or an indigenous perspective, one that views health as a set of relationships with the land and with our ancestors could be considered. Eastern world views, such as that which has emerged in Bhutan, which measures "happiness" in relation to economic and social progress should al;so be on the list. This discussion should be a part of any review of the failure of health education in many jurisdictions to have an impact on the fundamental values which should guide our responses to health and other crises.
Go to the Preventive Medicine Journal article.