K-12 Health Education, Health Communication, and Health Literacy: Strategies to Improve Lifelong Health

Abstract

To promote a health literate K-12 population, this chapter focuses on intersections of Health Literacy (HL), Health Education (HE) and Health Communication (HC) and urges collaborations among professionals from these disciplines as well as with stakeholders who share their interests and concerns. Core definitions and evolutionary highlights of these disciplines are presented, as well as their intersection and promise of impact on student academic and health outcomes. The Whole School, Whole Community, Whole Child (WSCC) model is used as an example of a framework embraced by education and health experts to help students become health literate. Internal and external stakeholders, models of what works, resources and strategies for developing or strengthening school health and health communication practice are presented. Selected contemporary threats to the social and emotional health and safety of youth are reviewed; as are successful, evidence-based, collaborative HE, HC, and HL programs and strategies. Finally, recommendations for future research and strategic actions in combining HE and HC for HL are discussed to empower, build resilience, and improve the lifelong health of children and adolescents as they become adults.

Keywords: Health literacy; K-12; Whole Child (WSCC); Whole Community; Whole School; adolescent health; bullying; children’s health; coordinated school health; diabetes; e-cigarettes; health communication; health education; health education standards; mental health; school health; social media; substance abuse.