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Perspectives on Terminology and Conceptual and Professional Issues in Health Education and Health Promotion Credentialing

Steinhardt School of Culture, Education, and Human Development, New York University, alyson.taub{at}nyu.edu

John P. Allegrante, PhD

Department of Health and Behavior Studies, Teachers College, and Department of Sociomedical Sciences, Mailman School of Public Health, Columbia University, New York

Margaret M. Barry, PhD

Department of Health Promotion, National University of Ireland, Galway

Keiko Sakagami, EdD, CHES

Japanese Society for Health Promotion and Education

This article was prepared to inform the deliberations of the Galway Consensus Conference by providing a common and global reference point for the discussion of terminology and key conceptual and professional issues in the credentialing of health education and health promotion specialists. The article provides a review of the terminology that is currently employed across different countries in defining health education and health promotion as well as health educator and health promotion specialist. The terminology used to describe concepts in professional credentialing of health education and health promotion specialists and the scope of professional responsibilities of such specialists, including the terms professional competencies, professional standards, and accreditation, are also reviewed. Finally, key unresolved issues are identified and discussed from a global perspective. The article concludes that despite differences in terminology in the definitions of roles and responsibilities, health education and health promotion are conceptually more similar than different across countries.

Key Words: accreditation • certification • credentialing • health education • health promotion • international health • professional preparation • public health workforce • terminology

References

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This version was published on June 1, 2009

Health Education & Behavior, Vol. 36, No. 3, 439-450 (2009)
DOI: 10.1177/1090198109333826


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This Article Abstract Free Full Text (Free PDF) Free Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Email this article to a friend Similar articles in this journal Similar articles in PubMed Alert me to new issues of the journal Add to Saved Citations Download to citation manager Request Permissions Request Reprints Add to My Marked Citations Citing Articles Citing Articles via Scopus Google Scholar Articles by Taub, A. Articles by Sakagami, K. PubMed PubMed Citation Articles by Taub, A. Articles by Sakagami, K. Social Bookmarking                         What's this?