Public health students as health educators: health awareness and behaviours among primary care professionals and public health students conducting a health literacy intervention

This article discusses the results from surveys on knowledge, behaviours, and satisfaction from the meeting conducted during the Health Promotion Foundation’s (HPF) seminars with health professionals and public health students. Both groups were trained by the Foundation to speak with primary health patients about prevention of non-communicable diseases in order to improve health literacy and healthy behaviours of the Lower Silesia population. Students were trained to conduct “health workshops” with primary care patients. The results of the surveys showed that both public health students and health professionals have sufficient health knowledge and have healthier lifestyles than the general population. The slight differences between students and professionals can be explained by the diversity in the professions (public health students versus medical doctors, nurses, etc.) and the stage of the carrier (students versus professionals). The first section of the article explains the objectives of the HPF’s project and the health literacy concept. The next section presents the methods of the analysis (describes the surveys and participants of the project) and discussed the results of the surveys. In the discussion the authors consider the differences between health professionals’ and students’ health behaviours and knowledge, and the potential role of both groups in improving health literacy in their communities. The article concludes that students can be good health educators and a valuable help in implementation of prevention and health-promotion activities.