The concept of health and the role of health education.

The field of health education needs to establish a conceptual basis that provides a legitimate focus and direction for health education. Health education should recognize that notions of health are human constructs which are restricted by man's interpretation of the functional integrity of the body and mind and relative to the activities and interests of individual societies. Health education should define health as that state of body and mind functioning which affords man the ability to strive towards his functional objectives and his culturally desired goals. The function of health education should be to impart knowledge for the purpose of developing the powers of reason and judgement in order to help people make their own choices about patterns of living which enhance the well functioning of the body and mind.