Health Education: A “Primary” Component to the Delivery of Comprehensive Primary Care

Abstract

Forty-three million Americans lack access to primary health care services. Barriers such as a lack of insurance or financial resources, lack of transportation or child care, and cultural and language differences prevent many Americans from obtaining the health care they need. Delivery of high quality, comprehensive primary care designed with community input can help vulnerable persons overcome these barriers. A comprehensive primary care model should include health education components targeted to the identified needs of the population, presented in a culturally appropriate manner, and delivered via multiple strategies. The provision of enabling services by the primary care provider, specifically, a health center, facilitates client access to health education activities, and ultimately to primary care services. Linkages between the multidisciplinary team of primary care providers and the health education team offer expanded opportunities to assist clients to improve their own health. This article describes the following: (1) characteristics of comprehensive quality primary care, with attention to its health education components, (2) examples of programs that have successfully incorporated health education into the primary care setting, and (3) recommendations for health educators and primary care program administrators to successfully incorporate health education programming into the primary care setting.