The Assesment Of Level Of Health Related Knowledge Of Teachers Of Health Education

This study was aimed to compare the knowledge levels of health education teachers with others in basic health subjects. This crosssectional study was performed in all high schools in Konya city center in 2011. The sample consisted of teachers who taught health education or counseled in health related clubs and same number of teachers of other lessons. Data were obtained by a questionnaire filled by teachers themselves under the supervision of interviewer. First part of the questionnaire was about demographic information while the second consisted of 35 questions evaluating the knowledge about protection, improvement, vaccines, contagion, diet, healthy behavior, adolescent health, first approach to frequently encountered health problems, etc. Overall level of health knowledge was assessed by summing the points for each subject, 2 for known, 1 for partially known and 0 for unknown/blank, and converting them to percentage. T test and variation analysis were used for data analysis. The mean age of 314 teachers participated in the study was 39±8, 55% of them were males, 45% were females and 90% were married. 39% of the participants consisted of health education teachers and guide teachers of health related clubs, 61% were the teachers of other lessons. The average score was higher in health education group (56±16) than the other teachers (43±14). The knowledge score was also higher in female teachers and graduates of health related faculties (biology, physical education, child development). Teaching health education or counseling in a health related club increases the general knowledge level of teachers. In writers’ opinion, improving the knowledge level of teachers in health might help students to acquire positive behaviors about health as the current level is not adequate and significant number of wrong answers was present.