“More universal for some than others”: Canada's health care system and the role of adult education

Abstract

Health and health care in Canada is a story of high ideals, complex policy agreements, moments of raging public controversy, and the creation of a national health system that is the envy of many other nations. Despite its many health care achievements, evidence is mounting that good health is far from being universally accessible to all Canadians. As we discuss in this chapter, following a three-year pan-Canadian study on health and learning, it became painfully clear to us that in far too many cases, one' s ability and capacity to learn about health can have immediate-even life-and-deathconsequences. We concluded that good health is not strictly a medical problem and not simply a governmental funding issue. Our conclusion was that good health is, above all, a matter of successful learning. Our study made it clear that adult education can play a key role in enabling people to maintain and improve their health. Yet we found that learning and health is a remarkably underresearched, underrecognized area within the ambit of adult education. Since the area of learning and health not only defies boundaries but is far larger and more complex than any policy, system, or program, we hope that these findings will encourage adult educators in Canada and beyond to become more involved in the critical issue of health and learning. 49 5

Interactive Influences on Health and Adult Education

“…More sophisticated research tools, including high‐level qualitative and quantitative research approaches, need to be employed in interdisciplinary research that integrates knowledge of “community characteristics, social conditions, cultural influences, health disparities, environmental injustice, and epigenetic causes of diseases” (Olden et al., , p. 1816). Relationships between adult learning and health have been underresearched (Quigley, Coady, Grégoire, Folinsbee, & Kraglund‐Gauthier, ). Promoting the health of racial, ethnic, and sexual minorities constitutes a social justice issue rooted in recognition of individual's human rights (Bryant, ).…”

The Physiological and Psychological Effects of Exercise on Sexual Functioning: A Literature Review for Adult Health Education Professionals

“…According to the World Health Report (), health workers are defined as “all people engaged in actions whose primary intent is to enhance health” (p.1). In a report on the study of Canadian health care systems, Quigley and others () note that “More partnerships for responsive policy formation need to be created between the field of health and adult education” (p. 51). Therefore, the work of Jiannine and Reio further encourages dialogue between the fields of adult education and health and demonstrates a need for adult health education professionals to play a key role in the health and welfare of the nation's population.…”

Adult Health Learning and Transformation

“…Much is known about a wide range of health determinants-biology and also social factors beyond the individual, including societal structures, geography, income, and ethnicity-but little Article practical and theoretical consideration has been given to the role of adult learning in these processes (Bryan, Kreuter, & Brownson, 2009;Feinstein, Hammond, Woods, Preston, & Bryner, 2003). Furthermore, many existing theories do not fully integrate a systematic adult learning component or address ways whereby change can come about (English, 2012;Quigley, Coady, Grégoire, Folinsbee, & Kraglund-Gauthier, 2009;Stuttaford & Coe, 2007).…”