Elena Sliepcevich
Encyclopedia
Elena M. Sliepcevich was one of the leading figures in the development of health education
as an academic discipline and profession.
in 1949 and her doctorate in physical education from Springfield College
in 1955. She was a professor of health education at the Ohio State University
in 1961, when she was selected to direct the School Health Education Study
(1961–1969). Most health education curricula developed since have been based on the 10 conceptual areas identified by the School Health Education Study: community health, consumer health, environmental health, family life, mental and emotional health, injury prevention and safety, nutrition, personal health, prevention and control of disease, and drug use and abuse. The Study’s model curriculum became known as the School Health Curriculum Project (later renamed Growing Healthy)
The Study’s findings were also the major reason for President Nixon
’s creation of the President's Committee on Health Education in 1971. When the National Center for Health Education (NCHE) was created in 1975 as a result of one of the recommendation of the Committee, Dr. Sliepcevich was one of the Center’s founders. She was one of the principal framers of the NCHE’s first major activity, the Health Education Role Delineation Project (1978–1981).
Following the School Health Education Study, she joined the faculty of Southern Illinois University
at Carbondale (SIUC), where she was Professor in both the Department of Health Education and the School of Medicine, and team taught courses with David Duncan
, Robert Gold
, and Elaine Vitello. She continued to teach at SIUC until her retirement in 1993. She passed away in Norman, Oklahoma
on March 3, 2008.
Health education
Health education is the profession of educating people about health. Areas within this profession encompass environmental health, physical health, social health, emotional health, intellectual health, and spiritual health...
as an academic discipline and profession.
Biography
A 1939 graduate of the University of Ireland, Sliepcevich received her master's degree from the University of MichiganUniversity of Michigan
The University of Michigan is a public research university located in Ann Arbor, Michigan in the United States. It is the state's oldest university and the flagship campus of the University of Michigan...
in 1949 and her doctorate in physical education from Springfield College
Springfield College
Springfield College is a private, coeducational university located in the City of Springfield, Massachusetts. Springfield College is most famous as the site where the sport of basketball was invented...
in 1955. She was a professor of health education at the Ohio State University
Ohio State University
The Ohio State University, commonly referred to as Ohio State, is a public research university located in Columbus, Ohio. It was originally founded in 1870 as a land-grant university and is currently the third largest university campus in the United States...
in 1961, when she was selected to direct the School Health Education Study
School Health Education Study
The School Health Education Study was a crucial event in transforming health education as practiced in American public schools. It has been called, "the most significant school health education initiative of the 1960s" and was largely responsible for establishing the value of comprehensive health...
(1961–1969). Most health education curricula developed since have been based on the 10 conceptual areas identified by the School Health Education Study: community health, consumer health, environmental health, family life, mental and emotional health, injury prevention and safety, nutrition, personal health, prevention and control of disease, and drug use and abuse. The Study’s model curriculum became known as the School Health Curriculum Project (later renamed Growing Healthy)
The Study’s findings were also the major reason for President Nixon
Richard Nixon
Richard Milhous Nixon was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. The only president to resign the office, Nixon had previously served as a US representative and senator from California and as the 36th Vice President of the United States from 1953 to 1961 under...
’s creation of the President's Committee on Health Education in 1971. When the National Center for Health Education (NCHE) was created in 1975 as a result of one of the recommendation of the Committee, Dr. Sliepcevich was one of the Center’s founders. She was one of the principal framers of the NCHE’s first major activity, the Health Education Role Delineation Project (1978–1981).
Following the School Health Education Study, she joined the faculty of Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University
Southern Illinois University is a state university system based in Carbondale, Illinois, in the Southern Illinois region of the state, with multiple campuses...
at Carbondale (SIUC), where she was Professor in both the Department of Health Education and the School of Medicine, and team taught courses with David Duncan
David F. Duncan
David F. Duncan, Dr. P.H. was born in Kansas City, Missouri on June 26, 1947. He is President of Duncan & Associates, a firm providing consultation on research design and data collection for behavioral and policy studies. He is also Clinical Associate Professor in the Department of Community Health...
, Robert Gold
Robert S. Gold
Dr. Robert S. Gold is an accomplished researcher and nationally known expert in the application of computer technology to health education and health promotion...
, and Elaine Vitello. She continued to teach at SIUC until her retirement in 1993. She passed away in Norman, Oklahoma
Norman, Oklahoma
Norman is a city in Cleveland County, Oklahoma, United States, and is located south of downtown Oklahoma City. It is part of the Oklahoma City metropolitan area. As of the 2010 census, Norman was to have 110,925 full-time residents, making it the third-largest city in Oklahoma and the...
on March 3, 2008.
Other
- Eberst, R. M. (1998). An interview with Dr. Peter Cortese. The International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 1(2), 112-134.
- Goldsmith, M. D. (1998). An Interview with Robert Russell. The International Electronic Journal of Health Education, 1: 60-71
- Means, R.K. (1975). Historical Perspectives on School Health. Thorofare, N.J.: Charles B. Slack.
- Russell, R. D. (1966). Teaching for meaning in health education: The concept approach. Journal of School Health, 36(1), 12-15.
- Sliepcevich, E. M. (1964). School Health Education Study: A Summary Report. Washington, D.C.: School Health Education Study.
- Sliepcevich EM. (1968). The school health education study: A foundation for community health education. Journal of School Health, 38(1), 45-50.
- Sliepcevich EM. (2001). School health education: Appraisal of a conceptual approach to curriculum development. Journal of School Health, 71(8):417-21.