Health Education in Schools

The American Academy of Family Physicians (AAFP) supports the inclusion of health education in the curriculum of grades K through 12 and continued health education in the community through adult education programs. Health education should be medically accurate, evidence-based, developmentally appropriate, culturally and linguistically appropriate, and trauma-informed, with attention to the needs of diverse student populations.

Students at all levels should be provided with opportunities to:

1. Obtain accurate information on health, illness, and illness prevention.
2. Obtain developmentally appropriate, accurate information on health topics most relevant to the student population, such as substance abuse (including vaping and cannabis, sexual abuse, intimate partner violence, suicide, safety, nutrition, obesity, eating disorders, chronic disease management (e.g., asthma, diabetes), disability, coordination of care in school settings, sexual activity, teenage pregnancy, consent, healthy relationships, reproductive health, bodily autonomy, sexually transmitted infections, mental health, family violence, risk-taking behavior, coping with peer pressure and stress.
3. Gain developmentally appropriate understanding of growth and development from conception through adulthood.
4. Gain an understanding of family health history and its impact on health risk and learn how individual health behavior is related to health status.
5. Discuss personal attitudes, values and beliefs relating to health. Discuss the processes through which social values are acquired and the ways in which they can affect health.
6. Develop critical thinking and decision-making skills in terms of health and sickness evaluation.
7. Develop an understanding of the benefits, risks, and limitations of medicines and medical science in their personal care.
8. Learn how to navigate the health care system, including when to seek care, how to access primary and preventive services, understanding confidentiality, and communicating effectively with health professionals.
9. Develop an understanding of the benefits, risks, and limitations of medical care, including the appropriate use of medications and health services in their personal care.
10. Develop skills to recognize physical, emotional, or social stressors (including trauma and adverse childhood experiences) and how to effectively communicate those concerns to trustworthy adults and individuals
11. Acquire media literacy skills to evaluate online health information, including information generated by artificial intelligence (AI), misinformation, advertising, and influencer content, and manage digital wellness, including screen time and cyberbullying.
12. Learn preventive health practices, such as vaccine importance, hygiene, and infection control to promote personal and community well-being, and understand their role in protecting both individual and community health.
13. Become interested in assuming responsibility for personal health.
14. Develop a personal life-long health lifestyle plan, including areas of healthy eating, exercise, social relationships, restorative sleep, mental well-being and avoidance of risky behaviors.
15. Develop a sense of social responsibility and participate in promotion of health education to peers, family and community.

Well-designed health education programs can help to improve the environmental and lifestyle factors that lead to improved population health. To facilitate real world application, health education programs should align with evidence-based frameworks endorsed by the American Academy of Pediatrics, the AAFP, or other national organizations with expertise in child and adolescent health. These programs should include adequate instructional time, incorporate teacher training on key topics, and encourage partnerships with family physicians and community resources for equitable access across diverse settings.

(1980)(July 2026 BOD)