The statement "Health education is a continuous process and not a one-shot mechanism" means that health education is ongoing—it doesn't happen just once. People need regular and repeated information, motivation, and support to develop and maintain healthy behaviors throughout their lives.
Explanation:
* Health knowledge changes over time: New diseases emerge (like COVID-19), and medical advice can change (like vaccine updates), so education must be continuous.
* Habits take time to develop: People may need repeated guidance to adopt or change behavior, such as quitting smoking or eating healthy.
* Different life stages, different needs: A child, a pregnant woman, and an elderly person all need different types of health education.
* Reinforcement is important: One-time teaching may be forgotten. Repeated messages help people remember and act on the information.
Example:A one-time class on hygiene may help briefly, but regular sessions and reminders—like school lessons, posters, and community talks—will make the behavior (like handwashing) a long-term habit.