Nicholas Freudenberg, DrPH, City University of New York, Program in Urban Public Health at Hunter College, 425 East 25th Street, New York, NY 10010, 212-481-5111, nfreuden@hunter.cuny.edu

The work of Mayhew Derryberry reminds health educators of two basic but contradictory truths. On the one hand, our work is always grounded in a specific time and place. Derryberry studied the health behavior of Americans in the middle of the twentieth century and his work is inextricably bound to the prevailing beliefs, ideologies and perceptions. On the other hand, public health and health education are motivated by certain enduring values. Derryberry’s work demonstrates his commitment to defining a strong and positive role for government in health promotion, the value of using evidence rather than ideology to guide practice, and the importance of developing interdisciplinary research and action teams. By reminding us of the roots of our profession, Derryberry helps us to reaffirm these basic values. The relevance of these precepts to current health education practice is assessed.

Learning Objectives:

By the end of this presentation, participants will be able to
• describe Derryberry's views on the role of government in health promotion;
• discuss his views on the value of interdisciplinary collaboration.
• assess the implications of these views for future health education practice.

Keywords: Health Education, Government

Presenting author's disclosure statement:
I do not have any significant financial interest/arrangement or affiliation with any organization/institution whose products or services are being discussed in this session.