The role of adult education in developing health-preserving competence of adults (a case of Great Britain)

Abstract

Contemporary challenges in public health, such as population aging and the rise of chronic diseases, require the development of health-preserving competence in adults that is an integrative ability of a human to independently manage one’s own well-being. The aim of the article is to analyze and systematize successful practices for developing this competence in adults, using the experience of non-formal adult education in Great Britain. The study employs a set of general scientific methods: theoretical analysis, synthesis, and generalization; comparative analysis and structural modeling; and the prognostic method. It was found that the British approach to developing health-preserving competence in adults focuses on the social determinants of health and the development of their self-efficacy. Three key models were identified and characterized: Self-management programs (Expert Patient Programme), which increase the self-efficacy of individuals with chronic conditions through peer leadership; Wellbeing and mental health courses (Wellbeing Courses), which use non-formal learning as a preventive measure against social isolation; Health digital literacy training, which removes barriers to adults accessing the national health system’s online services. These practices demonstrate that adult education is a powerful, effective, and socially oriented tool for developing adult health-preserving competence. Based on the research findings, a number of recommendations were formulated that can be implemented in domestic adult education practice.