Comprehensive Health Education Guide

1. Good morning s Good Morning

3. Contents • Introduction • Definitions • History of health education • Gaining interest - health education concept • Aims and objectives • Approaches to health education • Contents of health education • Models of health education • Principles of health education

4. Contents • Communication in health education • Communication process • Types of communication • Barriers In Process Of Communication • Practice of Health education • Health education aids/ media • Methods in health education

5. Contents • Role of health educator • Planning of health education • Conclusions • References

6. Introduction • The word education is derived from the Latin word “ Educare and Educere= to bring out and to lead • In its broadest sense it includes knowledge acquired and characters formed • Health education is the process of imparting information about health in such a way that the recipient is motivated to use that information for the protection or advancement of his own ,his family's or his community health.

7. Introduction • Learning process aims at favorably changing attitudes and influencing behaviour with respect to health practices . • The same principles which govern any learning situation are inherent in process of health education • It is vital to the practice of prevention • Provides a channel for reaching the people and alerting them to the doctors services and to all other community health resources..

8. A health educated person is well aware of his own responsibility and of the steps he himself must take to receive the full benefits of prevention at all levels. • True health education is an active process that involves changed behaviour.

9. Definitions Health Health is a state of complete physical, mental and social well being and not merely the absence of disease or infirmity. • WHO 1948,.

10. Definitions Education It consists of educating or motivating the people to change their lifestyle or behaviour for betterment of their health.

11. Definitions Health education The process by which individuals and groups of people learn to behave in a manner conducive to promotion , maintenance or restoration of health • John M Last It is the process that informs, motivates and help people to adopt and maintain healthy practices and lifestyle, advocates environmental changes as needed to facilitate this goal and conducts professional training and research to the same end” National conference of preventive medicine of USA

12. Definitions Health education like general education is concerned with changes in knowledge ,feelings and behavior of people. In its most usual forms it concentrates on developing such health practices as are believed to bring about the best possible state of well being. WHO Technical Report ( No. 89 of 1954)

13. Historical Development Of Health education

14. Historical development of health education • Edwin Chadwick and Smith • Highlighted the need to improve the social conditions through municipal reform. In 1875, Public Health Act was passed to control water supply, sewage disposal and animal slaughter within the cities Prevalence of infectious diseases reduced. Nature of the infectious diseases discovered.

15. Historical development of health education EDUCATIONAL APPROACH For high risk group populations information campaigns started using shock methods in order to change the personal habits and behaviours.

16. HEALTH EDUCATION CONCEPT • 1977 – WHO adopted a resolution – health for all by 2000 A.D • In relation to this goal, the sixth report by WHO on the world health situation states- health has to be attained cannot be imposed - demands the commitment of both the people and the government. • So, adequate education is essential for the development of this commitment.

17. HEALTH EDUCATION CONCEPT • 1978 – International conference on Primary Health Care organized by UNICEF and WHO in Alma-Ata, USSR -emphasized the need for “individual and the community participation” gave new meaning and direction to practice of health education • “A process aimed at encouraging people to want to be healthy,to know how to stay healthy, to do what they can individually and collectively to maintain health, and to seek help when needed”

18. Changing concepts • Following the ALMA-ATA declaration adopted in 1978, the emphasis has shifted from • Prevention of diseases to promotion of healthy lifestyles • Community participation to community involvement • The modification of individual behavior to modification of “social environment ” in which the individual lives. 4 Promotion of individual and community “self reliance”

19. Aims and objectives • To encourage people to adopt and sustain health promoting lifestyle and practices • To promote the proper use of health services available. • To arouse interest, provide new knowledge, improve skills and change attitude in making rational decisions to solve their own problems 4. To stimulate individual and community self-reliance and participation to achieve health development through individual and community involvement at every step from identifying problems to solving them.

20. Approaches to health education

21. Regulatory approach (Managed prevention) • These are certain laws made by government intervention, either direct or indirect to alter the human behavior. • These laws or regulations may range from prohibition to imprisonment. • E.g. Child marriage restraint act of India Use of compulsory seat belts in major cities

22. Regulatory approach (Managed prevention) • Advantage : This approach seems to be simplest and quickest way to improve health and bring about desired changes in the society. Disadvantages: • Cause of the disease (medical or social) can’t be removed • Areas involving personnel choices(diet, smoking and family) • Vast administrative infrastructure and expenditure

23. Service approach • This approach was tried by Basic Health Services in 1960’s. • It aimed at providing all the health services needed by the people at their doorsteps on the assumption that people would use them to improve their health. • Service approach failed not based on felt needs of people • E.g. water sealed latrines • People will not accept a programme or service, even if offered free of cost, unless it is based on felt needs of people

24. Health education approach • Many problems like cessation of smoking, use of safe drinking water and fertility control can be solved only through health education. • If desired behavior changes are to take place, then people should be educated through planned learning experiences what to do, and to be informed, educated and encouraged to make their choices for a healthy life

25. Health education approach • Mass media and social organizations must be mobilized to help introduce new attitude and habits without conflicting the masses. • Since attitude and behavior are formed early so health education should stress more on young people. • Advantages: • This approach don’t order the individual. • Results are slow but enduring.

26. Primary health care approach • This is radically new approach starting from the people with their full participation and active involvement in the planning and delivery of health services based on principle of primary health care, i.e. community participation and intersectoral co-ordination • Objective is to make people self-reliant in matters of health under the guidance of health care provider

27. Health education versus Propaganda • Health education Propaganda • Knowledge is instilled in the minds of the people. • Prevents thinking by ready made slogans. • Arouses and stimulate primitive desires. • Knowledge and skills are actively acquired. • Makes people think for themselves. • Disciplines primitive desires. • Trains people to use judgment before acting

28. Health education versus Propaganda • Health education Propaganda • Appeals to emotion. • Knowledge is spoon fed and passively acquired. • The process is information centered- no change of attitude or behavior designed. • Appeals to reason. • Knowledge is acquired through self- reliant activities. • The process is behavior centered-aims at developing favorable attitude, habits and skills

29. Contents of health education

30. Contents of health education • Human biology • UNICEF’s – States of World’s Children report 1989 – basic list of health information- child spacing, immunization, house hygiene, breast feeding, safe motherhood, child growth, diarrhoeal disease, respiratory infections • Best place to teach – school – provides continuous in depth learning experiences for millions of students • Nutrition • Optimum and balanced diets – promote good dietary habits • For prevention of malnutrition, promotion of health and improving quality of life .

31. Contents of health education 3) Hygiene • Personal hygiene –early age and must be carried throughout life • Environmental hygiene – domestic and community identifying the sanitary problem and choosing the solutions and facilities available 4)Family health • Health largely depends on family’s social and physical environment and its lifestyle and behavior • Self-reliance – child bearing, child rearing, self care and in influencing their children adopt a healthy life style

32. Contents of health education 5) Disease Prevention and Control • Prevention and control of locally endemic disease – essential elements of PHC • Role of education is important in eradication of disease 6) Mental health • To help people to keep mentally healthy and to prevent mental breakdown • Health workers should help people achieve mental health by showing empathy, understanding and by social contact

33. Contents of health education 7) Prevention of accidents • Home, Road and Place of work • Responsibility of the engineering department and police department should enforce rules of road safety • Carelessness- Tackled through health education 8) Use of health services In rural areas – do not know – • Health services available in their community • Signs to look for a doctor visit if necessary Health educator – inform about health services available and utilizing them

35. Principles of health education

36. Credibility • Degree to which message to be communicated  Trust worthy by the receiver • It should be compatible with the • Scientific knowledge • Local culture • Educational system and • Social goals

37. Interest • If health education is of no topic of interest, people will not listen to it • Health educator should identify the ”felt needs” of the people

38. Participation • A high degree of participation tends to create a sense of involvement, personal acceptance and decision making • Group discussions, panel discussions- provide opportunities for people’s participation

39. Motivation • Awakening of the inner desire Secondary Primary Love, affection, rewards, Punishments Etc., Sex, hunger and survival

40. Known to unknown • Health educator has to start with what the people already know and then give the new knowledge • Existing knowledge of people can be used as the basic step upon which new knowledge can be placed

41. Comprehension • Know the level of understanding, education and literacy of people • Should communicate in the language people understands • Never use words that are strange and new to people • Teaching – within the mental capacity of the audience • Health educator should determine the level of literacy and understanding of audience. • Language of communication should be understandable to audience

42. Reinforcement • It is not possible for the people to learn new things in a short period of time- repetition is needed in health education • Booster dose • If not, possibility of individual Going back to pre-awareness stage

43. Learning by doing If I hear, I forget If I see, I remember If I do, I know

44. Soil seed and sower Seed – The health facts Sower– The transmitting media Soil – people

45. SETTING AN EXAMPLE • The health educator should set a good example in the things he is teaching. • Eg: If he is explaining the hazards of smoking, he will not be successful if he himself smokes

46. Good human relations • Health educator should have • Good personal qualities • Maintain friendly relations with people • Kind and sympathetic attitude

47. Feedback • For effective communication feedback is of paramount importance • The health educator can modify the elements of the system (messages, channels) to make the programme more effective.

48. Community leaders The attributes of a Leader are- • He understands the need and demands of the community • Provides proper guidance • Receptive to the views and suggestions of the people • Considerate and sincere, easily accessible to the people For eg: Village headman, School teacher, Political worker

49. Communication in health education • Communication is “a process necessary to pave way for desired changes in human behavior and inform individual and community to achieve predetermined goals” • Goal of communication - change in the desired direction of the person who receives communication

50. Communication process Awareness Sender Message Channel Receiver Interest Evaluation Adoption FEED BACK Feedback