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INTRODUCTION

The practice of instructing people


and communities in the principles of
hygiene and in ways of avoiding
disease is a very ancient one.
An elementary study of the history of
medicine reveals that since time
immemorial it has been considered a
necessity to instruct communities in health
matters for their protection and survival.

DEFINITIONS

The National Conference on Preventive


Medicine [USA]
Health education is a process which informs,
motivate and helps people to adopt and maintain
healthy practices and life styles; advocates
environmental changes as needed to facilitate
this goal and conducts professional training and
research to the same end.

WHO

Definition

Health education, like general education,


is concerned with changes in knowledge,
feelings and behaviour of people.In its
most usual forms, it concentrates on
devoloping such health practices as are
believed to bring about the best possible
state of well being.

AIMS OF HEALTH EDUCATION


To inform

the general public of the principles of


physical and mental hygiene and methods of
preventing avoidable diseases.
To create an informed body of opinion and
knowledge. (social workers, teachers)
To give the public accurate information of
medical discoveries.
To facilitate the acceptance and proper usage of
medical measures.

METHODS OF APPROACHES IN
HEALTH EDUCATION
1.

Legal or Regulatory Approach

2.

Administrative or Service Approach

3.

Educational Approach

Legal or Regulatory Approach


Makes

use of the law to protect the health


of the public.
Eg : Epidemic Diseases Act , Pollution Act
Limitations :
1. applicable only at certain times or
limited situations.
2. they may not alter the behaviour of the
individual.

Administrative or Service Approach


Intends

to provide all the health facilities


needed by the people
felt needs of people

Educatinal Approach
most effective
Components :
1. motivation
2. communication
3. decision making

results slow , but permanent and enduring.


Suffient time for an individual to bring about changes
learning new facts as well as unlearning wrong
information
as well.
information as well.

CONTENTS OF HEALTH
EDUCATION
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

Human Biology
Nutrition
Hygiene
Family Health Care
Control of Communicable and NonCommunicable Diseases
Mental health
Prevention of Accidents
Use of Health Services

Human Biology

Nutrition
for

prevention of malnutrition
Taught nutrient value of food stufs
Method of preparation , storage
Help people to choose balanced diet

Hygiene

Personal

Environmental

Family Health Care


Strengthen

and improve the health of the


family as a unit rather than as an
individual.
Maternal and child health care, family
planning, immunization, nutrition, etc.

Control of Communicable and NonCommunicable diseases


Provide

elementary knowledge about the


nature of the diseases and methods of
preventing them.

Mental Health
Depression,

neurosis, mental anxiety and


emotional disturbances
Basic knowledge of common
psychological ailments, its detectio,
methods of prevention and treatment.

Prevention of Accidents
People

taught about basic safety rules


and prevent common accidents.

Use of Health services


People

should be informed about various


health services and preventive
programmes available to them.

STAGES IN ADOPTION OF NEW


IDEAS AND PRACTICES
STAGE OF UNAWARENESS
Not aware of new idea or practice

STAGE OF AWARENESS
Gets some information but not
know much

STAGE OF EVALUATION
Find out advantages &
disadvantages

STAGE OF INTEREST
Shows interest to know more
Listen, read

STAGE OF TRIAL
Puts it into practice

STAGE OF ADOPTION
Accepts new idea as beneficial
to him & adopts it

PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH
EDUCATION
INTEREST
PARTICIPATION
COMPREHENSION
MOTIVATION
REINFORCEMENT
KNOWN TO UNKNOWN
LEARNING

BY DOING
SOIL, SEED & SOWER
COMMUNITY LEADERS
GOOD HEALTH RELATIONS

Interest
Topic

of interest
Identify the felt needs of the people
Then prepare a programme

Participation
Educator

should encourage people to


participate in health education
programmes
Group discussions, panel discussions, etc
provide oppurtunities for peoples
participation
Leads to acceptance

Known to Unknown
Start

with what the people already know


and then give the new knowledge
Existing knowledge as people as the basic
step

Comprehension
Determine

the level of literacy and


understanding of audience.
Language of communication,
understandable to audience
Usage of technical or medical terms
should be avoided.

Reinforcement
Also

called as booster dose


Refers to repetition needed
When not possible for people to learn new
things in short time

Motivation
Defined

as the fundamental desire for learning


in an individual
2 types :
primary motive inborn desires
food, clothing, housing
secondary motive outside forces
gifts, a word of praise,
love, rewards

Learning by Doing
Learning

process accompanied by doing


the new things.
Based on famous Chinese proverb if I
hear, I forget ; if I see, I remember ; if I do,
I know.

Soil, Seed & Sower


Soil

people to whom education is given


Seeds Health facts to be given
Sower media to transmit the facts
All components are interdependent and
result in dynamic interaction.

Good Human Relations


health

educator should have good


personal qualities
Should be able to maintain friendly
relations with people
Should have a kind nad sympathetic
attitude

Community leaders
Leaders

can be used to reach people of


the community and to convince them
about the need for health education.

HINDRANCES OR BARRIERS IN
PROCESS OF COMMUNICATION
Psychological

barriers
emotional disturbances
depression
neurosis
Physiological barriers
difficulties in self-expression
difficulties in hearing or seeing
difficulties in understanding

HINDRANCES
Environmental

barriers
excessive noise
difficulties in vision
congested areas
Cultural barriers
persistent patterns of behaviour, habits,
beliefs, customs, attitudes, religion, etc

EDUCATIONAL AIDS USED IN


HEALTH EDUCATION
1. Audio aids
2. Visual aids
3. Combination of Audio-Visual aids

Audio Aids
Based

on principles of sound, electricity and


magnetism

megaphones
public addressing systems or
microphones
Gramophone records
Tape recorders
Radios
Sound amplifiers

Visual Aids

Based on principles of projection


Projected aids needs projection from a
source on to a screen
films or cinemas
film strips
slides
overhead projectors
epidiascopes
transparencies
bioscopes
video cassettes
silent films

Non-projected Aids do not require


projection
blackboard
pictures
cartoons
photographs
posters
flashcards
charts
brochures
models
Other aids traditional media which makes use of light and sound stimuli
Folk dances and Folk songs
Puppet shows
Dramas

Combination of Audio-Visual Aids


Modern

media available
Sound & sight combined together to
create a better presentation
televisions
tape and slide combinations
Video Cassette Players and Recorders
Motivation pictures or Cinemas
Multimedia Computers

HEALTH EDUCATION FOR THE


GENERAL PUBLIC
Mass

communication literally means


communication that is given to a community
where the people gathered together does not
belong to one particular group.
Advantages
large no. of people can be reached
people of all socio-economic status
irrespective of their caste, creed and religion
Medias
televisions, radios, posters, news papers, etc

ESSENTIALS OF HEALTH
EDUCATON TO THE PUBLIC
1.

Accuracy and Truth

2.

Presentation must be simple

3.

Health education should be factual

4.

Principles of health should be taught

CONCLUSION
In a field such as health, it is natural that
helping people to help themselves
should be as important as direct service.

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