Dr. Shivashankar.K.Department of Public Health

Dentistry

PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH EDUCATION

Introduction

Definition of Health Education.

Aim and Specific Objectives of Health Education.

Communication process

Practice

Main principles of Health Education.

Types of Health Education.

Different approaches in Health Education.

CONTENTS

Latin word “Educare” and “Educere” which

means to bring out and to lead

Imparting information about health

Motivating the recipient to use the information

provided.

Vital for prevention

INTRODUCTION

Health education is a process that informs, motivates and helps people adopt and maintain healthy practices and lifestyles, advocates environmental changes as needed to facilitate this goal and conducts professional training and research to the same end

- National Conference on Preventive Medicine U.S.A

DEFINITION

Communicator: the person or the team give the message (Educator). Message: the contents (materials) of health educationChannel: method of carrying the messageAudience: the receivers (users or targets) of the message

COMMUNICATION PROCESS

SENDER MESSAGE CHANNEL RECIEVER

FEEDBACK

Source credibility.

Clear message.

Good channel: individual, group & mass education.

Receiver: ready, interested, not occupied.

Feed back.

Observe non-verbal cues.

Active listing.

Establishing good relationship.

GOOD COMMUNICATION TECHNIQUE

AIM

Aims of Health education

Health promotion and disease prevention.

Early diagnosis and management.

Utilization of available

health services.

Informing people

Motivating people

Guiding into action

OBJECTIVES

1-Individual

Face to face

Education through spoken word.

A- Occasions of health appraisal.

B- Home visits Nurses

Health visitors

Social workers

PRACTICE

2-Group

a. Lessons and lectures in schools.

b. lectures in work places e.g. factories.

c. Demonstration and training

3- Mass media.

1. Broadcasting: radio & TV.

2. Written word: newspapers, posters, booklets.

3. Others e,g, theaters.

PROCESS

1. Credibility• Degree to which the message is perceived as trustworthy

by the receiver.

• Scientifically proven

• Compatible with culture and social goals

2. Interest • Listening

• Felt needs should be assessed

PRINCIPLES

3. Participation• Encourage participation

• Leads to acceptance

• Group discussion, panel discussion

4. Motivation• The fundamental desire for learning in an individual

• Primary motives- inborn desires

• Secondary motives- results of outside force

• Eg, teen ager- esthetics and adults economic

PRINCIPLES

5. Comprehension• Level of understanding of the receiver

• Determine the level of literacy and understanding of the audience

• Never use new or strange words

• Avoid Technical or medical words

Eg, eat food items which are non cariogenic

6. Reinforcement• Repetition

• Learning new things in short period is not possible

• Booster dose

PRINCIPLES

7. Learning by doing• Learning process should be accomplished by doing

• Chinese proverb

Eg. Brushing technique

8. Known to unknown• How much the people already know

• Existing knowledge can be used as basis step

PRINCIPLES

9. Setting an exampleShould follow what he preaches

Eg. Anti tobacco counseling

10. Good human relationsGood personal qualities

Maintain friendly relations with the people

Helpful

Clarify doubts of people.

PRINCIPLES

11. Feedback To find out any modification is necessary to make program more effective

12. Community leadersLeaders will have a good rapport

Familiar with people of their community

Will have better understanding about the needs of their community

Eg. Head of the village, headmasters.

PRINCIPLES

13. Soil, seed and sower• Soil- people• Seeds- health facts (truthful)• Sower- transmitting media (attractive, palatable and

acceptable)

PRINCIPLES

Social and cultural gap between the sender and the receiver

Limited receptiveness of receiver

Negative attitude of the sender

Limited understanding and memory

Insufficient emphasis by the sender (health professional)

Contradictory messages

Health education without identifying the “needs "of the community

BARRIERS OF COMMUNICATION

STAGES OF HEALTH EDUCATION

Stages For Health Education

Stage of Sensitization

Stage of Publicity

Stage of Education

Stage of Attitude change

Stage of Motivation and Action

Stage of Community Transformation (social change)

STAGES OF PRACTICE

Stages of adoption of new ideas

Stage of unawareness

Stage of awareness

Stage of interest

Stage of evaluation

Stage of trial

Stage of adoption

Approaches To Health Education.

Individual Approach

Counseling.

Clinic Consultation.

On-site Visit.

Group Approach

Lectures.

Group Or Panel Discussion.

Workshop, Seminars.

Mass Approach

Radio, T.V

Newspapers.

Printed Materials.

Internet

1. Soben peter. Essentials of preventive and community dentistry. 4th edition.

2. Park.K. Textbook of preventive and social medicine. 16th edition

3. Joseph John textbook of preventive and community and preventive dentistry. 2nd edition.

REFERENCES

Thank you