Health Education , Information & Communication

Dr. Rajan Bikram RayamajhiSenior Resident

School of Community Medicine and Tropical DiseasesB. P. Koirala Institute of Health Sciences

Dharan, Nepal

A state of complete physical, mental & social wellbeing & not merely an absence of disease or

infirmity that enables an individual to lead socially & economically productive life.

(WHO Definition of Health)

Health Education is concerned with establishing changes in personal and group attitudes and behavior

that promote healthier living.

It is the foundation of a preventive health care system.

Correct info. is the basic part of health education.

Health education is a process by which individuals and groups of people learn to behave in a manner conclusive to the promotion, maintenance or restoration of health.( John M. Last )

The dynamic definition of Health Education was given by Alma Ata Declaration 1978.

“A process aimed at encouraging people to be healthy, to know how to stay healthy, to do what they can do individually and collectively to maintain health and seek help when needed”.

Information: Inform target groups about the cause of disease its

transmission and how to prevent the disease. (Collection of known facts)

Education: Educate the target groups about techniques of disease

prevention and mode of transmission. (Formal training by specialists)

Communication: A process that informs, motivates and helps people to adopt and maintain healthy practices by using techniques to spread

the knowledge on the disease prevention and health promotion.

(Two way process of exchanging or shaping ideas, feelings, and information)

Health Education given to waste handlers of BPKIHS by Prof. Paras about waste management.

Objectives of Health Education

o Informing people: The first directive of health education is to inform people or disseminate scientific knowledge about prevention of disease and promotion of health.

o Motivating People: Simply informing people about health is not enough. They must be motivated to change their habits and ways of living, since many present day problems of community health require alteration of human behavior or changes in the health practices which are detrimental to health.

• Guiding into action: Health education can and should be conducted by a variety of health, education and communication personnel, in a variety of settings.

• People need to be encouraged to use judiciously and wisely the health services available.

IEC is a broad term comprising a range of approaches, activities and outputs.

Although the most visible component of IEC is frequently the material producer and user, such as posters hanging on clinic walls,

Materials are only one component.

Effective IEC makes use of a full range of approaches and activities.

The sole purpose of communication is to influence others.

Approaches: Use of mass media to inform.

Activities: Include designing and providing training in communication skills , carrying out research on audiences (what information is needed in an effective way)

Objective:

To raise the health awareness of the people

To enable them to identify health issues, develop positive attitude towards health care and increase access to new information and technology of health and health programs for the people

o Goal: To raise health awareness of issues, which influence peoples agendas, help them clarify their values and to acquire knowledge, skills by means of changing attitudes, beliefs, values, behavior, or norms within individual or groups of individuals.

The goals may be achieved at different levels.

o Cognitive level: in terms of increase in knowledge.

o Affective: In terms of changing existing patterns of behavior and attitudes.

o Psychomotor: In terms of acquiring new skills. o

Communication Process

Sender Message Channel Receiver

Feedback

o 1. Sender (source): Communicator

o 2. Receiver: (audience): Single person or group of people. (Homogenous audience is better)

o 3. Message (content): Meaningful, based on felt needs, clear and understandable, specific and adequate, interesting, culturally and socially appropriate.

o 4. Channels(medium): o Interpersonal communication

o Mass Mediao Traditional or folk media

o 5. Feedback (effect): Reaction of the audience to the message

Types of CommunicationIt can be vertical/horizontal and intra/inter communication.

oOne way communication: Flow of communication in one way from the communicator to the audience. e.g. lecture methods in class rooms.

oTwo way communication: oIn which both the communicator and the audience take part. Opinions, Views and Ideas are ventilated.

oVerbal communication:Direct verbal communication by word of mouth. It may loaded with hidden meanings.

oNon-verbal communication: Communication can occur even without words. Body movements, facial expressions, gestures, symbolic representation and silence .

o Formal and Informal Communication: Formal follows lines of authority and Informal is like

grape vine. Informal includes Gossips, chatting. Informal communication is more active and is present in every institute.

o Visual communication: Charts and graphs, pictograms, tables, maps, patterns.

o Telecommunication and Internet: o Radio, TV and Internet are for mass communication.

Telephone, telex are point to point telecommunication system. Point to point communication is much closer to interpersonal communication.

Barriers in Communication o 1. Physiological- Difficulties in hearing or expression.

o 2. Psychological- Language, Emotional disturbances, Neurosis and Comprehension difficulties.

o 3. Environmental- Noise, Invisibility and Congestion.

o 4. Cultural- Illiteracy, Level of Knowledge and Understandings, Religion, Social class differences, Language variations, Cultural differences between foreigners and nationals.

Health Communication

The Role of IEC in HIV/AIDS Prevention

o Postponement of first sexual encounter

o Decrease in multiple sex partner

o Increase in condom use

o Increase use of health services to treat STDs

o Increase use of clean syringes by injecting Drug

Users etc.

Applications of IEC in Health and Disease

Role of HEIC in National Health Programs

Being a major components of health promotion, HEIC provide basis about health related issues to the individuals and the community and help them exercise responsible and voluntary choices.

Process of Behavoural Change Behavioral Change Model

Unaware

Aware

Concerned

Knowledgeable and Skilled

Motivator to Change

Ready to Change

Trial Change of Behavior

Adoption of New Behavior

Operational Studies and Impact of HEIC Program

o The main sources of information about family planning are radio, friends, and neighbors.

o 80% of married women discuss their family size with their spouse which is the result of IEC.

o Increased ANC, delivery by trained health worker.

Mother Group

Adoption of New Ideas and Practiceso Awareness: The person has some very general

information about the idea and knows very little about its usefulness, limitations, and applicability.

o Interest: At this stage person seeks more detailed information.

o Evaluation: The person weighs the pros and cons of the practice and evaluates its usefulness to oneself or ones family.

o Trial: Practicing for the first time and needs additional information help to overcome the problems

o Adoption: At this stage person decides that the new practice is good and adopts it.

Health Education and Health Propaganda

o To educate means to cause or facilitate learning so health education is more than mere information or propaganda. oBehavior centered

o Propaganda means to spread particular systemized doctrine. o Information centered

Thank You