methods of health education

1. Strategies and Methods of
Health Education
Prof. Aida Mohey
Head of community Medicine department
aida_mohey@yahoo.com

2. Learning Objectives
1. Describe the categories of health
education strategies: community
organization, training, and
communication.
2. Identify methods used in each of the
three categories of strategies.
3. Identify the criteria of selecting the
appropriate strategy and method

3. HEP
Question
What are the health educational
strategies?
Answer
1. Communication strategy
2. Training strategy
3. Organizational strategy
Each strategy has its own channels/ methods

4. These are the techniques in
which series of activities are
carried out to communicate
ideas, information and develop
necessary skills and attitude.
Method of health
education

5. I. Communication strategy
Health communication includes verbal and written
strategies to influence individuals, groups, and
communities to make healthier choices.
Communication can be direct or indirect through
mass media

6. When do you use direct
communication strategy?
 It is directed towards Predisposing factors to:
 build awareness
 change beliefs and attitudes
 clarify values
 The three first phases in the process of changing
behavior namely:
 unawareness (pre contemplation),
 thoughtful thinking and intention to act
(contemplation)
 preparation.

7. 1. Educational methods that influence predisposing
factors will only have short term effects.
2. Methods that influence reinforcing factors will have
an intermediate effect. They are more expensive than
communication methods.
3. Health education interventions that are designed to
influence predisposing, reinforcing and enabling
factors will produce long-term behavioral change.
4. Strategies addressed to enabling factors are most
expensive
5. Some methods have to be pretested before being
used as posters, songs, films, puppet show

8. Methods/channels
1. Print material : Pamphlets, Posters, Flip charts
2. Folk media (useful for children): puppet shows, role
plays, story–telling, fables ( (
‫اساطير‬
3. Mass media: Newspapers and magazines, Radio and
televisions announcement, advertisements, dramas
4. Visual electronic media: Videos, films and internet
5. Personal communication: Counseling, Group
discussion, Health talks
6. Special events: Awareness days (e.g World TB day,
24 March)
7. Mixture of methods: Displays
There are seven types of methods/channels used in
communication strategy.

10. To give
information
and advice.
To give
directions and
instructions.
To announce
important
events and
programs.
Can be used effectively for three purposes
10

11. 1. All words should be in the local language.
2. Words should be few and simple.
3. Symbols that illiterate people will also
understand should be used.
4. Colors should be used to attract attention.
5. Only one idea should be included in a poster.
Too many ideas will make the poster look
clumsy and confuse people. If you have
several ideas to pass on, use a flipchart.
6. Posters should be placed where people can
see them
A number of rules should be
followed in developing posters
11

12.  A flip chart is made of a number of posters
that are meant to be shown one after the
other.
 The purpose of its use is to give information
and instructions or record information.
 They are best used with small groups (25 or
less)
 In using flip charts each chart should be
discussed completely before you turn to the
next one. 12

14. 1. Sensitive health problem that
cannot be dealt with in group e.g
tuberculosis, STDs,……
2. The problem that is not shared
by the group or is not the focus
of the discussion or lecture
3. During visits to health services:
1. Preventive
2. Curative
4. Resistant person refuses to join
group activity.
Uses
Health education with an individual

15. Counseling means choice and not force or advice.
 Counselling is a talking therapy that involves a trained therapist listening
to you and helping you find ways to deal with emotional issues.
 Counseling is the process of encouraging and helping an individual in
identifying problem, exploring cause of problem and identify the way
of its solution
 The decision of action strategies is made on Client's own choice
with least of advice from the counselor

16. Example: family planning
counselling
The role is to support a woman and
her partner in:
1. Choosing the method of family
planning that best suits them and
2. Solving any problems that may arise
with the selected method.

17. Health Education with groups
A group:
Gathering of two or more persons who have
common interests.
Groups can be
- formal (pupils, local committees etc)
- informal (clients attending a clinic).

18. The educational methods for
groups
1. Heath talks
2. Lectures
3. Group discussions
4. Demonstration
5. Case studies: enable clients to obtain
thinking skills
6. Role playing

19.  The most common way for
sharing knowledge and
facts with groups.
 It is similar to a lecture but
it is of short duration (20-
30 minutes) and must be
followed by a group
discussion of at least 15
minutes for responding to
questions.
 The use of visual electronic
media, or printed materials
(posters, flipcharts) etc, can
improve the effectiveness
of the talk.

20. Health talk
Advantages
1. Inexpensive
2. Allow for immediate response to
questions
3. Allow tailoring of message to
specific audience needs

21. Health talk
Limitations
1. Success depends almost entirely on
the ability of the speaker to
communicate skillfully and attract
the audience
2. The speaker must have the accurate
information.
3. The audience members must come
to the speaker (attendance).

22. A group discussion is the communication
between members of a specific group on a
topic of interest.
The size of the group depends on the purpose
of carrying out the group discussion
 To solve a problem the size should be 2-3 persons
 To change attitudes the size should be 4-6
persons
 To share information, the size should be 7-15
persons

25. Rules for group discussion
1. The discussion should be held in a place that
is comfortable and allows privacy to
encourage people to talk.
2. The size of the group should be decided
according to the purpose of the discussion.
3. The time allowed for discussion should be
considered for all members, normal duration
15-20 minutes.

26. 4. The leader should not dominate the
group. His role is to
 help in the discussion
 clarify certain points
 summarize the final ideas
5. Each member should be respected and
encouraged to take some part in the
discussion.
6. The group should put its own plans for
action and own goals. e.g. Quit smoking
among a group of adolescents.