INFORMATION EDUCATION

COMMUNICATION

Definition

IEC can be defined as an approach which attempts

to change or reinforce a set of behaviors in a target

audience regarding specific problem in a

predefined period of time.

Reproductive health and research, WHO

IEC concept

Aims

• To change the health behavior of individuals, family and

community.

• To prepare background or basis for change in health

behavior.

• To change the norms of the community.

• To facilitate education for audience about public health

and to create awareness in public opinion.

• To obtain social, political support for health activities.

Scope or Fields of IEC in relation to healthPrimary health

carePrevention /control on

communicable diseases.

Reproductive health/maternal and child health

services.

Family welfareNutritional services

Personal hygiene

Approaches of IEC

The approaches of IEC are based upon following fields

or subjects

• Diffusion theory

• Social marketing

• Behavioural analysis

• Instructive design

• Anthropology

INFORMATION

This consists of providing

scientific knowledge to the

people about the health

problems and how to

prevent them and promote

and maintain health.

Definition

Health education can be defined as 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.

The Declaration of Alma Ata(1978)

Aims and objectives• To encourage people to adopt and sustain health promoting life

style and practices.

• To promote the proper use of health services available to them.

• To arouse interest, provide new knowledge, improve skills and

change attitudes in making rational decisions to solve their own

problems.

• 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 solve them.

Approaches to health education

• Regulatory

• Service approach

• Health education

approach

• Primary health care

approach

Models of health education

• Medical model

• Motivation model

• Social intervention model

Principles of health education

1. Credibility

2. Interest

3. Participation

4. Motivation

5. Comprehension

6. Reinforcement

Principles of health education

7. Learning by doing

8. Known to unknown

9.Setting an example

10. Good human relations

11. Feed back

12. Leaders

COMMUNICATION

• The word communication is derived

from latin word, communicare which

means to participate, to inform, or

impart.

• Communication can be regarded as a

two way process of exchanging or

shaping ideas, feelings and information.

The process of communication

Types of communication

• One way communication

• Two way communication

• Verbal communication

• Non verbal communication

• Formal and Informal communication

• Visual communication

• Tele communication and internet

Barriers of communication

• Physiological

• Linguistic barriers

• Psychological

• Organizational barriers

• Environmental

• Cultural

Functions of Health communication• Information

• Education

• Motivation

• Persuasion

• Counseling

• Raising morale

• Health development

• Health organization

AUDIOVISUAL AIDS

• Auditory aids

• Visual aids

o Not requiring projection

o Requiring projection

• Combined AV aids

METHODS IN HEALTH COMMUNICATION

• Individual approach

• Group approach

• Mass approach

Measures for successful Communication

• Clarity of thought with simple and understandable language.

• Use two way communication

• Usefulness of health message

• Proper use of audio visual aids, gestures, words and pictures.

• Credibility and genuiness of communication.

• Topics for health education according to requirement, feelings, beliefs

and experiences of people.

• Latest and reliable information.

• Correct medium or method of communication.

• Appropriate attention to verbal as well as non verbal messages.

Measures for successful Communication

• Increase communication skill by

Be confident in your ability to relate people.

Be honest with your feelings.

Be sensitive to the needs of others.

Be consistent and know yourself.

Recognize symptoms of anxiety.

Recognize differences.

Use words carefully.

Recognize and evaluate your actions and responses.

Be careful in non verbal communication.

STEPS FOR HEALTH EDUCATION PROGRAMME

Process of health education

• Giving information/questioning

• Contracting

• Demonstration and return demonstration

• Environmental cuing

• Group norms

• System change.

IEC STRATEGY

Planning strategy Implementing strategy

Monitoring and evaluation of strategy

BEHAVIOUR CHANGE COMMUNICATION (BCC)

BCC can be defined as a process

that motivates people to adopt and

sustain healthy behavior and life

styles

Steps for BCC Programme.

• Analysis

• Strategic design

• Development and pretesting

• Implementation and monitoring

• Evaluation

HEALTH EDUCATION AGENCIES

International level

• International union for health education

• Health Education and Health Promotion

HEHP(WHO)

• Division of Public information and Public

relation(WHO)

National level

• Central Health Education Bureau (CHEB)

• Under the Ministry and Broad casting,

different division or units are playing

important part in providing health education to

community.

Central Health Education Bureau (CHEB)

Objectives

• To make available facilities of communication for health education.

• To carry out training and research in health education.

• To exchange latest information about the development and

programmes.

• To publish and distribute various health bulletins, magazines and

information.

• To provide technical support to central and state health services and

various health organizations.

Central Health Education Bureau (CHEB)

Divisions

1. Training division

2. Publicity division

3. Editorial division

4. Health education division

5. Regional study division

6. Exhibition center division

7. Professional syllabus division

8. Research and evaluation division

Under the Ministry and Broad casting, different division or units

• Press information Bureau(PIB)

• Directorate of field publicity

• Directorate of advertising and Visual publicity

• Prasar Bharti

• Songs and Drama division

• National medical Library

State level• State Health Education Bureau

• IEC bureau under their health ministry.

• Besides the state agencies, the

divisions/wings/units of central health

education agencies

District level

• All district level health officers

• family planning officers

• RCH wings .

• District information centres

• District Collector

Local level

• In cities; Municipalities, municipal corporation,

development authorities etc

• In villages panchayats, Block development officers

• Beside these various NGOS and voluntary

organizations, health and nursing professional

associations  

NURSES RESPONSIBILITY IN IEC

NURSES RESPONSIBILITY IN IEC

The nurse should consider the following points in health

education

• To gain confidence of people.

• To arouse the interest in people about good health.

• To motivate them to bring about changes in habits for healthy

life.

• To prepare them for utilization of available health services.

• To develop a sense of responsibility among people towards

good health of the whole community.

NURSES RESPONSIBILITY IN IEC

A friendly and cooperative feeling should be kept for

health education.

The opportunities for health education should be widely

used.

It is necessary to select the subject matter cautiously. The

nurse should be proficient in the art of incidental and

timely health education.

It is necessary to use appropriate audio visual aids to

enhance the effect of health education.

NURSES RESPONSIBILITY IN IEC

The sufficient preparation and cooperation of the government

and voluntary agencies, central health education bureau, state

health education bureau, directorate of audio visual publicity,

local leaders, teachers, health workers etc.

It is necessary to remove various obstacles in communication.

Health education should be planned and continuous.

Periodical evaluation and expected correction of health

education programmes with the help of various tools and

observation are also the responsibilities of a nurse.