14. It has already been mentioned that the health education should be
need based. It has, therefore, to be specific and relevant to the problems and
the available solution. It is a wasteful exercise or occupation if unwanted
details and information are included in the content. The content should always
aim at the focus or s\essence. Otherwise, the client will not only show lack of
attention or interest but may miss the essential points.
For example, there is no need for telling the lay people about all the
latest research on a particular health problem. It is a common tendency of many
professionals and para-professional health workers to try to impress the
audience with all the scientific knowledge and reach details which they have
learnt. The common man is only interested in knowing what the problem is and
its solution.
15. Related to health and daily way of life there may be many practices
and behaviour which may or may not have any basic connected knowledge and
attitude. It is the essential function of any health educator to find out the
existing behavioural patterns and their basis. If any change of behaviour is
required from a wrong practice to a supposed right practice the process of
health education should aim at removing the wrong idea and its connected
attitude and then introducing correct ideas, attitude and practices.
16. It must be remembered that people are not absolutely without any
information or ideas. There is always some perception or belief, etc. which
should be studied first before health education can be started. The health
educator should remember that he is not merely passing information but he is
giving an opportunity for the clients to analyses fresh ideas with old ideas
compare by past experience and take decisions which are found favorable and
beneficial.
17. A grave danger with health education programmes is the pumping in of
a bulk of information in one exposure or enthusiasm to give all possible
information. Since it is essentially a learning process the process of
education should be done step by step and wite due attention to the different
principles of communication.
18.
Health education can be for individual, group or community. As has already been
mentioned it should provide an opportunity for the client or clients to go
through the stages of identification of problems, planning, implementation,
evaluation and so on. This is of special importance in the health education of
the community. The principles of community organization, viz., the
identification of opinion leaders, identification of problems and planning,
implementing and evaluating are to be done with full involvement of the
community to make it the community’s own programme.
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