Approaches to Health Education Research Assignment (Essay Sample)

APPROACHES TO HEALTH EDUCATION 
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Various approaches are used to create public awareness in issues related to health with an aim of safeguarding individuals from possible causes of ill-health. Health education has been constantly used to reduce the rate of spread of many diseases and infections. This kind of education involves giving people advice and information geared to creating a society less prone to diseases. Practicing nurses, teachers, health visitors are among the professions that offer health education. Different approaches are used to convey health education messages to the targeted audience. In this paper, three approaches to healthcare education are explained in details. Mass media, community development, and social marketing are the approaches considered.
According to Wakefield, Loken, and Hornik (2010, p. 1265), mass media is a tool used to convey messages to a large number of people through channels such as television, billboards, radio, leaflets, newspapers, posters and magazines. This approach has various advantages and limitations when used to avail health tips to people. Health improvement and safeguarding information broadcasted through this approach is obtained from different organizations such as charities, The World Health Organization, and the government. Leavy, et al. (2011, p. 675) ascertain that leaflets are widely used in putting across well-designed health information in simplified words and explanations. The scholar adds that leaflets are designed with catching fonts and bright colours to draw the attention of the targeted audience and thus, convey their content successfully. Minkler (2012, p.54) argues that leaflets are persuasive and attractive ways of delivering health messages to the audience in situations where feedback is not required.
Radio adverts are also widely used to broadcast health related information. Nutbeam, Harris, and Wise (2010, p.46) affirm that this approach is effective since it has the capacity to put across information to a large population over a short period of time. However, radio adverts are done over a limited time due to tight schedules in most broadcasting stations. Television sets can also be used to broadcast health tips. According to Tones, Robinson, and Tilford (2013, p.25), TVs offers the best channels of conveying information to the audience due to their ability to provide visual appeal and thus offer a better understanding. However, the use of this approach is limited especially in rural areas where the majority of the people do not have electronics of this nature. According to Korda and Itani (2013, p.20), raising consciousness about health care issues, conveying information in a simplified manner and placing health on the public agenda are among the major benefits obtained from using televisions to put across health information.
Community development is a widely used approach to health education. Minkler and Wallerstein (2011, p.200) refer to this approach as a tool that integrates informal education, organization development and collective action to define beneficial and harmful behaviours to one’s health. This channel uses different interventions to attain desired objectives. Minkler (2012, p.54) affirms that this approach focuses on holistic action in ensuring total well-being in the society. This is accomplished by implementing measures designed to deliver mutual health benefits to the community through collective action. Empowerment is also used as a strategy of putting across health education. According to Hart (2013, p.27), empowerment is built through organization development by aiding bodies and groups in the community to evolve a form that helps the members of the society to achieve set health goals. Minkler (2012, p.55) ascertains that informal education that occurs predominantly through direct participation in community activities is the best tool for conveying health-related messages, especially in the rural areas.
Community development approach has various pros and setbacks when used in health education. According to Hart (2013, p.30), the approach focuses on the primary causes of ill-health and therefore, providing an opportunity to eradicate diseases. Further, the author adds that when the strategy is used effectively, it reduces the chances of inequality in access to health information. However, the approach is time-consuming and quantifying its success is difficult (Minkler, 2012, p.56).
Social marketing is also a common approach to health education. Wymer (2011, p.18) defines this strategy as the application of marketing techniques that aid in solving social and health problems. The scholar argues that the approach focuses on identifying health needs among the people and then designing measures to address the issues. The approach satisfies the health education criteria by helping people realize the health-related risks surrounding them and how they can minimize or eradicate the potential causes of ill-health. The application of this approach depends on the chosen marketing mix. Nutbeam, Harris, and Wise (2010, p. 107) refer to this mix as a wide range of varied interventions applied when selling products and services to a targeted market. Social marketing uses marketing strategies such as price, product, place, and promotion to reach its target audience (Wymer, 2011, p.20). Posters on public transport vehicles and use o...