Question

discuss the important elements of effective health education materials.

Discuss content, format, distribution efforts...what other factors are important?

Answer 1

Effectiveness of health education depends on health education materials to a great extent. There should be following important elements in health education material:

1. content

• be concise
• use common language
• provide important information

2. Writing style

• Use short sentences/ paragraphs
• Use active voice mostly

3. Appeal/ document style

• Use images/diagrams
• Use appealing font type and size

4. Cultural sensitivity and appropriateness

• Use preferrable and respectful terms
• Keep in mind the complementary treatment practices being followed
• Keep in mind visual or any other functional impairment if present.

factors affecting health education material are

1. content: content of the health education material should be comprehensible to the audience. Short list/sentences/ paragraphs should be used.
2. format: appropriate font size, style should be used to make that appealing to audience.
3. Distribution efforts: more accessible the material , more health literacy will be created. So material should be such that it should be distributed and accessible to the audience.
4. Cultural sensitivity: the extent to which material is culturally linked to audience, more effective that will be. Content of material should also be culturally sensitive so that audience can relate to them.