Edgar Dale’s Cone of

Experience
Background

Years ago an educator named Edgar

Dale (Educational Media, 1960), often
cited as the father of modern media in
education, developed from his experience
in teaching and his observations of
learners the "cone of experience”. The
cone's utility in selecting instructional
resources and activities is as practical
today as when Dale created it.
THE CONE
PEOPLE GENERALLY REMEMBER …

• 10% of what they read

• 20% of what they hear
• 30% of what they see
• 50% of what they hear and see - video
• 70% of what they say or write
• 90% of what they say as they do
something
Pie Graph on Senses
and Perception
1.5%
3.5%

1%
11 %

83%
Retention Rate Levels
 Interpreting the Cone
▪ The cone is based on the
relationships of
various educational
experiences to reality
(real life).
▪ The bottom level of the
cone, "direct
purposeful experiences,"
represents reality
or the closest things to real,
everyday life.
▪ The opportunity for a
learner to use a variety
or several senses (sight,
smell, hearing,
touching, movement) is
considered in the cone.
▪ Direct experience
allows us to use all
senses. As you move
up the cone, fewer
senses are involved at
each level.
▪ The more sensory channels possible in
interacting with a resource, the better the
chance that many students can learn from it.

▪ Each level of the cone above its base moves a

learner a step further away from real- life
experiences, so experiences focusing only on
the use of verbal symbols are the furthest
removed from real life.
▪ Motion pictures (also television) is
where it is on the cone because it is an
observational experience with little or
no opportunity to participate or use
senses other than seeing and hearing.
▪ The experiences below this one provide
opportunity for the learner to enter into
the experience in more ways, using
more senses.
▪ Contrived experiences
are ones that are highly
participatory and
simulate real life
situations or activities.
▪ Dramatized
experiences are
defined as experiences
in which the learner
acts out a role or
activity.
NOTE THAT:

▪ When Dale formulated the cone of

experience, computers were not a
part of educational or home settings,
so they aren't part of the original
cone.
Dale’s Cone & Teaching
The importance of Dale's cone of experience
is the tool it provides to help an educator
make decisions about resources or activities.
Using your knowledge of the cone, you can
ask yourself several questions about the
potential value of a resource to student
learning.
PRINCIPLE OF ORAL HEALTH
EDUCATION
What is Health Education ?
 It is a process with intellectual , psychological,
and social dimensions relating to activities which
increase the abilities of people to make
informed decisions affecting their personal
,family and community well being .This process
based on scientific principles ,facilitates learning
and behavioral change in both health personnel
and consumers, including children and youth.
The American Association of Public Health
 What is Health Education ?
In a narrow definition,
Education connotes the acquisition of
knowledge or skills as a result of
Instruction or study.
PATIENT EDUCATION
 Patient Knowledge-
begins with the
patient’s first contact
with the dental office
and continues
throughout every
encounter thereafter.
 Non-professional
sources such as:
a. radio
b. television
c. printed media
d. by word of mouth
 Dental health educator actually has 3 part
role of :
1. teaching the patient new information.
2. reinforcing old information that
is still valid.
3. correcting misinformation.
Scope of Patient education
 There are 5 Important occasions in a dental office
where patient education occurs.
 1. Informing the patient of office policies and
procedure.
 2. Explaining why a specific treatment or treatment
plan is necessary ,its cost and how it will be
accomplished.
 3.Explaining how preventive procedures can alleviate
dental disease process and how this procedures can
be achieved.
 4. Conveying instruction to the patient about
postoperative care.
 5. Informing the patient of expected noises and
procedures .
Learning about the patient
 Types of Patients
 3 types of patients : (by
Harris)
1. Those who can learn and
are willing to learn- the
most desirable type of
individuals to have as
dental patients.
2. Those who can learn but
are not willing to learn –
most commonly
encountered in dentistry.
3. Those who are unable to
learn but are willing-
often becomes gratifying
patients.
The patient’s attitude
 Motivation- putting more external
pressure on such an individual will not
likely produces the desired long term
behavior .
 It is important to assess the changing
needs and motivations of the patients
prior to and during treatment.
Means of gathering patient
information
- Patient’s attitude, intellect, physical status.
Information is necessary for health educator in
order to:
1. Assess the patient’s needs.
2. Recognized and determine patients values.
3. Develop future goals and treatment
objectives
4. Plan for an individualized information
/instructional phase.
5. Evaluate the progress made by the patient
over a period of time.
 Formal interview – a
formal approach to
information gathering.
 Objective of the
interview :
- to elicit and
consolidate all possible
objective and
subjective information.
- individualized health
education and
treatment plan.
 patient’s history form and the result of
the dental examination.
 History should be examine carefully-
indication of physical and neurological
condition.
 Listening : is an
essential part of the
interview
- is an art that require
practice, patience,
imagination.
- Attentive listening to
patient is absolutely
essential.
- Effective listening is not
simply a passive
process it is a learned
skill.
 Improving listening skills
 First step in getting ready to listen –concentrate
and be attentive.
-Active listening requires both mental and physical
practice.
-Good listening takes time , effort and energy
-What is being said verbally should be considered
along with the manner in which it is being
presented .
verbal behavior- posture , eye contact, body
movements, facial expression and energy level
-An open mind- continually search for underlying
meanings and ideas about what is being said
KEY PRINCIPLES IN AN EDUCATIONAL
PROGRAM
 Information and Instruction alone do not
insure learning .
6 “Rule of thumb” to help aid retention when
providing recommendation and
instructions to patients:
 1. Present key pieces of information early
in the presentation.
 2. Tailor language to suits the individual
patient.
 3. Repeat the message.
 4. Allow time for question.
 5.Provide written instruction.
 6.Aid the patient to repeat key
instructions.
SETTING REALISTIC PREVENTIVE GOALS
AND OBJECTIVES

 A goal can be defined as something one

desires enough to put forth effort to
achieve.
 An objective is a specific action or
activity designed to help reach that goal.
 The patient should be an active participant
at every stage of the preventive oral health
program , but must be especially active in
determining the goals and objectives.
 The clinician should keep the following
questions in mind:
 How can the patient, with the help from the
dental team ,achieve optimum oral health ?
 What would the patient like to accomplish
immediately or in the future?
Appraisal / Feedback

 Feedback is information provided to the

patient by the dental professionals
concerning the progress, or lack of
progress, being made by the patient in
learning an oral hygiene regimen.
 Negative feedback- looks of disapproval or
lack of interest, threatened Punishment ,
negative comments and disagreement.
 Positive feedback more appropriate for the
dental situation .It consists of manifestation
as looks of approval , nodding in assent,
showing interest, positive comments , and
expressed or implied agreement.
 Positive feedback should be provided
whenever patients demonstrate that they
know how to perform a technique correctly.
Characteristic of an Effective feed back
According to De Vito
1. Immediateness
2. Honesty
3. Appropriateness
4. Clarity
5. Informativeness
REINFORCEMENT
 Reinforcement of personal oral hygiene.
 It can occur at every possible
opportunity.
 It can occur at each visit to the dental
office , where prevention should be an
integral component of all treatment.
 reinforcement is necessary to insure the
continuation of lifelong habits ,It is
especially applicable for those individuals
who are willing to cooperate.
COUNSELING
 It is the final stage of the interview –health education
process. by this time all the information pertaining to
the patient’s condition has been made known to the
dentist and explained to the patient.
 Appropriate health education has been provided to
teach the patient the cause to his/her oral disease
and the methods by which it can be prevented
,arrested, reversed, or maintained to minimize its
impact.
 At the counseling session, the patient should be given
a concise and clearly written statement summarizing
the identified oral problems, and the recommended
solutions.
REWARDS

 It is during the counseling session that any

reward system should be considered .
 SUMMARY
 Patients education is an integral part of the
aspects of dentistry.
 The entire dental health team should be
actively involved in planning, designing ,
and implementing patient education .
 The patient should also be full partner in
developing all stages of the personal oral
health care program, especially in
formulating the goals and objectives .
 In order to insure a planned solution to a
patient’s problem ,the health educator has
3 sequential forum:
 1. Interview
 2. Education
 3. Counseling

 In each of this forum an evaluation mechanism

should be available that will allow both the
health educator and the patient to measure
progress.
UNDERSTANDING HUMAN
MOTIVATION
▣ Dentist are not people
oriented.
▣ They are technique
oriented.
▣ They don’t know
enough about people.
▣ The only trouble is
that they have to
work with and on
people.
▣ “The first thing we
should learn is that ,
to every
tooth there is
attached a person.” –
Charles W. Jarvis
D.D.S.
 The Problem
▣ Why people avoid
dental treatment :
1. Habitual personal
neglect of the
individual patient .
2. Perceived high cost of
dental care.
3. Pessimism and
ignorance concerning
dental diseases and
dental treatment .
4. Fear and anxiety of a
conscious and
unconscious nature.
5. Negative feedback
about dentistry.
6. Previous painful
experiences and perceived
negative dentist behavior.
All of the allegation are
people to people
problems.
Can be solved by effective
educational programs and
by an understanding ,
sensitive, and common
sense interpersonal
relationship between the
health professional and
the patient.
 Psychology and education in
prevention program
▣ Preventive Dentistry can be effectively
implemented by using five actions :
1. Plaque Control

2. Sugar discipline

3. Fluoride Therapy

4. Use of pit and fissure sealant

5. Education

* Successful : interaction of health professionals

and patients to achieve and maintain a
maximum level of oral health.
 3 Major factors necessary for
both dentist and patient to
achieve this rapport:
▣ Information
▣ Motivation
▣ Psychomotor skills ( physical and neurological
handicaps )
▣ Interrelationships of education ,motivation ,
human values, socioeconomic needs and
behavioral modification will be considered.

*All with the objective of helping the health

professional to become a more understanding ,
knowledgeable and effective health educator and
health counselor.
▣ The task of educating the patient ,the health
professional, and the community can be greatly
simplified by a knowledge of and the
application of a few basic percepts of
educational psychology and human
motivation.
▣ Sources of information: for any preventive
dentistry program to succeed, information
must be available to both the health
professional and the patient as to what needs to
be done ,and how it is to be accomplished.
▣ The void between the information possessed by
the lay person and the health professional is great.

▣ This gap poses a problem in health education

.since human tend to seek what they already
believe , and to avoid exposure to anything that
would mandate change.
▣ As a result of the disparity in backgrounds, the
task of the dentist is to attempt to fit new
information into a framework of what is already
known to the patient.
Methods for facilitating learning
▣ The learning process :
Since information transmittal involves learning ,it is desirable to turn to
the teaching profession as to how information is best imparted to assure
long term retention.

▣ Bloom’s taxonomy of educational objectives: 6 levels of learning

attainment that proceeds from a complete lack of information to goal
attainment .

1.Knowledge
2. Comprehension
3.Application
4.Analysis
5. Synthesis
6.Evaluation

Most teaching today is at the entering knowledge stage.upon mastery of this

stage ,the learner only can define ,repeat,or name facts it is only partial.
the average person knows and
comprehends the fact that
brushing and flossing will
clean the teeth, even
demonstrate that they can
brush their teeth .
but how many people can
evaluate the effectiveness of
their efforts?
How many can analyze where
there are problems , and
how many can propose
innovations to their personal
oral hygiene program that
might make it more
effective?
 Merging motivation and
education :
▣ Second way of looking at the educational process (
other than bloom’s hierarchy of learning.)
▣ Learning Ladder- Human learn in a sequential
series of step.

▣ Learning Ladder with six rungs.

▣ Begins with a total unawareness of the area to be

discussed and extends up to habit formation .
▣ Health professionals often mistakenly assume
that patients will comply with their wishes and
totally revise their oral hygiene habits after
only one session on oral health care
▣ Most dental office educational programs are
based on false premise that “knowing how to
do something “will motivate people to do it.
▣ The first task to help facilitate learning is to
determine what rung on the learning ladder
the learner stands.
▣ Lowest level is unawareness – often current
behavior of the patient .

1. Unawareness – individual lacks information or

has faulty data concerning the problem.

1. Awareness –when the correct information is

obtained but does not have any personal meaning
or impact.
- it is a recognition but is not
accompanied by any inclination to action.
3. Self – interest stage – person realizes that the
information applies personally ,knowledge has
become personalized.
- Characterized by a recognition of a prospective
objective and a mild inclination to action .

4. Involvement stage – if action does occur.

* If action does not occur , there is usually a
regression to the awareness stage.
5. Action stage – it becomes important to act on
the situation .
- Desire for knowledge is accelerated.

- A movement phase where new concepts and

practices are tested.
- True learning is manifested by changes in
behavior and results.
6. Self- Satisfaction – can directly results from the
new practice of brushing and flossing.

7. Habit / Commitment
- is reached and practiced over a longer period
of time.
-new behavior becomes a part of the individual’s
lifestyle.
 Motivation
▣ Everyone is motivated to action or to inaction.
▣ Behavior is learned and that environment
determine action.
▣ Individuals performance or output are based on
the degree to which they are motivated .
▣ Motivation makes the difference.

▣ Motivation- is an internal knowledge and will of

the entire individual to act.
▣ It is an inner drive pushing an individual to satisfy
a need.
 Intrinsic / Extrinsic Motivation

▣ Intrinsic – results from an internal decision .

- it is truly self generated.
Extrinsic motivation – reside outside the
individual.
Ex. persuasion – can be defined as the attempt to
influence through appeal to reason or to a
personal relationship
 Socioeconomic needs and
preventive Motivation
▣ Maslow’s hierarchy of needs:
▣ Abraham Maslow’s (
humanistic psychologist)
- Viewed human organism as
an integrated , organized
whole, and not as a
collection of separate organs
and functions.
- Needs- inner forces that
drive a person to actions
were referred to by Maslow.
- He believed that an
individual takes action to
satisfy these needs ,and
conceptualized five levels of
basic human needs.
▣ Conceptualized five
levels of basic human
needs
▣ 5 levels are arranged
in pyramid form with
the highest priority
needs being at the
base.
▣ There are 2 lower
order needs and 3
higher order needs
1.Physiological needs
- Includes necessary to maintain body homeostasis.
-food, water , oxygen, sleep
-other function necessary to human survival

2. Safety and Security needs

-assure minimum number of hazards that can cause physical and
mental damage.
-guarantees a stable and predictable environment.

* Once majority of physiological and safety needs have been met , the
sociophyschological needs then become the prime motivating force.
3. Love and belongingness
- Higher need for this implies group acceptance ,social acceptability
,opportunity to give and received friendship and love .
-teeth – regarded as having important cosmetic and social function.
4. Ego (self- esteem) needs
-involves feeling basic worth whileness includes:
-achievement , confidence, competence ,mastery ,status , prestige.
5. Self –actualization (highest needs)
Based on positive tending for development growth and self
enhancement.
-at this level the individual strived to become the person one has the
potential to be.

* For as long as the individual are subject to lower needs bondage they
cannot concentrate on satisfying the higher needs .
Maslow’s Concepts brought up
to date :
▣ Drumm updated Maslow’s concepts .
▣ He pointed out that the older generations had
values based on the conventional work ethics.
▣ As the older generation made gain toward
“good life “ and as society took steps to
decrease personal concerns about meeting
physiological and safety needs, individual now
need system changed .
▣ The reduced emphasis on physiological and to
a lesser extent on security needs, changed the
pyramidal configuration to that of a diamond.
Health Education
 Health is a shared responsibility and requires both treatment and
preventive approach for its maintenance.

 health education, as a part of the integrated approach is perceived to

impact fundamentally every aspect of health and wellbeing that includes
disease prevention, health promotion and quality of life.
 Hence, the individual or the community needs to be empowered.
DEFINITION

 As per National Conference on Preventive Medicine ( 1977) USA

 "Health education is a process that informs, motivates and helps people to

adopt and maintain healthy practices and lifestyles, advocates
environmental changes as needed to facilitate this goal, and conducts
professional training and research to the same end."
PRINCIPLES OF HEALTH EDUCATION

 Health education empowers individuals or family or community in gaining

better control over their health matters.

 Health education to be effective should be designed based on the tenets

of social science.
Principles of health education.

 1. Interest
 2. Participation
 3. Motivation
 4. Known to unknown
 5. Comprehension
 6. Soil, seed and sower
 7. Learning by doing 8. Reinforcement
 9. Good human relationship
 10. Leader
Importance of various principles of health education
Health Principle Why It’s Important

Interest Once the interest is addressed, the information is usually liked and followed
Health education should be directed to
the felt needs of a person
Participation is a key to success of health Active participation leads to active learning that enables an individual to
education programs find solutions to better health and living
Known to unknown • Assessment of the known information like beliefs, concepts,
misconceptions and then to the unknown or to expected way
• This varies population-wise and hence has to be planned accordingly
Comprehension To avoid the technical terms with simple explanation
Health education should be based on the
target group’s understanding and should
consider spoken language preferably
Motivation • Is especially true in changing behavior conductive to health
Motivation precedes change • The positive or negative incentive or motives used by the health
educator, such as praise or punishments to bring about the desired
change
Reinforcement To make it a part of their internal value system
To remember and to understand its
importance
Learning by doing • The health education programs fail if they do not provide the
The participant’s gains confidence of opportunity to do what one has learnt
performing such tasks even without • This principle has dual advantages such as the participant will do
supervision what he or she has learnt or understood, thereby providing an
instant feedback to the educator to correct wherever required

Soil, seed, sower • The health educator has the time to see the right information in the
Soil-Mind people so as to reap desired change in behavior
Seed-Health education
Sower-Health educator

Good human relations • The relationships between the health educator and the
Also a key to success of health participants should be trustworthy, only then information gains
education importance
Leaders • Health educator should identify leaders in a community because
Act as agents of change they act as agents of change. If they’re convinced they in turn
convince their group to follow
• Leaders are involved in all the stages of planning and evaluation
of health education programs
APPROACHES TO PUBLIC HEALTH
EDUCATION

 The comprehensive approach to enhance health of the public should be an

ongoing process, both at individual and community level
 Various approaches to public health are: Acronym- SHaRP approach.
 1. Regulatory approach
 2. Service approach
 3. Health education approach
 4. Primary health care approach.

 Public health can be achieved in combination of approaches according to

the prevailing public health problem
Regulatory approach:

 • From -The ruling Government •

 Through - Administrative set-up
 • Expected outcome - change of unhealthy behaviour. •
 Eg. - In situations like threat to health system such as infectious or
communicable diseases or social evils such as child marriage etc.
Service approach:

 While service approach aims at providing all the required health services
with the hope that these services are utilized.

 The services based on felt needs are utilized while the rest becomes a
failure
Health education approach:

 While health education approach believes in informing and motivating

people and later guiding them into action for the practice of healthy
behaviour and utilization of health services,
 it acts at cognitive, affective and psychomotor levels to change one's
behaviour.
 It takes considerable time but the results are long lasting.
Primary health care approach:

 is a holistic concept involving the community at all the stages of planning

and evaluation.

 It helps people to be self-reliant in the matters of health,

 guides them in identifying their health problems and finding practical

solution .
CONCEPTS OF HEALTH EDUCATION

 To promote the health of the individual it is necessary to teach the health

concepts and self-care skills in the ways they understand.
 Learning includes measurable change in behaviour that persists over time,
needs practice, and reinforcement to be permanent.

 The health educator needs to know how people learn, based on learning
situations one should apply appropriate educational theory either singly or
in combination
NATURE OF LEARNING

 Learning occurs in three domains, namely cognitive, affective and

psychomotor.
 Each domain has specific behavioural components that form hierarchy of
steps or levels.
 Effective health education is based on understanding these levels
Change expected by the health
educators depends on:

 1. Meet the felt need of the individual/the community.

 2. Be very simple and realistic with the utilization of the existing knowledge and practices
of the community/ individual.
 3. Amend into the existing lifestyle.
 4. Be nonconflictory to the culture, customs and beliefs.
 5. Use the locally available resources, i.e. money, manpower and materials
 In addition to these principles, information given should have credibility that is based on
facts and conforms to social system.
 Health should set an example to the community observing healthy practices and lifestyle.
 Feedback is crucial to success of any program wherein health educator modifies as and
when required to suit to their needs.
METHODS OF HEALTH EDUCATION

 Health education not only provides the opportunity for an individual or a

group of people or a community to learn about healthy practices and
lifestyles and in turn to attain optimum level of health.
 The health educator should choose the proper method and the proper
media to be used to help the people in adopting healthy practices.
 The main purpose of health education is to provide and help learning
process in the individuals to acquire knowledge that may result in the
change of behaviour and attitudes
Health Education at Individual Level

 This is one of the best methods of education.

 It is the most reliable method and has the long lasting effect
 Health education by the direct and indirect individual approach had
undoubtedly resulted in changing behaviour of the people for better
healthy practices.
 The most important advantage of this type of health education is that, it
facilitates a "two-way" communication and also that the health educator
can discuss with the individual and persuade to change his or her
behavior
 The individual also gets an opportunity for asking doubts and clarifying
them. Through this type of health education all aspects of health can be
imparted to the family members also.
 The main disadvantage of this method is that health education is given to
only those who come in contact with a doctor or dentist or the health
educator.
 Thus the number of people receiving health education is small. The village
health workers and multipurpose workers ,are the best examples of health
educator for individual and family health education.
Health Education at Group Level

 a. Lectures. A lecture is a discourse on one particular subject delivered by

one person. It is usually used extensively in colleges and high schools. It is
also a most accepted and popular method.
 The main value of a lecture is that a number of facts and concepts can be
presented in a short time to a large number of people.
 There is no individual participation and very little opportunity for creative
thinking, except perhaps in the discussion following a lecture.
 Usually there is no interaction between the lecturers and the learners.
 The following points should be kept in mind in preparing for this type of health education:
 • Prepare the oral presentation in detail on the basis of definite purpose and expected
outcome.
 • Limit the number of facts presented and illustrate with examples and visual aids.
 • Adapt the lecture to the understanding as well as the interest of the group.
 • Give only specific and constructive details and express them clearly.
 • Be accurate in presenting the health facts.
 • Hold the audience's attention by using a pleasant voice and a good sentence structure.
 A lecture can be made more attractive and acceptable by using
educational aids like
 (a) chalkboard,
 (b) charts and diagrams,
 (c) overhead projections,
 (d) flannel graphs,
 ( e) posters,
 (f) slide presentations,
 (g) flash cards and
 (h) exhibits; e.g. recent updated slide preparation methods .
 The main disadvantage of a lecture is that it is a "one way"
communication. The topic selected for the lecture for a particular subject
if it is not in relation to the interest of the audience, it would not be
effective
 b. Symposium. This is one of the modern methods used for group health
education.
 consists of a number of experts who are invited to speak on a particular
topic. Each speaker is given an opportunity to present various some
aspects pertaining to selected topic.
 The symposium is conducted under leadership of a chairman or a
modulator who has to initiate the symposium with an introduction to the
topic and by introducing different speakers to the audience
 Advantage: The audience understands the topic better if it is presented in
an easy and a simple way by various speakers.

 Disadvantage: Lack of participation from the audience, so no scope for

either participation or feedback. Symposia are useful and effective in
delivering health education to group of adults who have an attitude for
listening and the ability to appreciate the different aspects of the topic
presented.
 c. Group discussions. Usually group discussions are the most commonly employed
methods for group health education. It is of utmost importance in health education
because the participants get a chance to express and exchange their views and
ideas during the proceedings. It is a type of "two way" communication.
 Ideally the topics for discussion are taken up and shared by all the members of the
group.
 It is a process wherein the problem is identified collectively and the solution is formed
from combining the member's ideas, opinions and experiences
 Group discussions can be formal or informal.
 d. Small group discussions. The most informal form of communication is the
small group discussions or buzz sessions.
 It provides considerable interaction by students and allows free expression
of ideas and opinions.
 e. Large group discussions. A discussion following the presentation of new
ideas and practices helps in bringing out the important decisions and in
reinforcing the thinking of the group
 The learner should be given opportunities to express his or her ideas and
opinions. The whole group should be made to involve
 f. Panel discussions. Panel discussions are another widely employed
popular method for group health education.
 There will be a panel comprising three to five members out of which one
person is chosen as the leader. Usually the size of the panel is determined
by the time allotted for the discussion
 g. Workshops. This is another popular method for continuing education for
group of people. Experts from a particular discipline discuss specific topics
and problems, and outline the proceedings for action.
 h. Seminars. These are methods usually employed by educational
institutions. Education can be given to a large number of people among
the presence of persons qualified in topics of interest or disciplines
 i. Role-playing or socio-dramas. Socio-dramas or role-playing are forms of
expressing dram
 j.Demonstrations. This is mainly based on the principle of learning by doing.
Hence demonstrations are meaningful and successful in many situations.
The advantage of demonstration is that it is more effective than spoken
words as it leaves a visual impression in the minds of the audience.
Practical demonstrations are made use of in health education programs.
3. Health Education for General Public
or Mass

 Health education for a large community or the general public can be

given using the mass media of communication.
 Mass communication literally means communication that is given to a
community by using mass media communication methods.
 The main advantages of using mass media are:
 • Large number of people can be reached at one time in one place
 • People of all socioeconomic status have an access to health
education.
 The various media used for mass communication include:
 a. Televisions
 b. Radio
 c. Newspapers/press
 d. Posters
 e. Health museums
 f. Health exhibitions
 g. Health magazines h. Health information booklets
 The disadvantage of all the previously mentioned mass media is that they are all "one-way"
method of communication.
 it is not possible for the audience who receive health education to clarify their doubts or express
their views.
 a. Television. Televisions are one of the most popular and widely used media in mass
communication.
 The advantages include: • Entertainment based plus serves the purpose of conveying the
message clearly
 • Enmass coverage of public, either as groups/ communities
 • Comprehensive coverage of topics with timely delivery
 • Caters to all classes of people The disadvantages are:
 • Mode of communication is "one-way," so no feedback/ reciprocation from the target group
 • High cost of television sets
 • Accessibility by all people is questionable
 b. Radio. Radios play an important role in every man's dayto-day life. Health education
talks can reach the masses very easily through radios. Before selecting particular topic on
health education, the local language has to be considered and chosen appropriately
through radios.
 The advantages of using radio are that they are cheaper media for mass
communications and they are accessible to people of all socioeconomic status.
 c. Newspapers/press. Among the different media available for mass communication,
newspapers play an important role. The advantages are that newspapers are easily
accessible by the community and are available in languages.
CHARACTERISTICS OF AN EFFECTIVE
HEALTH EDUCATION

 Be directed to the influencial people in the community

 • Have periodic reinforcement using appropriate methods
 • Use adaptable channels of communication like roleplaying, songs,
drama or story telling
 • Use simple language with local context
 • Emphasize on short-term benefits rather than the long-term benefits
 • Use demonstrations for identification of the adoptable methods
 • Provide opportunities for dialogue, participation, discussion, feedback at
the varied levels of planning, implementation and evaluation
COMMUNICATION

 The main purpose of empowerment is to ensure change in behavior that is

conducive to health.
 Types of Communication
 1. One way (Didactic method): providing a lecture full of information
about the public health problems and methods to prevent or control in
the community and
 2. Two-way discussion (Socratic method): which provides ample
opportunity to raise queries, add new ideas and directions
BARRIERS TO COMMUNICATION

 The barriers to communication are precise matters that can alter or inhibit communication
with the target groups or individuals.
 Barriers in Process of Communication Researchers have identified many barriers in
communication that can be classified as follows:
 1. Physiological barriers in communication.
 • The physiological barriers include difficulties in hearing or seeing, in understanding and self-
expression, etc
 . • These should be utilized in overcoming such barriers for effective communication.
 2. Environmental barriers in communication.
 • The environmental barriers are due to excessive noise, difficulties in vision, congested areas
and crowding. 3. Psychological barriers in communication. • Emotional disturbances,
depression, neurosis or any other psychosomatic disorder 4. Cultural barriers in
communication. • Generally the cultural barriers include more or less persistent patterns of
behaviour like habits, beliefs, customs, attitudes, religion, etc.
 3. Psychological barriers in communication.
 • Emotional disturbances, depression, neurosis or any other psychosomatic
disorder
 4. Cultural barriers in communication.
 • Generally the cultural barriers include more or less persistent patterns of
behaviour like habits, beliefs, customs, attitudes, religion, etc
 However there are some barriers while communicating to the people of
rural background with low literacy rate as follows:
 a. Differences in meaning assigned to scientific terms by the layman and
the professional.
 b. Ethnic and cultural conflicts.
 c. Habits contrary to those desired.
 d. Lack of faith in treatment.
 e. Fear of pain or injury.
 f. Poverty.
 g. Difficulty to travel to keep up the appointments.
 h. Attitudes towards charity.