Introduction to:

Health promotion &

Health education

By: Eden - Hailegiorgis

(MPH in Health Promotion & Health Behavior)
 Session objectives
1. To define the concept of Health, Health education, IEC, BCC...
2. To identify the determinants of health.
3. To describe what health education & health promotion mean in a narrow
sense.
4. To list the objectives of health education & health promotion.
5. To list and explain the principles of health education & health promotion.
6. To describe the targets of health education & health promotion.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 2

 1. Defining the concept of “health”

What is health?

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 3

 1. Defining the concept of “health”

I. Negative model
• Absence of diseases or disability or infirmity.
• Biological integrity of the individual.
• Physical & physiological capabilities to perform routine tasks.

II. Positive model

• “A state of complete physical, mental & social well-being not merely the
absence of disease or infirmity.” -WHO [1948]

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 4

 1. Defining the concept of “health”

“ Health is a resource for every day life, not the objective of living.”
In other words, good health should not be the goal of life, but rather a
vehicle to reach one’s goal in life. ” -Ottawa charter

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 5

 1. Defining the concept of “health”

Health & meaning of life

This issue begins with the concern: How could someone care about
personal health if his/her life is meaningless?

This subjective concern is a starting point for understanding that being

healthy includes a desire to enjoy life.

Epistemic injustice??

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 6

 2. Determinants of health

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 7

 2. Determinants of health [behavior]

“ We must recognize that most of the world’s major health problems

& premature death are preventable through changes in human
behaviors at low cost. ”- Dr. Hiroshi Nakajiima, director general,
WHO, 1998.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 8

 2. Determinants of health [behavior]

Lack of physical activity contributes to approximately 3.2 million

deaths globally each year. (WHO)

Poor diet is responsible for an estimated 11 million deaths worldwide

annually. (Global Burden of Disease Study)

Smoking causes more than 8 million deaths per year globally. (WHO)

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 9

 2. Determinants of health [behavior]

Alcohol abuse contributes to approximately 3 million deaths globally

each year, accounting for 5.3% of all deaths. (WHO)

Worldwide, the prevalence of obesity has tripled since 1975, with

approximately 39% of adults aged 18 years & over being overweight
& 13% being obese. (WHO)

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 10

 2. Determinants of health [behavior]

Risky sexual behaviors contribute to the transmission of HIV/AIDS,

with approximately 38 million people living with HIV globally.
(Source: USAID)

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 11

 2. Determinants of health [behavior]

The continued existence & spread of communicable diseases such as

malaria, TB, HIV/AIDS.

Need the involvement of the community members & environmental

interventions.

Many people do not seek treatment until it is too late.

Increased awareness of people on chronic health problems & the need to

know preventive actions.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 12
 2. Behavior inturn determined by:-

Knowledge

Beliefs

Attitudes

Subjective norms

Perception of risk ...

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 13

 3. Public health. what is it?

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 14

 3. What is public health?

• Instead of treating a gunshot wound, public health work to identify the

causes of gun violence & develop interventions to prevent it.

• Instead of treating premature or low birth-weight babies, public health

investigate the factors at work & develop programs to keep babies healthy.

• Instead of prescribing medication for HTN, public health examine the

links among obesity, diabetes, & heart disease—and also use data to
influence policy aimed at reducing all three conditions.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 15

 3. What is health education?

“ Health education attempts to close the gap between what is known about
optimum health practice & that which is actually practiced. ”-Griffiths

“ Health education as aimed at bringing about behavioral changes in

individuals, groups & larger populations from behaviors that are presumed
to be detrimental to health to behaviors that are conducive to present &
future health. ”-Simonds

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 16

 3. What is health education?
“ Any combination1 of learning experiences designed2 to facilitate3
voluntary4 action5 conducive to health. ” -Green & Krueter

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 17

 3. What is health education?
“ Consciously constructed opportunities for learning involving some
form of communication designed to improve health literacy, including
improving knowledge, & developing life skills, which are conducive
to individual & community health. ” - ( Health promotion glossary.
Geneva, WHO 1998 )

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 18

 What is health literacy?

“ The degree to which people are able to access, understand, appraise

& communicate information to engage with the demands of different
health contexts in order to promote & maintain good health across the
life-course. ” - ( Kwan B, et al, 2006. )

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 19

 3. What is health promotion?

“ A combination of educational 1 & environmental 2 supports for

actions & condition of living conducive to health. ” -(Green &
Krueter).

Thus, the concern for health outside to the healthcare sector is the call
for health promotion.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 20

 3. What is health promotion?

“ The process of enabling people to increase control over, & to

improve, their health. ”-( Ottawa Charter, 1986 ).

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 21

 3. What is health promotion?
Component of health promotion

Health education

Political environment

Social environment

Economic environment

Organizational environment

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 22

 3. What is health promotion?
Health problem Educational intervention Environmental [ecological]
political action
China’s rapid - Health education was given - The government offered
population through mass media. bonuses & incentives for the
growth couple accept the one child
- Counseling to develop policy including special
understanding of China`s provision for the first born child
population problems, how such as priority housing & pre
the population growth affect school enrolment.
the economic &
developmental goal & the - When the couple subsequently
advantage & disadvantages had a second child the bonus
of small & large families. were with drawn.
Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 23
 3. What is health promotion?
Health problem Educational intervention Environmental [ecological]
political action
Smoking - Educating the public - Establishment of stop smoking
addiction focusing on Health problems clinics.
related with smoking such as
lung cancer through different - Control of tobacco advertising.
media.
- Increase taxes on price of
- Educating the public not to cigarettes bans on smoking in
start smoking & to persuade public areas.
smokers to stop.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 24

 3. What is health promotion?
Health problem Educational intervention Environmental [ecological]
political action
HIV/AIDS - Educating general public & - Making counseling service
specific groups such as available Social marketing of
drivers, sex workers, youth, condoms.
on safe sexual behaviors.
- Increasing VCT services.

- Setting up peer education

program enforcing of legal
protection of sex workers &
injecting users.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 25

 3. Health education Vs HID
Health education Health information dissemination
ü Baseline information or current level ü Baseline information or data are not
of multiple determinants of behavior necessarily required.
are necessarily required.
ü Appropriate for old problems ü Appropriate for newly emerging health
(problems known to the people for problems & during epidemics.
long period of time).
ü Use a variety of methods or ü May not use a variety of methods.
educational strategy as appropriate.
ü People are not blamed for unhealthy ü People blamed for unhealthy behaviors.
behaviors.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 26

 3. Health education Vs HID
Health education practices

§ Community-based diabetes prevention workshop

§ Prenatal education classes for expectant parents...

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 27

 3. Health education Vs HID

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 28

 4. Objectives of HE & HP

Ultimate goal of health education is to promote, maintain & improve

individuals & community health.
Educational objectives:
To provide appropriate knowledge.
To change attitude.
Behavioral change.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 29

 5. Principles of HE & HP

1. Principle of educational 5. Fact based

diagnosis 6. Need based
2. Principle of participation 7. Segementation
3. Principle of multiple methods 8. Culture sensetive
4. Principle of planning & 9. Feed back...
organizing

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 30

 6. Targets of HE & HP
1. Individuals [contraceptive or VCT users, patients & healthy
individuals].
2. Groups [a family planning service for a couple, a youth club about
HIV/AIDS, a farmers association about nutritious foods, a class of
school students about dental health].
3. Community

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 31

 Thank you.

Wednesday, March 12, 2025 By: Eden - Hailegiorgis (BSc/PH, MPH/HP&HB) 32