The World Health Organization defines Health Education as “Any combination of learning experiences designed to help individuals and communities improve their health, by increasing their knowledge or influencing their attitudes.” Knowledge alone may not be powerful enough to motivate change, health education works to enhance knowledge, attitudes, and skills to positively influence health behaviors of individuals and communities. A program is created when an organization identifies a need and creates a plan for addressing that need. Planning is designing a course of action to achieve desired goals. Program planning is the process by which a program is conceived and brought to fruition. There are different steps in health education program planning.

1. Health Education
Program Planning &
Strategies for
implementation
Presenters:
Sunita Poudel, Sagar Parajuli

2. Health Education
• The World Health Organization defines Health Education as “Any
combination of learning experiences designed to help individuals
and communities improve their health, by increasing their
knowledge or influencing their attitudes.”
• Knowledge alone may not be powerful enough to motivate change,
health education works to enhance knowledge, attitudes, and skills to
positively influence health behaviors of individuals and communities.
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3. Program Planning
• A program is created when an organization identifies a need and creates a
plan for addressing that need.
• Planning is designing a course of action to achieve desired goals.
• Program planning is the process by which a program is conceived and
brought to fruition.
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4. Steps in health education program planning
1. Information
collection
2. Identification
of health needs
3. Selection of
target groups
4. Establishing
goals and
objectives
5. Deciding
contents
6. Selection of
methods and
media
7. Identification
of resources
8. Developing
plan of action
9. Deciding
evaluation
techniques
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5. Step 1. Collection of baseline information (Data)
• Community based information is very important for planning of
appropriate and effective health education program.
• It is also termed as community diagnosis.
• “ A comprehensive assessment of the present state of particular
community in relation to its socio-economic, physical, environment
and biological conditions with the purpose of determining its problems
and setting priorities for planning the programme.”
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6. • The data or information includes:
i. Social information: location (place), geographical and climate
factors, name, age, sex, cast, religion, occupation as well as
economic status of the family.
ii. Vital statistics: birth, death, mother and infant mortality rates.
iii. Status of health, knowledge, attitude and behavior of people.
iv. Sanitary condition and facilities: drinking water, toilet condition,
garbage, disposal, housing condition, environmental condition etc.
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Step 1. Collection of baseline information (Data)

7. v. Nutritional status: food habit, use of diet, nutritional deficiency disease
etc.
vi. Literacy and educational level.
vii. Demographic condition: Total population density, population growth,
household size, different ethnic group.
viii. Local leader or opinion leader.
ix. Available Health facilities: Hospital, PHCC, Healthpost and other
health agencies.
x. Transportation and communication status and channel of
communication.
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Step 1. Collection of baseline information (Data)

8. Step 1. Collection of baseline information (Data)
• Information can be collected by observation, community survey,
questionnaire and interview techniques.
• Rapid Rural Appraisal (RRA) and Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA)
can also be used.
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9. Step 2: Identification of main health needs/ Priorities
of health needs
• We can identify different health and health education needs of the
people by analyzing the collected data but can not solve all those
problem at a time.
• So, we must prioritize them and deal with the most important one
which is feasible to solve the problem in terms of time and resources.
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10. The criteria of need prioritization are:
 Burning problems or severity of morbidity and mortality.
 Identify the types of needs (felt, observed and real needs)
 Feasible to meet the needs in terms of available resources (Man,
money and materials)
 Political and community interest and pressures.
 Governmental policies plan and program.
 Can be solved within short time.
 Can be prevented and solve.
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Step 2: Identification of main health needs/ Priorities
of health needs

11. • To make the health education programs economical, feasible, effective
and fruitful, it is suggested that the health educator decides the actual
core group as his target group instead of dealing all the people in the
community.
• It is better to deal with only the concerned, receptive and influential
people.
Examples:
 If the malnutrition is prevalence among the child the target group is
mother and child.
 In relation to construct the toilet or pit latrines the target group may
be the parents or guardian of families as well as community leaders.
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Step 3: Selection of target group

12. • Selecting the target group the health educator should keep in mind the
following criteria.
 Need of education because of the existing health problem.
 Able to change the behavior and influence for the change of other's
behavior.
 Introduction of new ideas affecting their health behavior
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Step 3: Selection of target group

13. Step 4: Determination of objectives (Goals)
• Objectives and goals are needed to guide efforts.
• Unless objectives are established there is likely to be haphazard activity,
uneconomical use of funds and poor performance.
• Objective are not only a guide to action, but also a yardstick to measure
work after it is done.
• A goal is expressed in a general or broad term which denotes the overall
fulfillment of program.
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14. • Principally there are three types of objectives.
 General objectives
 Specific objectives
 Behavioral objectives
• According to WHO a goal is described in terms of:
 What is to be attained and to what extent?
 The geographical areas or population involved
 The time period required for attaining the goal
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Step 4: Determination of objectives (Goals)

15. Example:
 To provide health education to the families of Ichhakamana Rural
Municipality on the need and importance of safe disposal of human
excreta and motivate them for the construction of a family pit latrine in
their houses within a year of time.
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Step 4: Determination of objectives (Goals)

16. • Objectives are developed to fulfill the goal of the program.
• They are stated in specific behavioral terms as demonstrated by learners'
action.
• Behavioral objectives must be observable or measurable and stated at
three different levels:
 Knowledge (cognitive)
 Attitudinal (effective) and
 Behavior or practice (psycho motor) level
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Step 4: Determination of objectives (Goals)

17. Step 5 : Deciding the content /subject matter
• The content of health education to be taught will be based on the
objectives set.
Example:
 The contents will be the need and importance of safe drinking water,
safe disposal of human excreta, fecal oral transmission, prevalence of
disease, techniques of constructing a pit latrine, proper location for
constructing a pit latrine and proper use of latrine as well as
nutritional problems etc.
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18. Step 6: Selecting/ Deciding appropriate method and
media
• The methods and media depend upon the subject matter or content and
nature of objectives and groups.
• The method and media chosen must suit the situation and problem. It
must therefore be selected carefully.
Examples
 If we want to inform the community, the lecture methods will be
appropriate.
 For teaching preparation of Jiban Jal, we can use demonstration method.
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19. • In the same way the methods and media can be selected according to the
needs of the contents and subject matter.
• The appropriate methods are counseling, group discussion, role
playing, demonstration and lecture.
• The important media are posters, flip chart, flash cards, flannel board
models, ovetel projector, slide projectors, film shows.dc.
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Step 6: Selecting/ Deciding appropriate method and
media

20. Step 7: Identifying the available resources
• Health education need different kinds of resources (external and internal)
in the process of giving health education
• Utilization of those resources will help to conduct health education
program economically, appropriately and effectively
• Use of appropriate technology is of great to result in effective learning
and sustained behaviour
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21. Step 8: Developing a plan of action
• This is the step of developing an operational plan which is demonstrated
by implementation schedule on a periodic basis like weekly or monthly.
• The plan must contain working guidance to all those responsible for
execution.
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22. • It specifies the following aspects which can be developed in a tabular form:
 Specific objective to be dealt with
 Contents to be taught
 Target group
 Methods and media used
 Kinds of human resources involved
 Date and time of teaching
 Location where health education is given such as health post, home,
clinic, school etc.
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Step 8: Developing a plan of action

23. S.N Content Specific
objectives
Message to
convey
Target
group
Methods and
media
By whom Evaluation
technique
Time/place Remarks
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Step 8: Developing a plan of action

24. Table 1: Timetable for the provision of community water supply
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Task Completed By People responsible
Public information activities began using local
media & home visit
1st week Community leaders, health workers
and school teachers
Community leaders discussion on problem of
water-borne diseases
2nd week Community health workers
Leader trained on cause and prevention 3rd week Community health workers
All sick people report for treatment 4th week Leaders, community health
workers, local people
People boil and filter their water 5th week Leader and local people
Step 8: Developing a plan of action

25. Step 9: Deciding evaluation techniques
• Evaluation is final step of planning cycle and it should be both
concurrent and terminal.
• The purpose of evaluation is to differentiate the most valuable from less
valuable.
• Mainly the time and technique of evaluation should specifically be
mentioned.
• Evaluation should be done at three different stages of program.
• Evaluation of planning process is done in the beginning, progress
evaluation is done in the middle of the program implementation and
achievement evaluation is done at the end of the program
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26. 1/8/2024 26
Strategies for implementation of Health
Education plans and their use

27. Implementation strategies
• Implementation means assignment and direction of personnel and
resources to carry out plan.
• It involves a network of various activities which need special
techniques to be applied.
• Those techniques are known as strategies of implementation.
• The study of strategies and their application is necessary to make the
implementation of health education program appropriate, effective and
successful.
‘Implementation does not occur in vacuum. It starts with community
people and always approach through community leaders.’
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28. Strategies of implementing Health Education Program
1. Building commitment
2. Training Human resources
3. Mobilizing and utilizing resources
4. Organizing community
5. Monitoring and supervision of the program
6. Recording and reporting
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29. Strategy 1: Building Commitment
• Commitment refers to ‘feeling of needs and responsibility with
willingness to co-operate’.
• The first step in ensuring commitment: communication and creating
interest among all stakeholder in the community.
• Techniques: Problem-focused interpersonal communication, Discussion,
sharing and dissemination
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30. Strategy 2: Training of Human Resources
• Human Resources need to be well equipped in knowledge and skills
with sound understanding of social context.
• Trainers should be appropriately and adequately trained.
• Should have adequate knowledge and skills and must be experienced to
apply participatory approach in teaching learning process.
• Simulation based training and refresher training need to ensured.
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31. Strategy 2: Training of Human Resources
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Training cycle
1. Training Need assessment
2. Developing training package, based on
target audience
3. Managing logistics
4. Conducting training
5. Evaluation & follow-up

32. Strategy 3: Mobilizing and utilizing Resources
• Resources identification: Human resource, financial, logistics,
information
• Participatory resource mapping is crucial for Health Education planning.
• Proper allocation, timely release and optimum utilization of program
budget and resources
• Proposing, receiving, purchasing, storing and distributing necessary
materials before an implementation
‘No commodities, No program’
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33. Pilot testing
• Allows planners to work out any bugs before the program is offered to a
large population
• Validate the work that has been done
• Planner should check
 Intervention activities as planned
 Adequate program logistics
 Critiques of program participants on content, approaches used,
instructor’s effectiveness, space etc.
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34. Phasing in
• Allows planner to have more control over the program
• Helps protect planners and facilitators from getting in over their heads
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Starting up
•At the start of implementation it is good to get the press to promote the
program
•This may be media, celebrities or whatever puts the program in a
positive light.

35. Regular Review/ sharing
• Keep everyone informed of progress
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Meeting and Participation
•Regular staff meeting
•Seek staffs commitment and participation in action plan

36. Strategy 4: Organizing community
• According to Alexander H. Leighton
“no matter how good a plan is, if the people for
whom it is made and fail to feel it belongs to
them, it will not work successfully.”
• Health cannot be given to the people, it must be acquired by themselves
through their participation.
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37. Steps of organizing community are:
1. Meeting community key people and exchange ideas and views.
2. Coordination with local agencies including school
3. Forming health education committee by involving local influential and
interested people.
Barriers to community organization: complacency, lack of concern or
interest, social taboos, social stratification
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Strategy 4: Organizing community

38. Strategy 5: Supervision and Monitoring
• Supervision is done for individual and monitoring is for program/activity.
• Supervision includes directing, training, counseling, motivating and
encouraging
• Supportive supervision; mentoring, constructive feedback, joint problem
solving, onsite capacity building and support, regular inspection and
correction
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39. Strategy 5: Supervision and Monitoring
• Monitoring: process of reviewing progress of program implementation at
different time intervals
• Monitoring mainly based on IPO model or Logical Framework
• Techniques: Observation, Interview, Discussion
• Tools: Guideline/ Checklist
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40. Strategy 6: Recording and Reporting
• Scientific process of documentation of information regarding program
activities including progress, problems, achievements
• ‘If it is not well documented, it does not exist’
• Recording tool: Systematic registers, forms, online tool
• Regular, timely and complete reporting is essential in every program
implementation and reporting.
‘Recording and reporting supports half of planning for next phase’
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41. Uses of Implementation Strategies
• Designing Health Promotion & Education programs
• Evidence-based Intervention Planning
• Community Diagnosis
• Health Policy and System Research, Formative, Action and Operational
research
• Behavioral studies
• Community development and organization
• Supervision, Monitoring and Evaluation of programs
• Capacity building and training planning
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42. References
1. A TEXT BOOK OF HEALTH PROMOTION AND EDUCATION - Send Gifts and
Money to Nepal Online from www.muncha.com [Internet]. [cited 2023 Feb 4].
Available from: https://www.muncha.com/34077/I/A-TEXT-BOOK-OF-HEALTH-
PROMOTION-AND-EDUCATION
2. Park K. Park's textbook of PREVENTIVE AND SOCIAL MEDICINE. 23rd ed.
Jabalpur: Bhanot. Publishers; 2015
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43. Thank You!
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