Principles Of Health Education:

1.Credibility
2. Interest
3. Participation
4. Motivation
5. Comprehension
6. Reinforcement
7. Learning by doing
8. Known to unknown
9. Setting an example
10. Good human relations
11. Feedback
12. Leaders

1.Credibility:

It is the degree to which the message to be communicated is perceived as trustworthy by the receiver Good health education must be consistent and compatible with scientific knowledge and also with the local culture, educational system and social goals
2. Interest:

Health teaching should be related to the interests of the people Health programme should be based on the “FELT NEEDS”, so that it becomes “people’s programme
Felt needs are the real health needs of the people, that is needs the people feel about themselves
3.Participation:

A high degree of participation tends to create a sense of involvement, personal acceptance and decision –making
It provides maximum feedback The Alma- Ata Declaration states “The people have a right and duty to participate individually and collectively in the planning and implementation of their health care”
Health programmers are unlikely to succeed if community participation is not an integral part
4. Motivation:

In every person, there is a fundamental desire to learn. Awakening this desire is called motivation.
Two types of motives
*primary motives-are driving forces initiating people into action
*secondary motives –are created by outside forces or incentives.
Need for incentives is a first step in learning to change
Incentives may be positive or negative
Main aim of motivation is to change behavior
Motivation is contagious: one motivated person may spread motivation throughout a group
5. Comprehension:

Health educator must know the level of understanding, education and literacy of people to whom the teaching is directed, Always communicate in the language people understand .
Teaching should be within the mental capacity of the audience.
6. Reinforcement:

Repetition of message at intervals is necessary
If the message is repeated in different ways, people are more likely to remember it.
7. Learning by doing:

The importance of learning by doing can be best illustrated by the Chinese proverb “if I hear, I forget; if I see, I remember; if I do, I know”
8. Known to unknown:

We must proceed

“from the concrete to the abstract”
“from the particular to the general”
“from the simple to the more complicated”
“from the easy to more difficult”
“from the known to unknown”
Here health communicator uses the existing knowledge of the people as pegs on which to hang new knowledge

11. Feedback:

The health educator can modify the elements of the system (e.g., message, channels) in the light of feedback from his audience
For effective communication, feedback is of paramount importance.
12. Leaders:

Leaders are agents of change and they can be made use of in health education work.
The attributes of a leader are;
He understands the needs and demands of the community
Provides proper guidance, takes the initiative, is receptive to the views and suggestions of the people;
Identifies himself with the community;
Selfless, honest, impartial, considerate and sincere;
Easily accessible to the people;
Able to control and compromise the various factors in the community;
Possesses the requisite skill and knowledge of eliciting cooperation and achieving coordination of the various official and non-official organizations.

Aims of Health Education:
The following are the some of the main aims of health education:

a. To provide information about health and its value as community asset – Health education aims at acquainting the etchers with the rules of health and hygiene. Functioning of
Precautionary measures to ward off diseases and to provide good disease free working conditions.

b. To maintain norms of good health: The authorities should provide hygienic environment in the form of adequate ventilation proper temperature, good sanitation and all round cleanliness. It helps the authorities to keep certain norms of health.

c. To take precautionary and preventive measures against communicable diseases. Its aim is
to take adequate precautions against contamination and spread of diseases. Thus good sanitary arrangements are made. Precautionary and preventive measures. If they are properly adopted can help in improving the health standards of society.

d. To render assistance to the school going children an understanding of the nature and purpose of health services and facilities – It aims at discovering physical defects and other
abnormalities in the child and promoting their reduction if they are easily curable.

e. To develop and promote mental and emotional health – Mental and emotional health are also equally important along with physical health. While physically health makes a pupil
physically fit mental and emotional health enables him to maintain an even temper and a happy disposition.

f. To develop a sense of civic responsibility. School is a miniature society Responsibility of skill health does not lie on any one’s shoulders. Even some cause of skill health has their origin in social conditions which require action on the part of community as a whole in order to eradicate them. It aims at realizing the people to make combined efforts and work for community health.

Objectives of health Education:
The following are the comprehensive list of functional objectives of health education to be adopted in schools.

1. To enable the students to develop a scientific point of view of health with reference to traditional and modern concept of health.

2. To enable the students to identify health problems and understand their own role on health and to medical agencies in meeting those problems.

3. To enable the student to take interest in current events related to health.

4. To enable the students to arrive at suitable conclusions based on scientific knowledge and
take action as an individual member of the family and community for protecting maintaining and promoting individual and community health.

5. To enable the students to set an example of desirable health behaviour.

6. To enable the student to understand the causes of the pollution of air water, soil and food as well as their ways and means of prevention.

7. To enable the students to gain sufficient knowledge of first aid.

8. To provide desirable knowledge about marriage sex and family planning to the students.

9. To help students to understand the importance of Physical training sports, games, yogic exercises as well as their relationship with health education programme.

10. The emphasize students on the bad effects of smoking and taking alcohol etc.

11. The acquaint students with the functioning of various organizations working for the maintenance of health.

12. To help students understand how the present day rapid development of science and technology as increased the hazards of life and health problems and also how to face and prevent them.