Information, Education and communication

Information, Education and communication  (IEC)

Health Education is a powerful of disease and promotion of Health. If a person recevies accurate information about preventing a disease or about enhancing his or hers own health, it is expected that, the person would act accordingly. Hence, health education is always emphasized at all levels of contact of the health worker with the people. Therefore,the untilmate objective of giving health education is to bring about a healthy change in the behaviour of the people.

In reality, however,merely giving information to people is not sufficient to bring about behavioral change people. Information should be convert into simple ideas, by taking into consideration their existing educational level and socio- cultural status. Information should be linked with the ” felt” needs of the people.

It also important that this information should be given in a language which people understand and by giving appropriate example. For example: while preparing home- made rehydration soultion, it is started that, in 200 ml Walter, 1 teaspoonful of sungar is mixed and little salt should added. However, people may not be understand how mush is 200 ml water or how to measure 1 teaspoonful of sugar or how ” little ” is the amount of salt. Further, it is difficult to confirm, sulation, if we demonstrate as follows:

Take a glass clean water, add a fistful of sungar and a pinch of salt. Mix these contents. The prepared soultion should taste like tears. This explanation may motivate a person to learn the correct meathod of preparing an oral rehydration soultion.

This process of making a person learn a new concept or adopt a new practice is ” education”  Thus ” information” and “education”  ” together, may bring about behavioral change in some people. The third important aspects in making people learn is communication.

It is equially important that the information and education, should be provided in the simple language using simple words, with the correct tone of voice and din & clear, confident manner. Thus, information and education cannot be effective unless the person who is giving this knowledge is a good communicator.

In totality,therefore , information, education and communication, combined together, will bring about a positive  change people . Information, education and communication ( EC) is now recognised as an effective modern technique of providing health education.

Socio marketing

The conspect if EC is closely with the concept of social marketing. Use of commercial marketing techniques, to promote health products, amongst people is called socio marketing. Just as commercial product are advertised aggressively, in the simallar manner, socio and health product should be marketed so as to create a demand for them, form the people These socio and health product include for example. Oral contraceptive pills , oral rehydration soultion gobar gas plants, iodized salts, etc.

IEC in practice is a process closely linked with the example psycho- social cultural aspects of human behaviour.

Advantages of IEC Techniques:-

1. It help in understaing ” felt needs” of the people.

2. It help in indentify motivating factors in people for bringing about positive change.

3. It help in planning effective health education material.

4. It help in creating a good rapport of health workers in the community.

5. It enhances community praticipation in health programmes.