Health Education and Promotion: Main Exam, 25 July 2023

1. Define the following terminologies. (10 marks)

1. a) Health:
   Model answer

   • Health: a state of complete physical, mental and social well‑being, not merely the absence of disease or infirmity.
2. b) Public health education:
   Model answer

   • Public health education: organized activities that provide information, develop skills and motivate communities to adopt behaviours that protect and improve population health.
3. c) Health promotion:
   Model answer

   • Health promotion: the process of enabling individuals and communities to increase control over, and improve, their health through supportive policies, environments and education.
4. d) Mental health:
   Model answer

   • Mental health: a person’s emotional, psychological and social well‑being, influencing how they think, feel and act, and how they cope with stress.
5. e) Disease
   Model answer

   • Disease: a pathological condition of the body or mind that impairs normal function, characterized by specific signs, symptoms and often a known cause.

2. Identify FIVE key principles of health promotion according to the Ottawa Charter of 1986. (5 marks)

3. Highlight FIVE conditions that should be met for physical health to be said to exist. (5 marks)

4. Describe the two approaches applied to health education. (5 marks)

5. Describe the targets for health education programmes and activities. (5 marks)

6. Explain the following as areas of priority areas in health education promotion. (15 marks)

1. a) To build healthy public policy.
   Model answer

   • Policy development: formulate laws, regulations and strategies that promote health (e.g., tobacco control, nutrition standards).
   • Resource allocation: ensure funding and services are directed toward preventive health measures.
   • Intersectoral collaboration: involve multiple government sectors (education, transport, agriculture) to create health‑supportive policies.
   • Legislative enforcement: implement and monitor compliance with health‑related policies.
   • Advocacy and leadership: mobilise stakeholders to champion policies that improve public health.
2. b) To create supportive environment.
   Model answer

   • Physical environment: design spaces that encourage healthy choices (e.g., parks, safe walking paths).
   • Social support networks: foster community groups and peer support that reinforce healthy behaviours.
   • Economic incentives: provide subsidies or taxes that make healthy options affordable and unhealthy ones costly.
   • Cultural norms: promote values and traditions that support health (e.g., communal meals with nutritious foods).
   • Access to services: ensure health facilities, education and resources are readily available to the population.
3. c) To strengthen community action.
   Model answer

   • Community participation: involve local people in identifying health problems and planning solutions.
   • Capacity building: train community members to lead health initiatives and sustain actions.
   • Empowerment: give residents the authority and resources to make decisions affecting their health.
   • Local ownership: encourage community groups to take responsibility for implementing and monitoring programmes.
   • Collaboration with stakeholders: link community actions with NGOs, government and private sector for broader impact.
4. d) To develop personal skills.
   Model answer

   • Definition: Developing personal skills means enabling individuals to acquire the knowledge, attitudes and abilities needed to make healthy choices.
   • Health literacy: Improves understanding of health information, empowering people to interpret warnings, labels and advice.
   • Self‑efficacy: Builds confidence that one can perform health‑promoting behaviours such as quitting smoking or exercising.
   • Decision‑making: Provides tools (e.g., risk‑benefit analysis, goal‑setting) that help people choose appropriate actions.
   • Behavioural skills: Teaches practical techniques like proper hand‑washing, oral hygiene steps, or correct inhaler use.
   • More answers: stress management, coping strategies, negotiation skills for peer pressure, and time‑management for health‑related activities.
5. e) To reorient health services.
   Model answer

   • Definition: Reorienting health services shifts the focus from curative care to preventive and health‑promoting activities.
   • Integration: Embeds health education into routine clinical encounters (e.g., counseling during antenatal visits).
   • Community linkage: Connects health facilities with schools, workplaces and NGOs to extend outreach.
   • Policy support: Aligns service delivery with national health‑promotion policies and guidelines.
   • Capacity building: Trains health workers in communication, counseling and behaviour‑change techniques.
   • More answers: adopting a multidisciplinary team approach, using health‑promotion indicators for service evaluation, and providing culturally appropriate materials.

7. Explain in details the components involved in the communication process. (15 marks)

8. Explain the phrase Information, Education and Communication (IEC) as applied in Health education activities. (10 marks)