INFORMATION, EDUCATION

AND COMMUNICATION (IEC)

ARCHITA SHARMA
M.Sc. (N) 1ST YEAR
SNGNC, IGMC
SHIMLA
INTRODUCTION
•We all communicate all the time; there is not a single moment when we are not communicating.
Communication plays a vital role in our day-to-day life.
•Communication has been central to all the progress that human beings have made. As a matter of
fact, no organised social life and progress would have been possible in the absence of communication.
•An important purpose of communicating with people is to enable the members of the community to
understand their problems and take appropriate action to solve them collectively.
•This process of informing, educating and communicating with the people empowers them to take
decisions and actions leading to their progress and development.
•Information, education and communication are interrelated to each other. IEC strategies involve
planning, implementation, monitoring and evaluation.
WHAT IS INFORMATION?

• It
is defined as one or more statements or facts that are received by a
human which have some form of worth to him.
WHAT IS EDUCATION?
• Itis a learning process or a series of learning experiences through
which an individual informs and orient himself to develop skills and
intelligent actions.

This Photo by Unknown Author is licensed under CC BY-SA

WHAT IS COMMUNICATION?
• Communication is process by which two or more people
exchange ideas, facts, feelings, or impressions in way that each
gains a common understanding of meaning, intent and use of
message.
DEFINITION
•Information, Education and Communication (IEC) is an approach which attempts to
change or reinforce a set of behaviour in a target audience, regarding a specific
problem in a predefined period of time
-Reproductive health and research, WHO
 CONCEPT OF IEC
 Information, education and communication are interrelated.
 Education is obtained through information and communication; while education is a
great source of information, on other hand communication is a link for education and
information.
 So, the application of IEC, all steps that is planning implementation monitoring and
evaluation should be used with care.
 The ultimate aim of IEC is behavior change and promotion of health status can be
achieved.
• Target audience should be given due importance during IEC process.
AIMS AND SCOPES OF IEC
 The main aims of IEC are:
1. To change the health behavior of individual, family and community.
2. To prepare background or basis for change in health behavior.
3. To change the norms of community.
4. To facilitate education for audience about public health and to create
awareness in public opinion.
5. To obtain or garner social, political support for health activities.
 The important scopes in IEC in relation to health are as
follows:
1. Primary health care.
2. Prevention of disease/control on communicable disease.
3. Reproductive health/maternal and child health services.
4. Family welfare.
5. Nutritional services.
6. Personal Hygiene.
STRATEGY: Planning, Implementing, Monitoring
and Evaluating

Monitoring &
Planning Implementing
Evaluation
Planning:
 Make a comprehensive strategy.
 This means clear objectives, client centered designing, conducting appropriate research,
undertaking audience segmentation, carefully crafting and testing messages, knowing
and selecting appropriate channels and planning for monitoring and evaluation.
 Give emphasis on long term capacity building.
 Plan sufficient time, to foster changes in social and behavioral norms. (Keep in mind
changing behavior is not an easy or quick task).
 Link the IEC program with healthcare service delivery programs.
 Plan for any type of reward if people learn new behavior in a best manner.
Implementing:
 Take support of community leaders. The use of opinion leaders and
decision makers can enhance the success of an IEC project.
 Involve the target audience actively in the design implementation and
monitoring of project. Listen to local language customs and experiences.
 Established linkage with traditional healers, local NGOS and local support
groups. Actively involve them and share their information.
CONT….
 The interaction between healthcare providers at all levels and client (people) is an
important element for successful IEC intervention.
 Logos and symbols should be pretested before launching.
 These should be according to the need and understanding of the audiences. Use of
logos and symbols in advocacy campaigns has been proved successful.
 Only meaningful messages should be used and they should reach to relevant
segments of target population.
Monitoring and evaluation:
 As a part of management information system (MIS) documentation of IEC
program inputs and experiences is important for knowing the success and
failure.
 Evaluation of IEC campaign should be considered from the very beginning,
when projects are being planned and not just after they are under way or
completed. Although evaluation of IEC efforts is a complex task.
 Inexpensive methods like observation can be used for monitoring the campaign.
HEALTH INFORMATION
 Health information is an integral part of the national health system. It is a basic tool of
management and a key input for the progress of any society.
 A health information system is defined as: “a mechanism for the collection,
processing, analysis and transmission of information required for organizing and
operating health services, and also for research and training.”
Components of a health information system
 The health information system is composed several related subsystems:
1. Demography and vital events.
2. Environmental health statistics.
3. Health status: mortality, morbidity, disability, quality of life.
4. Health resources: facilities, beds, manpower. Utilization and non-utilization of
health services, attendance, admissions, waiting lists.
5. Indices of outcome of medical care.
6. Financial statistics (cost, expenditure) related to the particular objective.
 Uses of health information
 To measure the health status of the people and to qualify their health problems and medical and
health care needs.
 For local, national and international comparisons of health status. For such comparisons the
data need to be subjected to rigorous standardization and quality control.
 For planning, administration and effective management of health services and programmers.
 For assessing whether health services are accomplishing their objectives in terms of their
effectiveness and efficiency.
 For assessing the attitudes and degree of satisfaction of beneficiaries with the health system.
 For research into particular problems of health and disease.
HEALTH EDUCATION
Health education is the translation of what is known about, into desirable individual and
community behavior patterns by means of an educational process.
Aims and Objectives
 The definition adopted by WHO in 1969 and the Alma-Ata Declaration adopted in 1978
provide a useful basis for education, which may be stated as below:
1. To encourage people to adopt and sustain health promoting lifestyle and practices.
2. To promote the proper use of health services available to them.
3. To arouse interest, provide new knowledge, improve skills and change attitudes in
making rational decisions to solve their own problems.
4. To stimulate individual and community self-reliance and participation to achieve health
development through individual and community involvement at every step from
identifying problems to solving them.
Approaches to Health Education
 Regulatory approach.
 Service approach.
 Health education approach.
 Primary health care approach.
Principles of Health Education:
 Credibility.
 Interest.
 Participation.
 Motivation.
 Comprehension.
 Motivation.
 Reinforcement.
 Learning by doing.
 Known to unknown.
 Setting an example.
 Leaders.
Methods Of Health Education
 Individual approach- include personal contact, home visits, and counseling.
 Group approach- Lecture, group discussion, demonstration, role play, panel
8discussion, symposium, conferences and seminars.
 Mass approach- T.V. Radio, Internet, Newspaper, Printed materials, Direct
mailing, Poster, Health exhibitions and Museums and Folk media.
COMMUNICATION

 Communication can be regarded as a two-way process of exchanging or

shaping ideas, feelings and information. Broadly it refers “to the
countless ways that humans have of keeping in touch with one another.”
 Communication is more than mere exchange of information.
 It is a process necessary to pave way for desired changes in human
behaviour, and informed individual and community participation to
achieve predetermined goals.
Communication process
 Communication which is the basis of human interaction is a complex
process. As the following main components:
1. Sender.
2. Receiver.
3. Message.
4. Channel.
5. Feedback.
Types of communication
 One-way communication.
 Two-way communication.
 Verbal communication.
 Nonverbal communication.
 Formal and informal communication.
 Visual communication.
 Telecommunication.
Barriers of communication
1. Physiological- Difficulties in hearing, expression.
2. Psychological- Emotional disturbances, neurosis, levels of intelligence,
language or comprehension difficulties.
3. Environment- Noise, invisibility, congestion.
4. Cultural- Illiteracy, levels of knowledge and understanding, customs,
beliefs, religion, attitudes, economic and social class differences,
language variations, cultural difficulties between foreigners and
nationals, between urban education and the rural population.
ROLE OF NURSE IN IEC
 Establish good working IPR, trust and support with the user.
 Undertake need assessment.
 Plan effective interventions.
 Ensure good quality services are provide and the user are satisfied.
 Maintain confidentially.
 Develop IEC material.
 Conduct IEC activity.
 Evaluation of IEC activity.
 Mobilization of resources.
 Identification of barriers.
 Do referrals.
 Follow-up services.
CONCLUSION
• Information, education and communication (IEC) combines strategies,
approaches and methods that enable individuals, families, groups,
organisations and communities to play active roles in achieving, protecting
and sustaining their own health. Identifying and promoting specific
behaviours that are desirable are usually the objectives of IEC efforts.
Channels might include interpersonal communication (such as individual
discussions, counselling sessions or group discussions and community
meetings and events) or mass media communication (such as radio,
television and other forms of one-way communication, such as brochures,
leaflets and posters, visual and audio-visual presentations and some forms of
electronic communication)
THANKYOU