A process is described for developing health education materials that includes the selection of the target audience, organization and presentation of content, and pretesting the material. (JOW)

A sample of 529 women were asked to identify their major sources of information about their pregnancies. Health care providers and books were cited as first or second by the largest number of respondents. It was found that women of higher socioeconomic status (SES) relied more on books and less on family than those of lower SES. (JOW)

Exposes misperceptions of the nature and usefulness of theory and explains benefits for practice of generalizability and testability. Guides practitioners through application of theory to each stage of intervention or program development. (SK)

Critical pedagogy seeks to centralize the cultural experiences of marginalized people in the production of knowledge and cultural identity. This process of engaging teacher/interventionists and students should be central to health education practice. (SK)

This article shows how the Health Belief Model, social learning theory, and locus of control may be related and posits an explanatory model that incorporates self-efficacy into the Health Belief Model. Self-efficacy is proposed as an independent variable with the traditional variables of perceived susceptibility, severity, benefits, and barriers.…

Shifts in the expectations of the public, in the practice of medicine, and in the state of the art of health education call for an examination of the nature of the relationship between the health education and medical professions. This article examines a number of issues related to these shifts and discusses the potential and pitfalls of this…

This article provides an historical perspective within which two recent, alternative directions for health education are examined. The first focuses primarily on personal bahavior change and the latter on a broad empowerment/environmental model of health promotion. (Author)

Discussion among health professionals of how they use theory in practice is intended to help theoreticians develop more useful theory and practitioners increase their understanding of the utility of good theory. (SK)

To give practitioners greater control of theory, myths about theory must be dismantled; limitations in theories currently guiding practice must be acknowledged; and theory to fill the gaps and build a more adequate knowledge base must be developed. (SK)

Examined outcome expectancies, outcome evaluations, and interest in participating in smoking cessation programs presented in graduated steps of intervention intensity. Concluded that attitudes and control beliefs should be the focus of initial program promotion for college smoking cessation programs. (JOW)

An intensive intervention group (n=247) of 9-11 year olds were exposed to SKIN SAFE, a curriculum about sun protection. A standard group (n=180) received a lecture about skin cancer; control group numbered 185. The intensive group were significantly more likely to use high levels of protection; no differences were apparent between the standard and…

Two groups (experimental and control) totaling 239 low-income asthmatic children, aged 8 to 11 years, were studied. One group was exposed to an asthma health education program. Findings indicate asthma health education for children increases management skills, reduces symptoms, and improves school performance. (Author/CH)

The Society for Public Health Education's (SOPHE) three midyear scientific symposia were evaluated by all SOPHE members who attended and 10 percent of those who did not. Ninety percent learned something relevant to their work; 33-50 percent made business contacts; 20 percent increased their participation in association activities because of the…

Because few health workers in Latin America are trained in how to produce effective and appropriate health education materials, the Pan American Health Organization developed a method to teach the design, use, and evaluation of health education materials. This article describes the development of the methodology, the basic operating principles,…

A study at the University of Alabama/Birmingham (UAB) compared adult asthma patients receiving a self-care workbook with those receiving only asthma pamphlets. Outcomes were assessed in five areas: (1) health care utilization, (2) functional status, (3) knowledge, (4) adherence, and (5) psychological reactions. (Author/CH)