hsci 237 the dimensions of health education literature

7/30/2019 HSci 237 the Dimensions of Health Education Literature

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The Dimensions of Health

Education Literature

An Evaluation of Published Health

Education Research(20002005)


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Examples of Information Sources

Newspapers

Magazines

Professional Journals

Internet Based

Information


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Types of Information Sources

Primary Sources

Written by people who actually conducted the data collectionor had first hand experience

Refereed journals publish information only after thatinformation has been reviewed by peers

Secondary Sources Written by someone who was not present at the data

gathering or did not participate as part of the study team

Value is that it provides a summary of many sources ofinformation and provides a bibliography of original sources

Can also be found in refereed journals

Popular Press Publications Newspapers

Magazines

Tabloids


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Identifying the Components of a

Research Article

Abstract

Introduction

Methodology

Results

Discussion


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Critically Reading a Research Article

Were the aims of the study defined in a clear manner?

Were the research questions/hypotheses clearly stated?

Was the description of the subjects clear?

Did the article state how the subjects were recruited?

Were the design and location of the study described clearly? Were the data collection instruments described?

Did the results directly address the researchquestions/hypotheses?

Were the conclusions logical in terms of the research designand data analyses performed?

Were the study implications meaningful to the population youserve?


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Evaluating the Accuracy of Non-

Research-Based Sources

What are the authors qualifications?

What is the style of presentation? Scientific writing?

Generalities?

Testimonials? Are references included?

What is the purpose of the publication? Biases

What is the reputation of the publication?

Is the information new? Is the information reliable

Is the information valid?


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Professional Health Education Journals

Journal/Availability at CSUN Print On-Line

American Journal of Health Behavior Yes Yes

American Journal of Health Education Yes Yes

American Journal of Health Promotion Yes No

American Journal of Health Studies No Yes

Health Promotion Practice No Yes

International Quarterly of Community Health Education No No

Journal of School Health Yes Yes

Health Education Research No Yes

Health Promotion International No Yes

Health Education & Behavior No Yes

International Electronic Journal of Health Education No Yes

Promotion and Education Yes No


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Indexes

Indexes are books that provide a link to articles of a

category of interest from many refereed journals,

books and research reports

Example: Index Medicus lists articles relating to clinical

and preventive medicine and does not includereferences to social science articles

The list of journals that are included in the index are

found in the front pages of each volume

Many indexes are now on CD-ROM Users begin by looking up a topic of interest in the

index (e.g., health behavior)


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Example of Using Index Medicus

Looking up health behavior

Two sample citations come up

The transitional model of change and HIV

prevention: a review. Prochaska JO. Et al.Health Educ Q 1995 May; 22(2): 190-200 (48

ref)

Self-esteem and the value of health as

determinants of adolescent health behavior.Torres R. et al. J Adolesc Health 1995 Jan;

16(1): 60-83. (43 ref).


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Other Health Education Related

Indices

Cumulative Index to Nursing and Allied

Health Literature

Education Index

Physical Education Index

Current Index to Journals in Education


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Abstracts

Abstracts are book volumes that include short

summaries of research studies that have

appeared in other journals

An abstract is usually more valuable than anindex in that an abstract provides both a

reference and a summary for each article

included.


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Using Abstracts

Locate the index at the end of each volume

You can such by both subject or author

Find the subject or author you are interested in, and

look at the titles of the articles listed under thatsubject/author heading

At the end of each article reference there is a number

G0 to the volume of the abstract that includes that

number (the numbers included in each volume arelisted on the outside binding of the volume

Turn to the number of the article you are interested in

and locate the desired article abstract


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A Sample Abstract #34782 from

Psychological Abstracts34782. Fleury, Julie. (U of North Carolina, School of Nursing, ChapelHill) The appl icat ion of motivat ional theory to cardiovascular r iskreduct io n. IMAGE:Journal of Nursing Scholarship, 1992(Fall), Vol

24(3), 229-239. The level of motivation sustained by an individualhas been identified as a primary predictor of success insustained cardiovascular risk factor modification efforts. Thisarticle reviews the primary motivational theories that have beenused to explain and predict cardiovascular risk reduction.Specifically, the application of the Health Belief Model, HealthPromotion Model, Theory of Reasoned Action, Theory ofPlanned Behavior and Self-efficacy Theory to the initiation and

maintenance of cardiovascular health behavior is addressed.The implication of these theories for the development of nursinginterventions as well as new directions for nursing research andpractice in the study of individual motivation in health behaviorchange are discussed.


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Abstracts Most Commonly Used by

Health Educators

Psychological Abstracts

Sociological Abstracts

Biological Abstracts

Recourses in Education


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Computerized Databases

An alternative to searching indexes or

abstracts manually

Like an index or abstract, each database has

a general subject area that it covers Education

Medicine

Psychology


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The Power of Computerized Databases

Provides access to the cumulative informationfound in several index or abstract sources

Faster than manual searches

User can link several concepts together tonarrow the search

A user can link two terms such as healthbehavior and cardiovascular disease by using

the word and between the terms Eliminating any article that only address one

or the other of these topics


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ERIC


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ERIC: Health Behavior

1,762 hits


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ERIC: Health Behavior and Cardiovascular

Disease

26 hits


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Computerized Databases

Educational Resources Information Center

(ERIC)

MEDLINE

Cumulative Index to Nursing and AlliedHealth Literature (CINAHL)

BIOETHICSLINE

Psychological Abstracts (PsychLit) Health Services, Technology, Administration

and Research (Health-STAR)


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The Internet and the World Wide Web:

Evaluating Information

Content

Authority

Publisher-source

References

Documentation

Facts


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Example of Internet Information


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Another Example of Internet

Information


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The Kind of Articles You Will Find

A total of 2610 articles were reviewed.

52% of these articles were research reports

with an identifiable content focus,

28% dealt with the practice of healtheducation (including planning and process

evaluation research),

11% represented theoretical discussions and 9% were reviews of the literature.


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Content Distribution

SocialHealth, 12%

Emotional

Health, 5%

Intellecutal

Health, 3% Spirtual

Health, 1%

Physical

Health, 79%


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The General Goal of Health Education

To improve the health knowledge and

attitudes of individuals and thereby promote

personal behaviors that will lead to optimal

health and wellness or high levels offunctioning in all of the various dimensions of

health*

[*Butler J. Principles of Health Education and Health Promotion, 3rd ed. Belmont, CA:

Wadsworth, 2001.]


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Beliefs About the Nature of Health

Health is typically defined in the literature as being

multidimensional,

This requires a balance among such elements as

physical health, emotional health, intellectual health,

social health and spiritual health*

Further, these dimensions are considered to be

dynamic in as much as the status of one dimension

will often influence the condition of another**

[*Cottrell RR, Girvan JT, McKenzie JF. Principles and Foundations of Health Promotion and Education, 2nd ed.

San Francisco, CA: Benjamin Cummings, 2002.]

[**Butler J. Principles of Health Education and Health Promotion, 3rd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth, 2001.]


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The Ultimate Function of Health

It is argued that health is functional

primarily for its usefulness in the pursuit

of higher aims, rather than merely as an

end in itself*

[*Read DA. Health Education: A Cognitive-Behavioral Approach. Boston, MA: Jones and

Bartlett, 1997.]


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A Philosophical Inconsistency

For the most part the health education literature

ignores the multidisciplinary nature of health

And, emphasizes physical health to the detriment of

all other aspects of health

This is in direct contradiction with health educations

definition of health

The dynamic nature of health cannot be fully

appreciated since there is no way to take into

account the impact of each component of health on

one another


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Inconsistencies in Theory and Practice

The national health objectives for most developednations (e.g. Healthy People 2010), continue torevolve almost exclusively around the prevention andtreatment of physical illness.

We now have firm evidence that the mind and body, far from

being separate, are intimately interwoven. There truly are many dimensions of health that interact with

each other.

It is therefore less effective, if not negligent, to research andpromote physical health without simultaneously addressing theduality of other dimensions of health in a truly integrative

fashion.

[USDHHS. Healthy People 2010. Washington, DC: US Department of Health and Human Services, 2000]


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Barriers to Promoting Multidimensional

Wellness

1. Physical health is tangible, understandable, measurable

and objectiveand it is therefore easy to target (blood

pressure, blood lipid profiles, morbidity and mortality

rates, energy expenditure, body mass index, etc.).

2. A second barrier is the ambiguity of dealing withdimensions of health that have not achieved a

consensus definition, are less tangible and seemingly

immeasurable.

3. Finally, there is a reluctance to step into politicallycharged arenas as the promotion of spirituality


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Overcoming Barriers

Pursue organized efforts to clearly define the variousdimensions of health in a way that builds consensus.

Place pressure on the crafters of national healthobjectives to develop objectives that represent a

dynamic, multidimensional view of health. Increase local control over resource allocation that

might include intervention and evaluation prioritiesthat target nonphysical dimensions of health.

A willingness to commit time and energy todesigning, implementing and evaluating the impact ofprograms that target various nonphysical dimensionsof health


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What is a Professional Article

Professional articles are written for a

particular audience of professionals in a given

field (or sub-field).

These articles are usually technical in natureand follow a range of formats typical of

publications in the field.


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Assessing Health Literature

In a nutshell, when assessing accuracy,

consider the following:

Is the information based on scientific

evidence? Is the information supported by data?

Is the original source referenced?

Do other sources substantiate theinformation?

Is the information current?


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Red Flags to Watch Out For

The information is anonymous

There is a conflict of interest

The information is one-sided or biased

The information is outdated

There is a claim of a miracle or secret cure

No evidence is cited

The grammar is poor and words aremisspelled

hsci 237 the dimensions of health education literature

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