CLINICAL SKILLS

Giving a health talk

Detlef Prozesky As in all health education,

Jonathan Pons
Acting Head: Department of the health talk will be better
Medical Education, Faculty of if the educator addresses
Medicine, University of Botswana,
Gaborone, Botswana.
people’s concerns and fears,
deals respectfully with them,
This is a form of health education builds on useful customs
that is used very commonly that they already have, and
throughout the world, probably keeps in mind their problems
more commonly than any other and limitations.
method. Health talks are a
popular and very common
• Typically it takes place in a method of health education.
health centre or clinic, at the If they are done well, they
beginning of the day, when the can be highly effective in
patients have arrived. Health passing on important
talks are also commonly given knowledge.
Patients listen to a health talk. SWAZILAND
to the patients in a hospital ward.
• The subject matter is decided Top tips
usually very relevant to the health
upon by the health care staff, often in • Timing: Keep it to 20 minutes
problems and the culture of the community.
advance – they may have a programme • When choosing content, focus on what
worked out for the month. Often the The limitations of health talks people must know
subject matter is related to the medical • One of the main limitations is that you • Remember: your hearers are only going
programme for the day – for example, if are talking to people who are already to remember 3–4 of the facts you tell
it is the day for the glaucoma clinic the ‘converted’ to modern health care – the them. Make sure these are the
talk might deal with compliance. ones who really need the information may important ones!
• The talk is usually given in the local not come to the health centre at all. • When presenting the content, avoid
language, which is good for communication. • People may resent being kept waiting jargon and complicated words.
• Visual aids may be used – posters, or for the sake of a talk – they have their
real objects like birth control tablets. buses to catch and their lives to live. Preparing an outline to
• The popularity of health talks varies from • Only knowledge can be taught, not help you
country to country. In some countries skills. It is also hard to empower and
they are not used at all, whereas in motivate people by just talking to them. 1 A striking introduction that
others they are used a lot. Often health • Often, relatively junior staff members, creates interest and explains what
centre staff members feel strongly that with less knowledge and experience, is going to happen
it is their duty to give these talks, are given the job of health education. 2 A concise body. There must be a
because ‘health education’ is thought of logical sequence of information.
Good and bad health talks Reduce information to the key points.
as one of the elements of Primary
From his experience in Africa, the author 3 A meaningful conclusion,
Health Care. It is seen as a routine task
has picked up the following good and bad containing a summary of the key or
like any other in the health centre, and
habits that health workers have when they important points.
is done more or less faithfully.
give health talks (see Table 1).
The effectiveness of health talks Table 1. Good and bad habits when giving a health talk
Health talks are a means to share infor-
mation with the community, as mentioned Good Bad
on page 67, and this approach can • Two-way communication – lots of • One-way lecture – only the health
support and complement more partici- interaction with the audience worker talks
patory approaches. There is much
evidence that health talks are effective in • Short and entertaining – one or two • Long and boring – too many messages
passing on health information. Research key messages only for the audience to remember
done in South Africa in a large rural area • Practical subject matter – deals with • Subject matter is theoretical or decided
found that the level of community important local health issues on without considering local priorities
knowledge about important primary health
• Visual aids used • No visual aids used
care topics was very high, and community
members reported that their source of • Simple, understandable language • Using lots of technical/ English words
information was the local health centres. • Friendly, respectful and approachable • Behaving like a schoolteacher – e.g.
the audience have to stand up when
The advantages of health talks
they ask a question, etc.
• The main advantage is that you can
reach a fairly large number of people at • Audience is encouraged to participate • Insists on a formal atmosphere
the same time; with discussions you are and ask questions
limited to about 10 people at a time. • Creates a jolly atmosphere with lots of • Audience silent
• Health talks need relatively little laughter and interruptions
preparation.
• Because the staff know the patients • Checks that the audience has • Doesn’t check for understanding.
and the community, their messages are understood.

76 COMMUNITY EYE HEALTH JOURNAL | VOLUME 27 ISSUE 88 | 2014 © The author/s and Community Eye Health Journal 2014. This is an Open Access
article distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution Non-Commercial License.

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