Awareness and Receptiveness to Various Medicine Methods

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Table of Contents

Introduction and Background
Mind-Body Connection
Health Communication
Health Education and Learning Styles in Adults
Conclusion
Reference list

Introduction and Background

Good health is the most important aspect of an individual’s life. Studies have shown that the health of a person can be affected by many different factors. At the advent of science and the development of diagnostic and therapeutic procedures, only the physical/environmental factors were thought to influence the health of a person. Thus, the health promotion activities that were developed mainly advocated the prevention or enhancement of physical determinants of health. This was boosted by the scientific studies which identified a significant link between the physical factors such as microbial agents and health of a person. Measures have for a long time been developed and are still being researched to address the environmental factors that adversely affect health.

The healthcare system in place is sufficiently equipped to address the healthcare needs arising from a person’s interaction with environmental factors. However, more recent research reveals that the greatest cause of ill health does not lie in the disease-causing agents or other environmental factors, but rather in people’s minds. It has been identified that the way people react to different stimuli in their day-to-day life determines the state of their health. This now creates a difficult situation for a healthcare system that is deliberately skewed towards western medicine. The real challenge now is how to change the people’s perceptions about their health. It is important that they understand the underlying mechanisms that lead to poor health as revealed by research and be able to select the choices that are available for them to promote their health. Statistics indicate that up to 80% of individuals who visit hospitals are not really “sick” but are suffering from stress-related conditions. However, when these conditions are left unattended to, they result in actual sickness with real symptoms that cannot be treated by conventional medicine. Thus, there is need to utilize other non-invasive treatment methods that are available for this kind of conditions.

But how do you change people’s perceptions about western medicine and its final word of authority? How do you let them understand that they can actually get healed without swallowing a single tablet? For a long time though, the mind was thought to play a part in the health of a person, however, this has never been taken seriously enough. This is due to the fact that there are no means with which studies can be conducted to ascertain the how the brain influences the health of a person. Feelings and emotions cannot be quantified or measured and thus cannot qualify for a scientific inquiry. People have been made to believe that if you eat right, exercise and have regular checkups then good health can be guaranteed. New revelations indicate that the mind can affect a person’s health in a way that conventional western medicine will not be able to diagnose and treat. Attempts to get people to understand this have been faced by barriers which are mainly due to their beliefs and perceptions. This paper, therefore, seeks to determine ways through which individuals can be made to learn essential information about their health. (Atkin, 1990) Thus it will start by identifying the basic mental processes that lead to health conditions (mind and body); identify the quantum psychology approach to conscious unity; identify how communication can be used to improve health care and finally touch on the appropriate methods required to educate people, especially adults on important health information.

Terminologies

Andragogy- This was a term coined by researchers of adult education to contrast their beliefs about learning to the pedagogical model (Payne, 1998)
Brain-based learning theory- This refers to a learning theory that is based on the structure and functions of the brain (Baars, 1988)
Health- Is a term that is used to describe living things when they are structurally and functionally whole or sound. (Well, 1990)
Healthcare system- Refers to the complete network of agencies facilities, and all providers of health care in a specified geographic area. (Well, 1990)
Health communication- “This field encompasses the study and the use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health.” (Atkin, 1990, p. 6)
Quantum psychology- this refers to psychology that utilizes the concept of quantum mechanics to complement modern psychology by extending the therapeutic goal beyond the integration of self to include the relationship with the larger cosmos.

Aims

To understand how the mind affects an individual’s health
To describe consciousness as revealed by quantum psychology
To determine people’s perception towards conventional and non-invasive medicine
To find ways through which people can be effectively taught to understand their health and utilize the different available approaches, especially the mind and body approach
To describe ways through which effective health communication can be used to teach patients or clients on the different factors that lead to ill health.

Mind-Body Connection

“Scientific studies of the mind-body connection reveal that mental states are reflected immediately in your biochemistry—the chemical messenger system that controls how your body functions.” (Bowden, 2008) The mental states are triggered by personal beliefs that influence and determine the kind of attention one gives at a given situation and selects what one takes from the environment. This automatic selection defines the perception of an individual’s world and determines how they interpret what they see. This process of filtering stimulates responses that can make one ill or lead to modification to the natural well-being.

This implies that, focusing one’s attention in a way that the following feelings are generated: conflict, “anxiety, tension, worry, stress, anger, depression, mistrust, or conflict can lead to very real physical effects in the body.” (Ornstein, 1986) The usual habit often reacting to responses can lead to various health conditions such as high blood pressure, “lowered immune response, asthma, digestive disturbances, infertility, insomnia, back pain, skin problems, colds and flu, headaches among others.” (Smith, 1984) Physicians estimate that sixty to ninety percent of all patient visits are associated with stressful conditions. This might be true considering the immense effect of attitudes and emotions on an individual. Such conditions have no associated physical symptoms and conventional therapy does not offer solutions. This usually leads to assumptions by the patients that may be the doctor isn’t doing enough to unravel their predicaments or worse the thought of a new mysterious ailment that is beyond recognition by the current medicine. This may also show that only 10 to 40% of patients who show up at the hospitals have actual diseases, while the rest only experience mental conditions that lead to misery and produce actual symptoms. However, the real explanation lies in the understanding that our physical symptoms always begin and end in the head and are triggered by our responses to events in life.

The science behind the connection

“Scientific studies have shown that mind-body factors—such as an independent attitude and an optimistic outlook—influence health and longevity more than anything else” (Baars, 1988, p. 90) More than diet, exercise, natural fitness and even more than abstaining from harmful substances. Scientific studies have revealed that by utilizing mind-body methods one limits the visits to hospitals and increases the speed of healing, it also “reduces the use of pain medication, shortens hospital stays, causes symptoms to interfere less with life, and improves patients’ sense of control over their health.” (Bowart, 1978) This information is vital but is not often taken up by individuals due to contradicting information that is always told. For instance, it is always said that one cannot maintain a healthy status unless “he eats right, exercise, get plenty of sleep, and get regular checkups.” (Blendler, 1985, p. 34) This implies that people are constantly reminded of the usefulness of these activities and thus it limits the use of alternative medicine.

“Scientific research shows that mind-body factors have a far greater effect upon your health than diet, exercise, exposure to germs or toxins, smoking, genetics, or any other known health risk factors.” (Luger, 1994, p. 64) In fact, it has been shown that individuals who follow these conventional rules but lack proper mind and body factors such as an optimistic outlook tend to be less healthy as compared to individuals with health-promoting attitudes even when they have “bad” health habits. (Bowart, 1978) The main reason why people fail to use the mind and body approach is that it has not received much approach and utilization in conventional medical practice. It is evident that a lot in terms of perceptions needs to be changed in order for the mind-body advance to be accepted and become part of conventional health care. It seems that before humanity can benefit from this immense healing power within individuals, profound changes will be required in the entire health care practice. But a different view to this reveals that the only impediment to this approach is located within every individual, this implies that change at the individual level is imperative for the mind and body approach to be integrated in conventional healthcare.

The mind

The concept of mind and body connection has been around for quite a long time, it was first captured in Dr Herbert’s writing on “Relaxation Response” in 1975. (Luger, 1994, p. 67) Many books written on the subject have been well received by the masses and this indicates that the concept of mind and body draws enthusiasm but at a theoretical level. However, when individuals become ill, most of them easily forget that they have heard of the mind and body healing approach. Instead, most of them will go straight to the doctor, hoping that there is a definite diagnosis and treatment for their conditions. This does not mean that it is wrong for anyone to have a strong faith in the power of conventional medicine. However, with the increase in challenges associated with conventional medicine people will have no option but to seek alternative ways. For instance, the United States is currently spending more than 15% of its GDP on health care alone. “This might not matter if this rate of the spending resulted in the U.S. having the best health outcomes of in the Western world or if the country offered excellent universal health care, but it doesn’t.”(Bowden, 2008, p. 46) This huge spending on health care is a direct consequence of health care being regarded as big business and needing to turn big profits. (Baars, 1988)

The costs associated with the mind and body approaches are often low or none at all and this implies that if patients were to rely on the mind and body approaches to maintain their health, it would lead to a negative impact on the earnings accrued from the current healthcare system. “So, it seems that the health care industry is what stands in the way of using mind-body approaches. It’s not selling us on the idea, which means we keep turning toward the standard medical offerings that they are selling.” (Ornstein, 1986, p. 45) However, let us take a closer at the impediments to the acceptance of the authenticity of the body-mind approaches. Given that the mind is the most powerful tool for the maintenance of health as described by researchers, what is holding humanity back? Is it that people do not like the implication? The notion that thinking differently will imply that one is not actually sick. In addition, no sick person will want to be told that what he/she is going through is due to the mind and can be healed by just thinking differently. “Indications are that all ill health starts first as disturbances in the energy systems of an individual’s body reflections of your mental and emotional lack of ease in a person’s life.” (Baars, 1988, p. 44)

These understated energy troubles lead to actual physical conditions that are manifested with real symptoms and if the underlying mental conditions are not kept in check the effects are magnified into actual diagnosable disease conditions. As things are present, it is obvious that many people would prefer to be diagnosed with a chronic or terminal disease rather than accept that their conditions are due to the way they respond to various aspects of life. Worse still some people bluntly refuse to accept that they are not really “sick” just because they want to attract sympathy or be excluded from some kind of activity. However, there currently no social benefits for any one to admit that he/she is experiencing stress-related symptoms that are disrupting his or her life. (Lakoff, 1999) But people will continue to think this way even after knowing that it’s the way they react to life that makes them sick.

New evidence in science has revealed that mental factors impact greatly on an individual’s health. However, this information is always limited as the exact “active ingredient” necessary for the mind and body connections has not been revealed. This has contributed to the neglect of this topic by the scientific world. Some specific factors have however been isolated and found to have an influence on health. These factors may include emotions, social status, education, marriage, religion, intimacy among others. (Smith, 1984) All these associated “factors and others have been identified as influencing health but science has not noticed the active ingredient, which may not be the particular actions, choices or distinct biochemical reactions.” (Baars, 1988, p. 30) Increasing evidence show that this active ingredient may just be “belief, because belief is what generates the human perceptions of safety, comfort, fulfillment, enjoyment, power, and freedom- states that are linked to one’s well-being.” (Robinson, 2009, p. 56) Thus belief s the active ingredient will never fit the scientific view of the world. Simply because beliefs cannot be quantified or observed and even its outcomes such as perception and attention cannot be measured or counted. “To unravel this, scientists have kept searching for the chemical or hormone that could explain how the mind can affect the body.” (Blendler, 1985, p. 165) This explains why mind and body connection is never advocated in science, may be until the active ingredient is identified or science accepts the fact that beliefs cannot be quantified or observed.

Reason for reluctance to embrace mind and body approach

People are reluctant to accept the influence of their minds on their health; this section will try to give the few common reasons as to why an ordinary person will resist attempts to be drawn into this kind of thinking. First, the doctors who provide the conventional medicine never tell the patients on how the mind influences their health. This may be because: Science doesn’t understand and therefore does not advocate it; the doctor was never taught about the mind and body approach while in medical school. (Bowden, 2008) Other reasons pertaining to the individual may be; the patient is not ready to accept that the problem may be in his/her mind and that the patient is relying on the physician to tell what he/she needs to do in order to stay healthy- “eat right, get regular checkups and exercise.” (Baars, 1988, p. 65)

So this leads to a kind of catch 22 scenarios, where the patient doesn’t insist on the mind and body information because the authorities don’t tell him/her that the information is important, and the health authorities don’t regard the information as important due to the fact that public is not interested. (Ericson, 2004) As a result no efforts are made towards informing the public about the influence of their minds on their health. The health authorities who base their practice on scientific evidence are not in a position to properly disseminate the information about mind and body connections, even though they are very much aware of it. The mind and body approach is a new concept that doesn’t require the objective measurements that are synonymous with science. It is about the beliefs. So, even though “scientific research shows that mental factors such as optimistic outlook, a sense of purpose, and self-acceptance are health-promoting,” (Ericson, 2004, p. 32) it can’t say how much of this one needs to indulge in. so it’s the inability to measure or lack of objectivity that locks this important aspect of health from being used.

Another reason as to why people don’t request for information regarding “the mind and body approach to health” is because most of them think that they know enough about it. (Luger, 1994, p. 104) The simplification that is always carried out in the media- “think positive, avoid stress, and have a good attitude” lead to most people thinking that they use it every day and yet they are not using it as it is supposed to be. (Blakemore, 1977) The belief that one knows factor has a great influence on teaching and learning outcomes about the alternative approach to health. And in most cases individuals with this notion will tend to tune out when important health information is being given to them.

What needs to be done?

“By deliberately using the power of the mind—learning to relax, learning to choose beliefs that make one feel good, learning to shift your attention and change your perception—one can relieve pain, overcome infertility, his/her blood pressure and even cure insomnia” (Blendler, 1985, p. 65) In order for an individual to sufficiently employ the power of mind one needs to deliberately recognize how he/she feels and realize how the choices he/she makes lead to tension and then select a different approach. This should not be done at once as it requires new habits to be developed. The task of developing new habits can be challenging, though it is simple. A form of treatment works by initiating the action that focuses the attention in allowing the natural well-being to manifest itself. Mindpower is sufficient enough to relieve one of the symptoms, just as surgery, pain killers, or any other form of medication.

“Therefore, anything that helps you relax and allow your energy to return to its natural state is genuinely health-promoting.” (Lakoff, 1999, p. 203) It is not a must that anyone should forego conventional medicine for the sake of the mind and body approach. If the latter is working for an individual then it is okay. However, if what one is going through is not curable by conventional medicine, a benefit can be achieved by applying the mind and body approach. In addition, complementing any therapy with the mind-body approach often solves the health issue from the source and this cannot be achieved by solely relying on what is provided by conventional medicine. (Baars, 1988) “Mind-body approach has been found to heal chronic or mysterious health problems that modern medicine does not treat successfully.” (Lakoff, 1999, p. 14)

A study was conducted by Goldman to determine whether the perceived social position predicted mental and physical health outcomes (depressive symptoms cognitive impairment, mobility restrictions, and self-assessed health) in a prospective study based on a nationally representative sample of older persons. (2006) In the study cross-sectional and longitudinal models were used to demonstrate the relationship between perceived social position and health. (Goldman, 2006)

“Lower perceived social position predicted a declining health beyond what was accounted for by objective indicators of socioeconomic position.” (Goldman, 2006, p. 25). When the controls were “included in the study, the apparent social position was significantly related only to depressive symptoms.” (Spencer, 1999, p. 33) “The findings suggest that the strength of associations between perceived social position and health may have been overstated in cross-sectional studies.” (Goldman, 2006, p. 45) However, the utilized model assessed the level of perceived social position was associated with changes in physical and mental health over a three-year follow-up. This research shows that our mental wellbeing affects our physical health. (Goldman, 2006)

Quantum psychology

Quantum physics has led to a substantial progress in demonstrating the underlying unit of the universe, not to the naked eye, perhaps, but within the physical realm. Thus efforts have been made to bridge the formidable gap between the invisible, sub-atomic level of particles and the waves floating in emptiness and the practical, often visible nature of our daily lives. (Davarpanah, 2002) In attempting to bridge levels of consciousness are constructed, these levels denotes particular understanding and experiences that one may pass through to get to the next level. This can be compared to the “rights of passage” in which after acquainting with the requirements and understanding of one level of consciousness, one becomes free to progress to the next level. (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 44) These passages can be referred to as “quantum jumps” through which one passes. (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 44) As a person goes through one aspect of consciousness, the stage is set, new experiences encountered, possibly enabling one to move on to the next level of consciousness. Seven levels of “quantum jumps can be established based on human experiences.

Quantum consciousness can be experienced at all levels: Spiritually, emotionally, physically, mentally, and sensorially. These studies can be termed modern psychotherapy which is based on what can be said to be “Newtonian Psychotherapy.” (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 50) Newtonian physics asserts that the movement of a billiard ball can be clearly defined and predicted. This presents a reductionist view of the world in which everything can be reduced to small units acting and reacting on one another leading to a measurable and predictable cause and effect. Once these principles are converted into psychotherapeutic suppositions, every individual is seen as a separate entity unto itself, clearly delinked from any other individual, object, structure, or form and who lives experiencing a linear series of stimulus-response, leading to a cause-and-effect relationship. (Wolinsky, 1993) Consciousness is often viewed as a complex string of stimulus-effect pathways. When consciousness is admitted as an operative concept, it is seen as something to be altered, reframed, cured, changed, heightened or healed. (Davarpanah, 2002) More often conscious is taught to solve problems in itself by identifying the stimulus and response relationship association that explains and then hopefully substitute the problematical dynamic. For instance, a patient who shows up to complain about frosty relationship with women is suggesting that some relationship with a woman, probably his wife, has caused the problem. (Wolinsky, 1993)

The “Quantum approach to consciousness is more interested in providing experiential pathways through which one can begin to perceive and relate to a quantum universe.” (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 69) Through quantum consciousness psychology magnifies the context of whole personhood to incorporate the whole universe. Thus, by going the outlined levels, that slowly unravels the previous limited world view of separation and linear cause and effect relationships, an individual eventually no longer experiences him/herself as a “separate from or victim of.” (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 70) Quantum approaches to psychology create levels of understanding that leads to an individual to experience interconnection as the context rather than the conflicting parts. Ultimately the goal is to experience the common underlying interconnectedness throughout all the responses. (Davarpanah, 2002) Indeed, the typical experience of Quantum consciousness is not about integrating any traits; it is about understanding and experiencing the inherent unit. This underlying experience of unit is where the true wholeness is often experienced and forms the context for everything. This forms the part where all challenges disappear, and you emerge. In comparison to modern psychology, Quantum psychology is more interested in the background rather than the background; however, it aims at the ultimate unit the two. “Quantum psychology complements modern psychology by extending the therapeutic goal beyond the integration of the singular self to include relationship with a larger cosmos.” (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 56)

Each of the seven levels of quantum psychology represents a quantum leap (a specific term used in physics that is used to refer to the nature of change that occurs in particles). (Davarpanah, 2002) Continuous change is represented by a discontinuous leap. Picture this, at one moment the elementary particle is located inside the nucleus, at the next the particle has escaped. (Wolinsky, 1993) There is no intermediate state that depicts the actual process of getting out. Theorists label this discontinuous transition as the continuous jump. An instant before the jump, the elementary particle is occupying a given region of space. An instant later it is somewhere else and according to the quantum theory no physical process connects these two physical states of being, no period of time separates them. (Wolinsky, 1993) This happens as if the elementary particle suddenly flickered out of existence, passed through a limbo of no time or space and reappeared somewhere else. In psychological terms “jump” depicts a change that has taken place and whose origin cannot be tracked. For example, a person who is suffering from a certain emotional condition may for a long-time search for the most appropriate technique that will free him from his/her emotional predicament. Then at some point he/she is freed but in a way that the particular technique that led to the change cannot be identified

Level one

At this level, “one observes the specific thoughts, feelings, images, sensations and emotions as they occur and, in the process, gains a sense of being separate from or more than the flow of these contents.” (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 38) Once the observer begins to understand that he is not his thoughts, feelings, and emotions, but rather an observing presence, a process of disidentification is inaugurated that gradually constellates as the first bridge to quantum consciousness. (Wolinsky, 1993)

Level two

For this part, the work of Dr David Bohm, a noted physicist will be used. Bohm states that the world is made of space, energy, time and mass. At this level a relationship is drawn between the individual and energy. Once the individual has depicted himself/herself as the observer then there will be an experience of how all the things that are observed going on the mind are made of the same underlying energy. (Wolinsky, 1993) This level enables one to remove all the labels that differentiate the experiences, and therefore automatically diffusing or neutralizing the charge of whatever the experience you are observing. (Wolinsky, 1993)

Level three

This part utilizes the work of a physicist, Dr. Werner Heisenberg, the uncertainty principle. (Wolinsky, 1993) Heisenberg showed that an observer creates that which/she observes. In the terminology of quantum psychology, a subjective experience is often created. This stage also involves Bohm’s “mass” aspect as an ingredient of the universe along with its particle nature. (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 39) This implies that the two phenomena of thought and the observer of thought are essentially separate entities. The importance of this level is that it empowers the observer beyond the passive position of witness to the active position of creator. Once a people understand that they are the creators of their own sadness, anxiety or depression, its then they can stop creating them. This bridge propels one from the Newtonian thought towards the ranging freedom of Quantum Consciousness. (Davarpanah, 2002)

Level four and level five

At the second level it was identified that all that is intrinsically observed is made of energy. At the third level, it is recognized that the observer creates what he/she observes. At level the time aspect of the universe is introduced, this will reveal how the time concept is created by the individual. At level five, we move through the most overlooked aspect of the world: the ever present space, at this stage the changeless nature of space is revealed and how it transforms experience by touching it. As stated previously, Bohm postulated that the physical universe is an “unfolding” and “enfolding” of four elements: energy, space, mass, and time. (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 40) Thus the underlying energy that is experienced in the second level can be clearly described as the unfolding and efolding of energy, space, time and mass.

By contemplating the common ingredients of energy, mass, space, time, a person gains a kind of contextual comprehension of the underlying unity. (Davarpanah, 2002) The creator, that which is created, the recipients of the object of our creation are made of the same substance. (Davarpanah, 2002) As stated in the terminology of Quantum psychology, in order for a problem such as an unwanted emotion to exist, it must possess energy, occupy space, have measurable mass (solidity), and exist in time (have duration- a beginning, middle and the end). (Widmark, 2001)If a problem is examined in the four levels, a far more multi-dimensional framework can be achieved, better than the one provided by the current binary system of traditional therapeutic models in which problems are viewed in linear cause /effect relationship. The levels 4 and 5 takes an individual into a new sphere of primal essence and provide exercises that prepare an individual to tap into the freedom of experiencing him/herself on a boundless quantum level. (Wolinsky, 1993)

Level six

This level removes the iron curtains divisions that people typically take for granted. This level utilizes David Bohm’s explicate and implicate orders. Where the invisible and the manifested are continuously enfolding and unfolding, where all boundaries are observer created rather than inherent. This is the quantum bridge that delivers a person beyond judgment and beyond evaluation and introduces one to the experience of the underlying unity. (Blakemore, 1977)

Level seven

At level six the interconnection of all things is experienced. The seventh level takes an individual a step further by asserting that not only does everything overlap, but everything is actually made of the same material. Thus the relationship between objects thus moves beyond one of interpenetration to a level of universal sameness or oneness. The quantum consciousness at level 7 can be determined by the current level of “perception” or “knowingness” to make the distinctions required for description and exposition. (Wolinsky, 1993, p. 56)

Health Communication

“Health communication encompasses the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health.” (Anderson, 1997, p. 81) It provides the link between the two domains of health and communication. Health communication is vital for the improvement of personal and public health. Proper health communication can positively contribute to all aspects of preventing diseases and promoting health.

Health communication, whether on conventional or alternative medicine is often relevant in the following contexts which include:

Health professional-patient relations
Individuals’ exposure to, search for, and use of health information
Individuals’ adherence to clinical recommendations and regimens
the construction of public health messages and campaigns,
The dissemination of individual and population health risk information, that is, risk communication
Images of health in the mass media and the culture at large
The education of consumers about how to gain access to the public health and health care

(Emmer, 2004)

Proper health communication can help individuals understand the underlying physical and mental health risks. This can also provide the necessary information individuals require to gain the skills to reduce the risks “Health communication also can increase demand for appropriate health services and decrease demand for inappropriate health services.” (Spencer, 1999, p. 134) It can provide people with the required information about the different approaches that can be used to ensure a healthy life. “It can make available information to assist in making complex choices, such as selecting health plans, care providers, and treatments.” (Anderson, 1997, p. 64) At the community level, communication can be used to influence people’s belief about the different factors that can lead to ill-health and “encourage social norms that benefit health and quality of life.” (Anderson, 1997, p. 64)

The exercise of health communication has led to marked progress in health promotional activities, though this has mainly been centered on the promotion of conventional remedies which has led to a large improvement of interpersonal and group interactions in clinical situations. (Atkin, 1990) Proper training of the health care providers especially in the areas of collaborative relationships with patients has enhanced health communication. “Another area is the dissemination of health messages through public education campaigns that seek to change the social climate to encourage healthy behaviors, create awareness, change attitudes, and motivate individuals to adopt recommended behaviors.” (NorthHouse, 1998, p. 121) Traditionally health campaigns have relied on the available forms of mass communication such as radio, public announcements, televisions, and billboards. Some other forms have combined community-based programs and mass media. “Many others have used the social marketing techniques.” (Eldon, 1990, p. 153)

The principles of successful Health Communication

Accuracy: “This is achieved when the content of the health communication is valid and without errors of fact interpretation, or judgment.” (Spencer, 1999)

Availability: “This implies that the content, whether it is the targeted message or any other information is delivered or placed in a location where the audience can easily access it.” (Anderson, 1997) Therefore “placement will vary according to the audience, message complexity and purpose, ranging from interpersonal and social networks to billboards and mass transit signs to prime time TV or radio, to public kiosks, to the internet.”(Piotrow, 1997, p. 45)

Balance: “Where appropriate, the content should present the benefits and risks of potential actions or recognizes different and valid and perspectives on the issue.”(Anderson, 1997, p. 22)

Consistency: The content should remain internally consistent overtime and also is consistent with information from other sources; the latter often presents a problem when other widely available content is not accurate or reliable. (Anderson, 1997)

Cultural competence: “The design, implementation, and evaluation process should account for special issues arising from the selected population groups.” (Spencer, 1999, p. 45) For instance, “ethnic, racial and linguistic, educational level and disability.” (Piotrow, 1997, p. 56)

Evidence base: “Relevant scientific evidence that has undergone comprehensive review and rigorous analysis to formulate practice guidelines, performance measures, review criteria and technology assessments for tele-health applications.”(Naert, 2001)

Reach: The content should be able to reach a large proportion of f the target population.

Repetition: “The delivery or the access to the content should be done over time so as to reinforce the impact with a given audience and to reach new generations.” (Emmer, 2004)

Reliability: The source of the content is credible and the content itself can be kept up to date. (Gustavo, 2005)

Timeliness: “The content should be provided or should be made available when the audience is most receptive to or in need of the specific information.” (Emmer, 2004, p. 23)

Understandability: “The reading or language level and format (including multimedia) are appropriate for the specific audience” (Piotrow, 1997, p. 76).

Currently, health improvement activities are increasingly taking advantage of information technology which provides easier means that can reach “bigger audiences, tailor the messages, and engage people in interactive, ongoing exchanges about health.” (Maibach, 1995, p. 85) Community centered approach is becoming a favorite and is necessary in order to shift the attention from individual to group level and put “emphasizes on the empowerment of individuals and communities to effect change on multiple levels.” (Atkin, 1990, p. 112)

A set of vital health indicators, which put emphasizes on the core areas of health improvement practices as described in “Healthy People 2010: Understanding and Improving Health,” (Prieskel, 2003) depend on the success achieved by the proper health communication. Education aimed at persuading the patients to change their behavior and conduction of counseling services demands that the health worker possesses excellent communication skills. For the common approaches used for conventional medicine the public information campaigns are utilized to create awareness on the importance of good diet such as regular eating of fruits and vegetables; “higher rates of preventive screening (mammogram and colonoscopy); higher rates of clinical preventive services (immunization); and greater rates of adoption of risk-reducing behaviors (Back to Sleep and Buckle Up for Safety).” (Spencer, 1999, p. 94)

Nevertheless, when solely applied health communication alone, may not do much to change the health problems. Factors such as poverty, environmental degradation, or lack of access to health care may still require proper investigations to be conducted and strategies developed to address the challenges they pose. Properly developed health communication strategies assist persons to have a better understanding of their own and the community’s health requirements so as to take proper measures to promote health. This should not only involve the physical factors as it is the case today but should also consider the mental factors such as emotions which are known to have a profound impact on individual’s health.

Trends

There has been a significant change in the environment in which health communication can be done. These changes comprise the rapid increases in the number of communication channels and the rise in the number health problems that inevitably demand for the development of more efficient ways of giving health information “The expansion of communication channels and health issues on the public agenda increases competition for people’s time and attention; at the same time, people have more opportunities to select information based on their personal interests and preferences.” (NorthHouse, 1998) Health communication can be provided in different contexts such as at the place of work, in school or at the comfort of an individual’s place or home. The variety of channels available include; small group, mass media, organizational, interpersonal and community. The varieties of messages delivered through these channels seem to promote the conventional medicine as the main agenda. Alternative medicine or the mind and body approach is not usually included or may receive a slight representation through advocacy for behavior change. (Atkin, 1990)

A one single dimension to health education and promotion cannot yield the program objectives. An effective health promotion strategy should “rely on multidimensional interventions to reach diverse audiences about complex health concerns, and communication is integrated from the beginning with other components, such as community-based programs, policy changes, and improvements in services and the health delivery system.” (Piotrow, 1997, p. 56) Research indicates that communication works best for health promotion when different communication channels are used to inform particular audiences with health information that makes sense to them. (Anderson, 1997) The design of a multi-dimensional program requires “sufficient time for planning and implementation and evaluation.” This requires the provision of sufficient funds to cater for the various components of the program. Partnerships such as public and private can help raise the required funds and strengthen the results of a multi-dimensional strategy. “Collaboration can have the added benefit of reducing message clutter and targeting health concerns that cannot be fully addressed by public resources.” (Anderson, 1997, p. 43)

Research reveals that in order for health communication to be successful the patient-centered perspective should be adopted. (Atkin, 1990) This implies that the communication channel used to educate or inform an individual or the public should be the ones preferred by the audience. These “considerations are specifically applicable for racially and ethnically different populations, who may require the use of different languages and different channels of communication that are available.” (Spencer, 1999, p. 97) “In these cases, public education campaigns must be conceptualized and developed by individuals with specific knowledge of the cultural characteristics, media habits, and language preferences of intended audiences.” (Atkin, 1990, p. 78) Proper channels of communication should to be selected for all major groups that are targeted by the information.

Radio and TV channels that serve particular racial and ethnic populations can be effective in delivering health information. Thus, proper care should be taken to ensure that the culture, language and socio-economic situations of the intended audiences are taken care of. An audience-based perspective will also reveal the realities of the audience’s livelihood “and their current practices, attitudes and beliefs, and lifestyles.” (Maibach, 1995, p. 220) Some relevant characteristics that should be considered in the audience consist of “gender, age, education and income levels, ethnicity, sexual orientation, cultural beliefs and values, primary language(s), and physical and mental functioning.” (Atkin, 1990) Other considerations may include personal experience with the different approaches to health care, the different perceptions towards the different types of health issues and the readiness to utilize the different approaches. Proper attention should be paid to the misinformed and the ignorant audience.

Interventions that are tailored to address the difference brought about by cultural practices have been identified to be very effective. For instance, “a breastfeeding promotion program among Navajo women that was based on investigations of their cultural beliefs about infant feeding practices showed increased rates of breastfeeding.” (Spencer, 1999, p. 103)

Discrepancies

Usually, people who are in the greatest need for certain health information have the least access. This disadvantage is usually brought about by misinformation, poor communication framework, a poor or skewed healthcare system and lack of the necessary supporting social services. “Even the most carefully designed health communication programs will have limited impact if underserved communities lack access to crucial health professionals, services, and communication channels that are part of a health improvement project.” (Atkin, 1990, p. 76)

Research shows that even after achieving the intended health communication strategies, individuals with minimal income and low education levels always remain less knowledgeable and less likely to change their behavior compared to the other groups. (Piotrow, 1997) This always creates a gap that will always leave these individuals uninformed. “With communication technologies, the disparity in access to electronic information resources is commonly referred to as the digital divide.” (Anderson, 1997, p. 78) The situation becomes worse with the increase in the variability of the health information resources, lets say over the internet and requires the one to poses special skills to access it. “Equitably distributed health communication resources and skills, and a robust communication infrastructure can contribute to the closing of the digital divide and the overarching goal of Healthy People 2010 to eliminate health disparities.” (Anderson, 1997, p. 79)

Even when the access to health information is provided to all the groups, high levels of disparities may still be seen because a lot of people are ignorant on matters concerning health. Thus, health literacy should be increasingly utilized to assist individuals understand complex factors that affect their health and therefore be in a better position to manage their own health “Differences in the ability to read and understand materials related to personal health as well as navigate the health system appear to contribute to health disparities.” (Bowden, 2008, p. 23) As a result, persons with limited health literacy often have a poorer health status.

Opportunities

In order for communication to be utilized effectively in informing the public about the different factors that contribute to their poor health and the various approaches that are available for treatment, all the stakeholders including healthcare providers, public representatives, researchers and others must collaborate on a range of activities. (Atkin, 1990)

The activities may include:

initiatives to build a robust health information system that provides equitable access
development of high-quality, audience-appropriate information and support services for specific health problems and health-related decisions for all segments of the population, especially underserved persons
training of health professionals in the science of communication and the use of communication technologies
evaluation of the interventions
Promotion of a critical understanding and practice of effective health communication

(Spencer, 1999, p. 67)

Lastly to ensure that patients and other consumers of health information become generally knowledgeable in different aspects of their health care providers will be required to become reliable communicators. Thus they will be required to be in a position to offer patients with options on how to cure illness and manage their health. They will be required to be exceptionally knowledgeable not only in the usual practice of conventional medicine but also in other areas such as the mind and body approach. This is imperative for the healthcare systems to keep in touch with current realities that indicate that there is more to the mind than to physical factors as far health is concerned.

However, the greatest challenge lies in educating people about the role of their minds in determining their health status and how they can be better by just changing what they believe. The following section studies the different approaches used in adult education.

Health Education and Learning Styles in Adults

General adult learning

“The term andragogy was coined by researchers of adult education to contrast their beliefs about learning to the pedagogical model.” (John & Helen, 1999, 3)

Teaching new concepts to adults is not an easy task. For instance, changing an adult’s perception of western medicine is quite a test. Several factors cause adults to become very difficult students. (Anderson, 1997) First, “adults decide for themselves what is important to be learned. Secondly, they always need to validate the information based on their beliefs and experiences.” (Blendler, 1985, p. 45) Thirdly, they expect what they have learned to be immediately useful. Fourth, they often have much experience upon which to draw and sometimes may possess fixed viewpoints. In order to disseminate important information about the alternative health approach to adults, the health information provider needs to be aware of the following principles that guide adult learning. (Widmark, 2001)

Focus on the real health challenges that require change in perceptions
Emphasize how the learning can be applied to achieve this
Relate the health issues to the learners past experiences with disease conditions
Relate the information to the individual/learners desire for good health
Allow the learner to challenge information
Always listen to and respect the opinions of learners
Encourage the learner or the learners to be resources to you and to each other
Treat the learner like adults and give them control.

Training activities can be offered in a variety of ways:

First, this can be accomplished through the presentation as a lecturer. (Schofield, 1999) The advantages of this method are that; the learners are kept on the same point and may understand better as a group. It can be used for a large group of up to 20 or more learners. The drawbacks to this model are; it can become dull if there is no learner participation, it is difficult to gauge if the learners are indeed learning and lastly, retention of the learned concepts is usually limited.
Second, learning can be achieved by facilitating group discussions. This model keeps the learners interested and involved; the learner’s resources and experiences can be discovered and shared the learner can be observed and evaluated. (Schofield, 1999) The disadvantage of this method is that the learning points can be confused or lost, a few learners may dominate the discussion, and time control is often difficult.
Third, Adult learning can be achieved using case studies or telling about the experiences that other people have gone through. In the context of non-invasive medicine, the healthcare official can tell of other people who have been healed or improved their health status by changing their perceptions. The advantages of this method are that it stimulates the learner to become actively involved, it can stimulate the learner to apply the learned concepts. (Prieskel, 2003) The drawbacks are that the information must be precise and kept up to date, secondly, the learner requires sufficient time to learn the cases.

Brain-based learning theory

“This learning theory is based on the structure and functions of the brain.” (John & Helen, 1999, mp. 75) Researchers state that so long as the brain is not stopped from fulfilling its normal functions, then learning will occur. The basic principles that support brain-based learning state that:

The brain is a parallel processor, meaning it can perform several activities at once, like tasting and smelling.
The search for meaning is innate.
The search for meaning comes through patterning.
The brain processes wholes and parts simultaneously.
Learning involves both focused attention and peripheral perception.
Learning involves both conscious and unconscious processes.
We have two types of memory: spatial and rote.
We understand best when facts are embedded in spatial memory.
Learning is enhanced by challenge and inhibited by threat.

(Widmark, 2001, p. 56)

Three techniques can be used to give instructions in the brain-based learning model.

Orchestrated immersion- This is achieved through the creation of an environment that fully immerses the learners into the learning experience.
Relaxed alertness- this is achieved by attempting to reduce anxiety in the students and at the same time maintaining a very challenging environment (Widmark, 2001)
Active processing- refers to allowing the students to gather and internalize the learned information through active processing. (Widmark, 2001)

Ways in which brain-based learning positively affects education

The learning activities are designed around the student’s interests
The students are allowed to learn in groups and often utilize peripheral learning methods. “Teachers structure learning around real problems, encouraging students to also learn in different settings” (Eldon, 199, p. 87)
To students are assessed according to their preferred styles. Thus they “monitor and enhance, their own learning process.” (Widmark, 2001, p. 56)

The brain-based learning model implies that how the brain functions have a major implication on the type of learning activities that should be used for a given person. Three correlated elements are critical for this process to occur: The person offering the lesson should be able to dip the students into immense “interactive experiences that are both rich and real.” Secondly, the learners must individually experience a significant challenge. “Such a challenge stimulates the mind to the desired state of alertness.” (Widmark, 2001, p. 107) Thirdly, an intensive evaluation of the different approaches should be conducted to enable the student(s) to experience insight into the challenge at hand. “This is what is referred to as the active processing of the experience.” (Widmark, 2001, p. 107)

Conclusion

The above findings will be used by various health officials in many different applications. For instance, the findings on the relationship between the body and mind will be used to advance the alternative sources of cure rather than conventional medicine. This will help people change their perceptions towards western medicine and appreciate the fact that there can be a better more natural cure for their conditions. The adult training methods established will be applied by physicians in their day-to-day encounter with patients who needs to know more about their health. Overall, this will positively impact the health care practice.

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