Evaluation of health education: the use of a model of preventive health behaviour.

Abstract In March 1973, all children aged 1–2 yr known to be susceptible to measles and resident in Bristol were sent appointment-invitations to attend specially arranged sessions at local authority clinics for vaccination against measles. This campaign was supported by a health education campaign in which the local news media—television, radio and newspapers—participated. Shortly after the campaign a survey was carried out at two local authority clinics in order to evaluate the health education campaign and to explore the utility of Rosenstock's model of preventive health behaviour. Two groups of mothers were interviewed: mothers of children who had attended the clinics for vaccination: mothers of children who had not attended and who remained susceptible to measles. Mothers sampled had many characteristics of those in special need of health education. Some mothers of attending children stated that the only aspects of the health education campaign to have changed their views of vaccination against measles were the television items: the majority, however, said that they had not changed their views, but had attended because they had received appointment-invitations. Eleven per cent of mothers of non-attending children believed measles vaccination to be less safe than other vaccinations and a further 18% also had doubts about its safety. By contrast most mothers were aware of the potential severity of measles and that their child was susceptible to—and likely to contract—the disease if not protected by vaccination. The extent of communication between health workers and mothers was also explored. Less than 8% of mothers recalled having ever talked to their own doctor about measles or measles vaccination and only 4% of mothers had talked to a health visitor about measles during the period of the campaign.