Strategies for the drafting of printed educational materials in oral health
Keywords:
Dental health education, Educational and promotional materialsAbstract
This study aimed to present a protocol for developing printed educational materials (PEMs) on oral health, based on recommendations extracted from scientific literature in this area. A literature review was performed using the Medline database, between the years 1990 and 2007, using the following key words: “information leaflets”, “patient education”, “print materials”, and “health pamphlets”. For the present study, a categorization of printed educational materials, such as pamphlets, folders, and printed leaflets, were considered. When preparing PEMs, it is important to assess the objective of the material, suitability of the content for the target population, disposition of the elements within the material, as well as the type of language and graphics to be used. Furthermore, it is important to conduct a pilot test with the material before having it printed on a large scale. After the distribution process, the material must be assessed with regard to its suitability for the objectives that were initially proposed. The few studies in dentistry literature assessing the quality of PEMs revealed problems in their contents. It was concluded that professionals must follow some guiding principles, already established by scientific literature, so that the information made available to patients attains the intended objectives. Patients, or the target population for which the material is intended, must at all times participate in the materials’ preparation process so that the information is contextualized within their cultural medium and their real cognitive need.
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