Information, Education and Communication: Lessons from the past; perspectives for the future

This paper, produced by the World Health Organization, examines lessons learned from over twenty years of experience in applying information, education and communication (IEC) interventions in support of public health in general, and specifically for reproductive health programmes. It outlines a number of fundamental issues to be addressed in the IEC field. In particular, it emphasises the importance of: a strategic approach to communications, forming viable partnerships, considering values, meaning, and cultural context in the design of IEC strategies, and employing genuine participatory approaches. Quality of services, sound management, interpersonal communication and counselling, and capacity building are also highlighted as crucial to the success of truly integrated IEC and preventive health care and health promotion efforts, as is understanding the overall sociocultural and political environments into which IEC programmes fit.

The paper argues that success can be achieved by working through private and public sectors, centralised and decentralised programmes, or hybrids. However, these programmes must operate with a coherent system that takes into account divergent perspectives and needs in its assumptions and its approaches. Advocacy, flexibility, a long-term perspective and continued surveillance are also highlighted as key to the future evolution of the discipline of IEC. [adapted from authors]