Investigating the Challenges of Health Education and Promotion Based on Qualitative Content Analysis

Despite fundamental advancements in the understanding of health and the new strategy of the World Health Organization in enhancing the health of the individual, organization, and society, health education and promotion is a relatively new major in Iranian medical and health science. However, it has not yet been introduced as a specialist major at various levels. This research aims to investigate the challenges of educational quality and the position of health promotion and education.

The current study employs a qualitative research with a structured content analysis approach. In this research, 24 health education and health promotion specialists, and graduates were chosen using a purposive sampling method From September2022 to May 2023. Using semi-structured interviews, different people’s perspectives on the challenges of health education promotion were investigated, and After 22 interviews, no new code was extracted, but two more interviews were recorded to make sure, and sampling continued until data saturation (24 interviews). The collected data were analyzed using the Graneheim and Lundman approach.

The challenges of the major of health education promotion from the perspective of the research participants include two main components: 1) scientific capacities (with sub-components of improving the curriculum and empowerment of professors and students) and 2) structural capacities (with sub-components of creating a position for the major of health education and promotion and determining the organizational level of employment).

According to the findings, the quality of health education and health promotion may be enhanced by upgrading the curriculum, elevating professors, and providing a space for the major. In this respect, introducing the major at various levels of society can be useful in attracting motivated and talented people to study at higher levels and training scientifically and ethically outstanding professors in this major. As a result, to adapt to the aims of health education promotion and to apply it and the way professors teach, it is suggested to implement a broad curriculum reform and hold meetings with policymakers to expose the area to decision-making levels.