PROMOTING HEALTH EDUCATION- CHANGING LIFESTYLES

According to Health Facts published by Ministry of Health Malaysia (MOH) in 2010
most non communicable disease (NCD) consists of diseases that are implications of
unhealthy lifestle are the main causes of death in Malaysia. This translates into the
need of educating citizens on how to have a healthy lifestyle to avoid the risks of
getting fatal NCDs. A Heahh Education Division has already been set up as one of
the 5 division under the Public Health Department Ministry of Heahh Malaysia that
could be seen through their various websites. The issue is the lack effectiveness of
the website to educate regardless of the increasing number of online users. Thus, this
research is planned to effectively conduct health education to reach the online
citizens by the use of Human Computer Interaction theories as well as a learning
theories. The main objective ofthis project is to implement these two theories in the
development of the website is to create awareness to the community on the
importance of living a healthy life as well as the implications of doing otherwise. The
content of the website includes the main criteria of lifestyle such as hygiene,
nutrition and physical activities and the knowledge of how to conduct a healthy
lifestyle base on the criteria, and the implications of not doing so. The website also
displays basic information regarding the disease which includes the causes of the
disease, the implications to the body, the implication towards the life of a patient
infected with the disease, and what can be done to prevent the disease, as well as
what can be done to help people infected with the disease. The educating and
learning process is also equipped with risk assessments of diseases that would act as
a decision support system to the users. The result of this project is the increase of
interest and awareness regarding the importance and knowledge of having a healthy
lifestyle among the internet users. The conclusion of this research project is
conducting health education online is effective if the right theories and techniques
are applied, as well as taking into account the user's perspective.