What We Do   Community Health Care Centers   Specialized Services   Mobile Clinics & Outreach Programs   Lending Centers   Health Education     Video Unit   Discussion and Support Groups   Campaigns   School Health Program   School of Community Health   Emergency Response Program   Community-Based Rehabilitation   Chronic Diseases Program   Well-Baby & Child Health Program   Women’s Health Program   Community Mobilization Programs   Advocacy & Public Awareness	Health Education UPMRC emphasizes health education as an integral element in all program activities. It believes that one way to combat preventable health problems and change harmful behavior patterns is through educating individuals and communities about healthy practices. Promoting healthy lifestyles, encouraging behaviors that prevent disease and injury, and empowering communities to formulate local solutions to the problems they face are central principles of UPMRC's vision, and UPMRC has been leading institution in helping Palestinian communities realize these concepts for over 20 years. As such, UPMRC employs a variety of methods to bring health education messages to different target groups. Some of those methods include: developing health education materials on a variety of topics, organizing interactive educational theatre programs, developing audio-visual materials (videos and TV and radio spots), launching health education campaigns on various issues such as road safety and breast feeding, coordinating health fairs, initiating community-level discussion and support groups, conducting health education sessions in our clinics and with community groups, and training community members in First Aid and emergency response philosophy and techniques. Health Education Materials: UPMRC seeks to produce high quality and culturally adapted health education materials on a variety of subjects that are relevant to the needs of our beneficiaries. We serve many different sub-sectors of the population, therefore our materials cover a diverse range of topics. Decisions regarding what materials to produce and on what subjects are based on discussions with program managers and field workers. Materials are also produced in response to needs expressed by the targeted population groups in focus groups or discussion sessions. As part of the production process, all health education materials are subject to field-testing with representatives of the target audience. Results of field-testing in the form of comments and suggestions are then analyzed and utilized in improving the presentation of the material. In the year 2000, UPMRC printed more than 250,000 copies of new health education materials including posters, brochures, and leaflets. UPMRC has continued its efforts to adopt more interactive and attractive methods to convey health messages. Even in employing the 'traditional' approach of producing printed materials, we have shifted towards producing interactive materials, particularly when children are targeted. This includes the use of games, activity sheets and dramatized scripts. Theatre Program: UPMRC's "Forum Theater" is an effective, participatory medium of communication. Through watching and participating, the audience receives and retains the health education message, which is reinforced by the supporting written materials. This interaction creates an opportunity to engage in a dialogue about difficult issues- using the abstract to confront concrete reality. In 2000, UPMRC conducted approximately 100 theater shows. Video Unit: Video images provide a good basis for comprehending abstract concepts and are useful tools in conveying health education messages. Participation in discussions based on visual images generates immediate responses and interaction to visual stimuli. UPMRC has taken a leading role in the use of video and television to convey health education messages. Founded two years ago, our video unit already has several productions to its credit.