Introduction: Health education with the goal of providing and promoting community health is a complex and multidimensional process that several factors influence its effectiveness. This study aimed to explain the views of staff in the health centers of the Khamir County, Iran, about barriers and facilitators in health education for the people.
Method: In this qualitative study, data were collected through semi-structured interviews with 15 employees in health centers with at least 3 years of work experience, who were selected through purposive sampling. The content analysis approach was used to analyze the data. Contributors surveyed to ensure that the data were acceptable. Reviewers carried out confirmation of findings.
Results: Two themes (human barriers, and inhuman barriers) extracted from the results of content analysis on barriers to health education for the people. The theme of human barriers consisted of three main categories (management of health care system, weakness of health care personnel, and factors related to service recipients in health centers). The management of health care system group was divided into two subgroups (managers' negative attitudes, and inadequate managers' performance). The theme of inhumane barriers included two main groups (factors related to physical environment, and factors related to working conditions). Two themes (motivational factors, and contributing factors) extracted from the results of content analysis on health promotion facilitators. The motivational factors included two main groups (health managers' support, and clients' support). The main contributory factors classified into three main groups (the conditions of clients' service in health centers, health managers' performance, and health care personnel's characteristics).
Conclusion: Improvement of educational management in health systems by managers, in order to improve the quality and quantity of health education for the people in health centers is recommended. This can be reached via implementing such measures as proper monitoring and evaluation staff training activities, support for active educational staff, enough human supply, and conducting useful training classes.
Keywords: Health Education, Barriers, Facilitators, Health Staff, Health Center
