Pre-Testing Health Education Materials

In Video 60 of the CHES & MCHES certification prep series, we take an in-depth look at pre-testing health education materials. This lesson falls under Area VI — Communication, one of the core competency areas defined by the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing (NCHEC). Whether you are preparing for your initial CHES certification or advancing to the MCHES level, mastering this content is essential for exam success and professional practice.

This video covers pre-testing health education materials — an essential step before distributing materials to your target audience. Pre-testing helps ensure messages are clear, culturally appropriate, and effective.

Area VI addresses Communication in health education practice. This area evaluates your ability to assess communication needs, develop targeted messaging, select appropriate channels, and evaluate communication effectiveness across diverse populations and settings.

Understanding what pre-testing is and why it matters is a key component of this competency area. The NCHEC expects certified health education specialists to demonstrate not only theoretical knowledge of this concept but also the ability to apply it in real-world public health scenarios. Understanding methods for pre-testing: focus groups, readability tests, expert review is a key component of this competency area. The NCHEC expects certified health education specialists to demonstrate not only theoretical knowledge of this concept but also the ability to apply it in real-world public health scenarios. Understanding readability formulas: flesch-kincaid, smog, fry is a key component of this competency area. The NCHEC expects certified health education specialists to demonstrate not only theoretical knowledge of this concept but also the ability to apply it in real-world public health scenarios. Understanding how to incorporate pre-testing feedback into material revision is a key component of this competency area. The NCHEC expects certified health education specialists to demonstrate not only theoretical knowledge of this concept but also the ability to apply it in real-world public health scenarios. Understanding key exam concepts related to pre-testing is a key component of this competency area. The NCHEC expects certified health education specialists to demonstrate not only theoretical knowledge of this concept but also the ability to apply it in real-world public health scenarios.

This topic appears frequently on the CHES and MCHES certification exams. Scenario-based questions in this area often require you to identify the most appropriate course of action given a specific public health context. Pay close attention to the distinctions between similar concepts, as NCHEC exam writers frequently use closely related answer choices as distractors. Reviewing this material alongside practice questions will help reinforce your understanding and improve your test-taking confidence.

As you work through this content, consider how each concept connects to the broader health education process. The NCHEC exam blueprint emphasizes the integration of knowledge across all Areas of Responsibility. A strong candidate understands not only the individual competencies but also how assessment, planning, implementation, evaluation, advocacy, communication, leadership, and ethics work together in professional practice. Use this video lesson as a starting point, then deepen your understanding through additional study resources available at subthesis.com.