Week 1
Health communication = multifaceted and multidisciplinary field of research
concerned with reaching different population to exchange health related
information in order to influence , support and engage people to sustain
health behaviors
Health communication can do:
- raise awareness on health issues and need for prevention
- engage communities, key groups and stakeholders in the behavioral and
social change process
- reinforce knowledge and beliefs that may change social norms
- prompt action, encourage participation and enpower people
Health communication cannot do:
- effectively compensate for inadequate infrastructures
- work in absence of adequate policy, practice and programs to support
desired behavior
- be equally effective in addressing all aspects of complex problems
Health communication wants to:
- change / influence behavior
- urgency
- burden of enforcement
- financial instruments (taxation)
- direct regulation (laws)
- social regulation(public information)
Life expectancy ≠ healthy years
DALY = disability adjusted life years: standardized measure of lost health,
comparing burden of disease in different diseases, countries and times
Threatening life expectancy:
- structural factors (child mortality, diseases, malnutrition) = developing
countries
- lifestyle factors (smoking, dietary choices , chronic illness) = developed
countries
, Health communication cycle
Planning
Research/audience based
Structured approach
Implement/monitor
Strategic process
Ensure spotless execution
Monitor progress, results, feedback
Evaluation/refinement
Continuing part of
communication
Key characteristics health communication:
- people centered: begins and ends with people's needs
- evidence based: grounded in research
- multidisciplinary: education, marketing, behaviors , medical
- strategic: creative plan of action to respond to audience needs
- process-oriented: commitment to health issues and solutions
- cost effective: reach goals with minimal costs
- inclusive: all population in targeted(vulnerable pop,undeserved pop,key groups)
- audience and media specific: message specific to each group
- aimed at behavior and social results: what do you want people to do
- relationship building: scure stakeholders for lobg term relationships
Communication and behavior:
- for people who are ill
- for people who are not ill but do not engage in healthy behavior
- for people who are ill and engage in unhealthy behavior
Health communication can tackle roots of illness, promote heathy lifestyles and
reduce societal burden of disease
Theory is crucial for planning and evaluation in health communication:
- address specific target behavior and relevant factors
- inform and guide strategy and message development
- guide refinement and evaluation
Health communication = multifaceted and multidisciplinary field of research
concerned with reaching different population to exchange health related
information in order to influence , support and engage people to sustain
health behaviors
Health communication can do:
- raise awareness on health issues and need for prevention
- engage communities, key groups and stakeholders in the behavioral and
social change process
- reinforce knowledge and beliefs that may change social norms
- prompt action, encourage participation and enpower people
Health communication cannot do:
- effectively compensate for inadequate infrastructures
- work in absence of adequate policy, practice and programs to support
desired behavior
- be equally effective in addressing all aspects of complex problems
Health communication wants to:
- change / influence behavior
- urgency
- burden of enforcement
- financial instruments (taxation)
- direct regulation (laws)
- social regulation(public information)
Life expectancy ≠ healthy years
DALY = disability adjusted life years: standardized measure of lost health,
comparing burden of disease in different diseases, countries and times
Threatening life expectancy:
- structural factors (child mortality, diseases, malnutrition) = developing
countries
- lifestyle factors (smoking, dietary choices , chronic illness) = developed
countries
, Health communication cycle
Planning
Research/audience based
Structured approach
Implement/monitor
Strategic process
Ensure spotless execution
Monitor progress, results, feedback
Evaluation/refinement
Continuing part of
communication
Key characteristics health communication:
- people centered: begins and ends with people's needs
- evidence based: grounded in research
- multidisciplinary: education, marketing, behaviors , medical
- strategic: creative plan of action to respond to audience needs
- process-oriented: commitment to health issues and solutions
- cost effective: reach goals with minimal costs
- inclusive: all population in targeted(vulnerable pop,undeserved pop,key groups)
- audience and media specific: message specific to each group
- aimed at behavior and social results: what do you want people to do
- relationship building: scure stakeholders for lobg term relationships
Communication and behavior:
- for people who are ill
- for people who are not ill but do not engage in healthy behavior
- for people who are ill and engage in unhealthy behavior
Health communication can tackle roots of illness, promote heathy lifestyles and
reduce societal burden of disease
Theory is crucial for planning and evaluation in health communication:
- address specific target behavior and relevant factors
- inform and guide strategy and message development
- guide refinement and evaluation
