Journal of Health Communication: International Perspectives
UP FRONTVolume 1, Number 3 Vol. 1, Num 3: Contents | Up Front | Abstracts From this Issue | From
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| Prescriptions From This Issue Soliciting drawings by adolescents about how the HIV/AIDS virus is transmitted may elicit more relational, behavioral, and contextual information than could be obtained through written or oral surveys. The information gained may help design educational messages that arc more relevant for the target group. Power, G., Evaluating health knowledge. Audience segmentation is typically practiced in an ad hoc fashion. Multivariate classification concepts can be used to create audience segmentation categories for each major health behavior of interest on a regional or national basis to supplement (not replace) local audience research efforts. Slater, M. D., Theory and method in health audience segmentation. New interactive media offer potential improveirents for delivery health care and health information and education. However, a more critical assessment of the technologies themselves, the underlying non-technology concepts, and leadership from major stakeholders (including the public sector) will be needed for the promise to be fulfilled. Cukor, P., review of Harris, L.M., Ed., Health and the New Media. A study of the relationship between information-seeking patterns and behavioral stages did not support some hypotheses about how mass media messages generate interpersonal communication. In a study on family planning communication in Peru, contrary to theory, individuals in the practice and advocacy stages were more likely than those in earlier stages to seek information from others after being exposed to mass media messages. Valente, T. W., Poppe, P. R., and Merritt, A. P., Mass-media-generated interpersonal communication. Findings from a point-of-choice nutrition education intervention in a low-income neighborhood showed moderate awareness and limited use. Researchers suggest that impact of such programs can be increased by tailoring the campaign to grocery store staff needs and emphasizing easily available, highly visible materials. O'Loughlin, J., Ledoux, J., Barnett, T., Paradis, G. (1996). La commande du coeur (Shop for your heart): A point-of-choice nutrition education campaign in a low-income urban neighborhood. American Journal of of Health Promotion, 10 (3), 175-178. A study of public school students in Southern California found that psychosocial predictors for use of smokeless tobacco (ST) are similar to those associated with onset of cigarctte smoking. The research suggests that successful ST-prevention programs will address social influences and risk-taking behaviors. New approaches, such as memory modification, may be beneficial. Hu F. B., Hedeker, D. et al. (1996). The patterns and predictors of smokeless tobacco onset among urban public school teenagers. American Journal of Preventive Medicine, 12 (1) 22-28. Collaboration between experienced, multi-cultural hospital clinical staff and art/computer graphics students can produce useful patient education materials for hard-to-reach populations while providing valuable professional training for the students. Dooley, A. R., (1996). A Collaborative model for creating patient education resources. American Journal of Health Behavior, 20 (2) 15-19. According to the U.S. Department of Labor, health services is expected to be one of the fastest crowing fields, with a predicted increase of 43% from the baseline of 9.6 million jobs in 1992 to 13.8 million jobs in 2005. From the U.S. Department of Labor, National Certification Commission (1995). Fastest Growing Careers. Meetings, Conferences, Courses Psychosocial and Behavioral Factors in Women's Health: Research, Prevention, Treatment, and Service Delivery in Clinical and Community Settings. September 19-21, 1996. Renaissance Hotel, Washington, DC. Sponsored by the American Psychological Association. For more information, contact Victoria Lerma Simmons, Women's Health Conference, American Psychological Association, 750 First Street N.E., Washington, DC 20002-4242; telephone (202) 336-6060; e-mail whc.apa@email.apa.org The 1996 Speech Communication Association annual convention will be held November 23-26 at the San Diego Marriott Hotel & Marina, San Diego, California. For more information call (703) 750-0533. The second National Public Health Week was celebrated April 1-7, 1996 in communities around the country. In 1995, President Clinton proclaimed the first full week in April as National Public Health Week. This year's theme, "Celebrating Success," encouraged public health professionals in all areas to showcase their many accomplishments in promoting individual and community health. To learn about this year's celebrations and how to participate in next year's, contact the American Public Health Association, telephone (202) 789-5600 or -5677.
Several articles in this issue recognize the importance to health campaign professionals of identifying, characterizing and appropriately communicating to the varying audiences of their campaigns. Success can hinge on understanding and preparing for such variations, so it may go without saying that the "extra" costs in time and expense in obtaining information about one's potential audience should receive due consideration. To persuade most effectively with mass media messages in health campaigns, communications professionals ought to segment their target audiences, and prepare differing campaigns according to the responsiveness characteristics of those segments. This is often recognized but much less often systematically applied. Michael D. Slater of Colorado State University here applies segmentation to health communication. As abridged here, he advises professionals to:
One dimension of audience variation is the effect of accumulated knowledge and behavioral stage on knowledge-seeking behavior. Thomas W. Valente, Patricia R. Poppe and Alice Payne Merritt of Johns Hopkins identify a shift from interpersonal to technical by individuals as they gain knowledge and as they put that knowledge into action. The authors suggest approaches for incorporating this into campaign strategy:
Keeping in mind Slater's recognition of variations among audiences, we have J. Gerard Power of University of Texas at El Paso exploring a particularly important contemporary case: culturally-based perceptions surrounding AIDS and the transmission of HIV. In the population he examines, taboos against discussion of stigmatized behaviors adds an impediment to collection of data on the population's AIDS knowledge. Power devised a non-verbal, pictogram instrument for eliciting and recording the perceptions of school teenagers in a Mexican city he has identified as "extremely conservative." He points out these advantages to consider:
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