ABSTRACTS
Volume 5, Number 3
July-September 2000
Vol. 5, Num 3: Contents
| Editorial | Up
Front | Abstracts
A Staged Model of Communication
Effects: Evidence From an Entertainment-Education Radio Soap Opera
in Tanzania
Vaughan, P.W. and Rogers, E.M.
We draw on (1) the hierarchy-of-effects model, (2) the
stages-of-change model, (3) social learning theory, and (4) the diffusion
of innovations in order to synthesize a staged model through which communication
messages have effects on individual behavior change by stimulating (1)
involvement with media characters and role-modeling of their actions,
and (2) interpersonal communication. Data from a field experiment in
Tanzania on the effects of an entertainment-education radio soap opera,
"Twende na Wakati" (Let?s Go with the Times), on the adoption of family
planning, are analyzed in light of a six-staged model of communication
effects. We find that (1) the model provides a useful framework for
understanding the effects of an entertainment-education program, and
(2) the radio soap opera promoted progress through the stages for family
planning adoption in the treatment area in three of the four years of
broadcast, and in the comparison area after broadcasts of the radio
program began there.
Maximizing the Motivational Impact of Feedback
of Lung Cancer Susceptibility on Smokers' Desire to Quit
McBride, C.M., Halabi, S., Bepler, G., Lyna,
P., McIntyre, L., Lipkus, I., Albright, J. and O'Briant, K.
This two by two factorial designed study evaluated approaches
for communicating feedback of lung cancer susceptibility to smokers
as a method for motivating smoking cessation. The study factors
were: method of communicating feedback (by mail with telephone
follow-up vs. in-person) and carbon monoxide feedback (yes vs. no).
One hundred forty four smokers were stratified on race and randomized
to one of four conditions. Participants were surveyed at baseline
and two-month follow-up. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) testing
for the absence of the GSTM1 gene was the susceptibility marker.
Regardless of counseling method or CO feedback, the majority (90%) of
smokers accurately recalled the test result and 66% accurately interpreted
the meaning of the test result. Smokers who received their result
in person were significantly less likely to have read the result booklet
than those in the telephone counseling group (OR=.28, 95% CI .12-.62,
p<.05). Neither counseling method nor CO feedback increased
smokers’ perceived risks for lung cancer. However, at the counseling
session those who received in-person counseling were significantly less
frightened by the test result than those who received telephone counseling
(OR=.42, 95% CI .20-.86, p<.05) and at the two month follow-up those
who received a CO test were significantly less frightened by their susceptibility
result (OR=.40, 95% CI .17-.92, p<.05) than those who did not have
a CO test. Evaluation of further refinements in communicating
the meaning of susceptibility results to motivate smoking cessation
is warranted.
The Health Action Fund: A Community
Based Approach to Enhancing Health
Maurana, C.A. and Clark, M.A.
This article is based on a program that was developed
by the Center for Healthy Communities, a community-academic partnership
in Dayton, Ohio that continues to act as a force for change in health
professions education and health delivery, stressing the philosophy
of “doing with” instead of “doing for” or “doing to.” The Health Action
Fund is a grassroots health communications and social marketing program
that targets community groups who are often involved in health promotion
activities developed by large agencies. However, rather than taking
the traditional approach to health promotion and prevention where program
development and implementation is left to professionals, a different
approach was taken that encourages members of neighborhoods, a community
group or a church to identify a problem, and then develop a way to address
that problem for their group. The program focuses on neighbors
helping neighbors where communities take the lead in health promotion
and prevention activities.
We discuss in detail the project’s innovation, challenges and how they
have been addressed, qualitative and quantitative improvements made
to the program, and how the program serves as a model for other communities.
FORUM
The Missing Links in Social Marketing
MacStravic, S.
Social marketing has a long history of efforts to convert
consumer behavior to healthier and more socially beneficial alternatives,
using market research, "product" development and communications in pursuit
of such conversions. But it typically omits three additional functions
that make a significant difference to whether converts maintain the
new behavior: monitoring, then reminding converts of the differences
the change has made to their lives, and enlisting them in the cause
of converting others. Examples are offered of the use of these missing
functions and the effects they have had, together with suggestions for
initiating and evaluating them in practice.
NOTES FROM THE FIELD
A Randomised Control Trial of New Tailored Walking Campaigns in an
Employee Sample
Kerr, J. and McKenna, J.
Public health groups use mass media communications to
address the problem of sedentary behaviour. However, these campaigns
are poorly evaluated and lack tailoring. Campaigns and questionnaires
were developed based on existing theoretical, cross-sectional and qualitative
data regarding how to promote walking with people who are not regularly
active. Subjects were volunteer white-collar employees (n = 181) randomly
allocated by quota to the campaigns, or control, for one week. 138 (76.2%)
completed pre- and post-campaign questionnaires. This study successfully;
(1) developed four new tailored campaigns to promote walking according
to a formalised process that health promoters can adapt and refine,
(2) developed a complimentary measure of outcomes, and (3) compared
the new campaigns with the English Health Education Authority 'Active
for Life' campaign (control).
BOOK REVIEW
Women's Health: Psychological and Social Perspectives
Review by Clowers, M.
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