ABSTRACTS

Volume 8, Number 6
November-December 2003

Vol. 8, Num. 6: Contents | Editorial | Up Front | Abstracts

To Think or Not to Think: Two Pathways Towards Persuasion by Short Films on Aids Prevention
    JUAN JOSÉ IGARTUA A1, LIFEN CHENG A1, ORQUÍDEA LOPES A1

A1 Universidad de Salamanca, Salamanca, Spain

Health messages are designed to stimulate an active cognitive process in those audiences generally with little involvement. The Elaboration Likelihood Model by Petty and Cacioppo sustains that subjects with high involvement and those with low involvement react differently to the persuasive message to which they are exposed. One efficient way to capture the attention of the low involvement audiences is to insert the messages within an entertainment context. Our study attempted to analyze affective and cognitive processes to explain the impact of these new formats, fictional shorts for HIV/AIDS prevention. A 222 factorial design was used, with involvement in the AIDS issue (high/low) and the type of format (musical/dialogue) as independent variables. The finding showed the better the quality of the short (with dialogue style) the more negative affectivity was stimulated, also the more cognitive processing was induced, and a more favorable attitude towards preventive behavior was stimulated.

The Determinants and Consequences of Information Seeking Among Cancer Patients
    RONALD CZAJA A1, CLARA MANFREDI A2, JAMMIE PRICE A3

A1 Department of Sociology, North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina
A2 Health Research and Policy Centers, School of Public Health, University of Illinois at Chicago, Chicago, Illinois
A3 Department of Sociology, University of North Carolina at Wilmington, Wilmington, North Carolina

This research was designed to examine information seeking behavior among cancer patients. We present a model which identifies the determinants and consequences of information seeking and, in turn, examines the effects of prior variables on four outcome variables: whether patients discussed with their physicians information that they received from other sources, whether the information they obtained helped them make decisions about treatment or care, whether the patient sought a second opinion about his/her diagnosis or treatment, and changes in self-reported stress levels from diagnosis to the time of interview. The model is estimated separately for three groups: patients who sought information from multiple sources including the National Cancer Institute's Cancer Information Service, patients who sought information from multiple sources but did not call the Cancer Information Service, and patients who did not seek information other than from their physician(s). We discuss variables that have similar impacts on outcome variables in all three groups as well as variables that operate differently within the groups. The results indicate that the desire for information and the desire for involvement in medical care decisions are independent factors. Some patients have a strong desire for both information and involvement in making health care decisions. These patients actively seek involvement in their treatment plans. Other patients, however, want to be informed about their disease and treatment but prefer to delegate most decision-making to their physicians. Still other patients choose to delegate information gathering and decision making exclusively to their physicians. We discuss the implications of these results for both patients and providers.

Transcending Intractable Conflict in Health Care: An Exploratory Study of Communication and Conflict Management Among Anesthesia Providers
     JESSICA KATZ JAMESON A1

A1 North Carolina State University, Raleigh, North Carolina

This paper explores the contrast between the longstanding, intractable conflict between two anesthesia providers and the cooperation of many individual nurse anesthetists and anesthesiologists working side-by-side to provide safe, effective anesthesia. Analysis of interview transcripts reveals that communication among anesthesia nurses and anesthesiologists may enact or transcend the conflict. This article proposes recommendations for improving communication between anesthesiologists and certified registered nurse anesthetists in particular and de-escalating intractable conflict in general. It also contributes to communication theory in intractable conflict by examining how individual, interpersonal conflict management interactions lead to either transcendence or enactment of the larger group conflict.

Let's Talk About Sex: How Comfortable Discussions About Sex Impact Teen Sexual Behavior
     BIANCA L. GUZMÁN A1, MICHÈLE M. SCHLEHOFER-SUTTON A2, CHRISTINA M. VILLANUEVA A2, MARY ELLEN DELLO STRITTO A2, BETTINA J. CASAD A2, AIDA FERIA A1

A1 Public Health Foundation Enterprises, CHOICES Program, La Puente, California, USA
A2 Department of Psychology, Claremont Graduate University, Claremont, California, USA

A secondary analysis of data from 1,039 Latino adolescents who participated in a study of a sex education program was conducted to examine the impact of comfortable communication about sex on intended and actual sexual behavior. Results indicate that Latino adolescents have a broad communicative network, including friends, dating partners, and extended family members, with whom they talk about sex. Regression analyses suggest comfortable sexual communication is predictive of less likelihood of being sexually active, older at first intercourse, and increased intentions to delay intercourse.

Forum

Communication from a Human Rights Perspective: Responding to the HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Eastern and Southern Africa A Working Paper for use in HIV and AIDS Programmes
    NEIL FORD A1, DAN ODALLO A2, ROZANNE CHORLTON A3

A1 UNICEF Regional Office, Nairobi, Kenya
A2 UNAIDS Inter-Country Team, Pretoria, South Africa
A3 UNICEF Country Office, Dar es Salaam, Tanzania

This article does not have an abstract.

Communication from a Human Rights Perspective: Responding to the HIV/AIDS Pandemic in Eastern and Southern Africa
     RAFAEL OBREGON A1

A1 Pan American Health Organization, Washington; D.C.; USA

This article does not have an abstract.

Book Review

Communicating health: Personal, cultural, and political complexities
Patricia Geist-Martin,Eileen Berlin Ray,and Barbara F.Sharf. (2003).
Reviewed by Lynda D. Dixon, Bowling Green State University,Bowling Green,OH,USA