CATHOLIC UNIVERSITY COLLEGE OF GHANA
,
FIAPRE
FACULTY OF PUBLIC HEALTH AND ALLIED
SCIENCES
ASSIGNMENT
TOPIC: HEALTH EDUCATION MEDIA PROSPECT
AND CHALLENGES
INTRODUCTION
The media is an important ally in any public health situation. It serves the role of being a
source of correct information as well as an advocate for correct health behaviors.
HEALTH EDUCATION is the process by which people learn about their health and more
specifically, how to improve their health.
Many different types of people provide health education and there are many different ways
health education is delivered, based on various behavioral change models.
Health education is critically important in improving the health of communities and
individuals. By Jacqueline Matuza [1998]
MEDIA: This simply a means of communication, as radio, television, newspaper and
magazines etc that reaches or influences people widely. Media campaigns are used
to expose high proportions of a population to health promotion messages, when
using it as an educational tool. Mass media campaigns are favorable because they
are capable of communicating information, increasing awareness, and affecting a
large number of people. Mass media interventions can produce positive health
changes on a grand scale by enforcing positive health behaviors among individuals.
TYPES OF MEDIA
media campaigns take a variety of forms in their efforts to communicate health messages.
There are basically two types of media these include

Broadcast media/ electronic media. This type of information is transmitted
electronically and comprises
o
Television
o
Radio
o
Internet
o
Film
o
movies

Print media/ Non electronic this refers to the usage of physical object as a
means of sending their information, such as
•
newspaper,
•
magazines,
•
comics,
•
books, and
•
others such as (brochures, newsletters, leaflets, and pamphlets.
•
The distribution of printed items created by specialized health bodies can
disseminate vital health information reliably. Some of these prints are placed in
hotel rooms and reception, lorry stations, churches, schools etc for public use.
Examples of print media and how it is used to promote health:
•
Special interest magazines (women's, sports, business, etc.)
•
A newspaper is a publication containing news and information on health,
usually printed on low-cost paper called newsprint. It may be general or of special
interest, most often published daily or weekly example mirror, health digest.
OUTDOOR MEDIA
Outdoor media comprises of billboards, signs, placards placed inside and outside of
commercial buildings/objects like shops/buses, flying billboard. These are also used to
promote health programmes e.g. hand washing, condom use ,TB control etc
SELECTING THE MEDIA FOR HEALTH EDUCATION
•
When considering the media to use, the health educator should consider the
preferences, characteristics, knowledge and attitudes of the target audience.
•
The decision to use a particular medium should be based on audience research
rather than on assumptions about its utility and audience reach. For instance, certain
technologies are not particularly useful when dealing only with a small number of
people.
•
Some medium may be too complicated to be operated by the average person. As in
our community it is not every body who can assesses internet so if this mode is used
for educating the ordinary people in the community it would be a failure.
•
Audience research, which reveals the target audience’s preferred media, should
inform the choice of media
•
the language/ literacy and educational levels of the target audience should be
considered since illiterates cannot read newspaper when it is used as a medium for
health education.
• Cultural, specific values and beliefs that might impact on the acceptance of certain
information should also be taken into consideration when making a choice of
media.
• The mode that best fit the audience's learning style / preference. For example when
dealing with children 2-6years, songs or movies could be easily applicable to them.
• The communities impression's of past, on similar health promotion and health education
programs and products through the media should be a concern to the health
educator.
PROSPECTS
•
The media helps health workers expand their audience base, which is crucial
considering the fact that face-to-face channels of communication often require too
many human resources and reach only a small number of people in large, underserved
rural areas. The mass media provides an important link between the rural residents
and vital health information.
• The mass media, in the form of the radio and television, are an effective way to persuade
target audiences to adopt new behaviors, or to remind them of critical information.
Besides informing the public about new diseases and where to seek help, they can
also keep the public updated about immunization campaigns.
EMPOWERMENT
•
The mass media can “empower rural populations to fight major causes of infant
mortality such as diarrheal dehydration and diseases which can be prevented
through vaccination, it inform large numbers of people of seasonal or daily
variations for such activities as an immunization campaign or availability of a new
product or service
EDUCATION
• It can be used to teach new health skills such as how to mix oral rehydration solution,
promote new health behaviors such as proper hand washing, motivate or organize listening
groups, and increase community acceptance of health workers.
INCREASE IN COVERAGE
In order to increase the number of children less than a year old receiving vaccinations in
Ghana, radio and television broadcasts can be used because almost everybody utilized one
or both media channels. e.g. as seen during National Immunization Day’s
COVERAGE
• According to a study done in Swaziland to determine the efficacy of the campaign using
the radio and television (mass media), it was found that more children being were
vaccinated on schedule…These results show that in places where people use mass media
regularly and vaccinations are available, effective radio and television spots ( publicity)
can increase vaccination rates and extend the reach of health workers. .( Case Study:
Using Radio for Diarrheal Disease Control in Swaziland)
Recently it came to light that cases of yellow fever has been recorded in some parts of
Ashanti region the media came to play and many people trooped into the hospital for its
vaccine. This was because the media spelt out the effects that the vaccine can have on
the individual.
ACCESSIBILITY
In places where radios are still popular, they can be used, with great success, as health
communication tools. Not only are they cheaper and more readily available in rural areas,
their programs can also be adapted to suit local needs in terms of language, culture and
values. In Africa, radio spots or advertisements are used to combat malaria, TB, Cholera
etc
TRAINING
To prevent the deaths of infants and young children from diarrhea, radio broadcasts
were used to train health professionals to treat the disease, distribute relevant health
materials and set up places where mothers could learn how to prepare medication
properly.
According to the evaluative study performed later, “given a similar level of staff
effort but the far greater coverage achieved by radio, it was found that more than
twice the number of mothers learned the correct procedure for mixing ORS (the
medication) from the radio than did those who learned it from face-to-face
communication.” This provides strong evidence that the radio campaign was a
successful health communication strategy. (Case Study: Using Radio for Diarrheal
Disease Control in Swaziland)
THE INTERNET REVOLUTION

As Internet access continues to expand, it will increasingly serve as a rich
health resource in environments that lack health expertise. Regardless of
location, the Internet allows people to gain access to a wide array of healthrelated information from worldwide at a mouse click. The local cyber café
may even begin to serve as a health information hub. Since the Internet
transcends geographical barriers, there is plenty of potential for websites to
provide a valuable source of health information, thus enhancing health and
wellbeing for people in developing countries.
CALLENGES
•
•
If not presented by health worker, does not generally influence behavior change.
May have limited rural distribution
•
In areas where there are no assess to electricity it becomes impossible to assess
most of the media for television and radio requires access to electricity.
•
Programmes held on televisions, radio and other media requires substantial
financial support.
•
Difficult to coordinate with service delivery
•
Special messages which needs to be tailored to specific audience is sometime
difficult.
However, there is one important caveat. As the amount of information grows at an
unprecedented rate, so does the amount of false and potentially harmful
information. Misinformation, either due to inaccurate information, misleading
information or misinterpretation of health information, can have potentially dire
consequences, triggering mass panics, misleading uninformed policy-makers etc.
•
Elsewhere, decision makers have been misled by, or chosen to misuse information
found on the Internet (e.g., South African President Mbeki’s stance on HIV/AIDS)
for health communication programs.
•
the Internet may become a countervailing factor (to have a counter effect) and an
obstacle as a source of misinformation and myth, particularly in the areas of
infectious diseases and HIV/AIDS.
•
high cost of advertising space .
•
possible distortion (dilution or exaggeration) of information during editing
•
communication is generally one-way (letters to the editor and talk-back radio
overcome this to a limited degree)
•
added headlines or leading paragraphs may not support the main message
CONCLUSION
The media are all those media technologies that are intended to reach a large audience by
mass communication to enhance health promotion and can not be over emphasized.
More over it must be used in its proper context.
•
Reference
•
(1) See United States. USAID. Avian Influenza: Media Orientation Training
Notes.
2006.
Web.
<http://www.globalhealthcommunication.org/tool_docs/86/Avian_Influenza
_Media_Orientation_Workshop
•
(2) "Avian Influenza: Media Orientation Training Notes." USAID: From the
American
People
Mar
2006
Web.15
Jun
2009.
<http://www.globalhealthcommunication.org/tool_docs/86/Avian_Influenza
_Media_Orientation_Workshop_-_Training_Guide.pdf>.
NAME:LUCY KUMI ANKOMAH
MARY OKYERE
REUBEN
SETH
IRENE
UGN0501011041