Health Communication in the United States Case Studies and Lessons from the Field
Chapter 15
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Outline:
Review selected case studies from United States
Draw lessons that can be learned through the process of designing, implementing and evaluating a health communication intervention
Provide materials that can be used as a framework for discussion, applied to professional experience
Provide materials that can be used to identify other suitable communication approaches, strategies and activities
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Review selected case studies from United States
Case Studies
WhyWellness: Communicating about mental health within a gaming community
BodyLove
New Media and the VERB campaign
Health Equity Exchange: Using an integrated multimedia communication approach to engage US communities on health equity
Raising awareness of sustainable food issues and building community via the integrated use of new media with other communication approaches
What do sidewalks have to do with health?
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Emerging Trends and Lessons
Reach people how and where they want to be reached or find themselves frequently
Use multisectoral partnership as a key approach
Understand social support as an emerging theme associated with helping people adopt and maintain healthy behaviors
Consider peer-to-peer communication as an important strategy in reaching out to older children, tweens, teens, and other vulnerable or at-risk groups
Engage communities, their leaders, and other community mobilization partners
Integrate different media and communication areas at the very outset of the communication program
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Emerging Trends and Lessons
Be aware that online and new media-based interventions have a longer lifespan that goes beyond program funding and duration
Recognize that many complex issues are community-specific and should be addressed by community-driven solutions
Consider policymakers not only as key decision makers for policy change, but also as key partners in community mobilization and public engagement
Look for links among different fields and issues in addressing health and social issues
Increase the appeal of messages and materials via the strategic use of videos, animation, and other graphic or visual devices that contribute to message simplicity
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Case Study 1 1. WhyWellness: Communicating about mental health within a gaming community
Case Study Discussion (P. 445)
What do you know about online virtual worlds and how does your knowledge compare to the one emerging from this case study?
What are the potential applications of online virtual worlds in health communication interventions, and how can they be integrated with other components so that online interaction can translate into real-life action?
Based on this case study, discuss and develop a communication plan for important adults in children’s lives (parents, caretakers and teachers)
Discuss key indicators to evaluate the success of such a multisectoral partnership and identify other important sectors and organizations that should be involved in these efforts
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Case Study 2 2. BodyLove
Case Study Discussion (P. 448)
Research and compare two or three community radio-channels and their health-related programs to BodyLove
What activities and strategies can be used to increase community leader engagement and participation on air and within community settings?
What other media and communication strategies can be used to address chronic health disparities among low-literacy African Americans in rural areas?
Discuss the role, key elements and success factors of radio programs and community radio in health communication, and analyze synergies with other components of the intervention
Interview a radio host who covers health issues, and discuss key learnings that may be helpful in pitching a health story to community radios and radio hosts
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Case Study 3 3. New media and the VERB campaign
Case Study Discussion (P. 451)
Discuss any personal or professional experience you may recall about peer-to-peer health communication (online or offline) and compare with the approach used by the VERB campaign
What other communication tools, resources or training can help expand the reach of a mass media and new media communication intervention?
Reflect on lessons learned from the VERB campaign and discuss how you will apply them to a program related to adolescent health or chronic disease
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Case Study 4 4. Health Equity Exchange: Using an integrated multimedia communication approach to engage US communities on health equity
Case Study Discussion (P. 453)
Start a blog on health equity or another topic, and encourage participation via a variety of communication channels and activities
Identify and implement communication strategies, activities, channels and venues to get input on a community-specific definition of health equity with your school, workplace, neighborhood or another community; present a report on key definitions and lessons learned
Discuss a case study that involves raising awareness of, and addressing root causes of any health issue
Develop a policy brief to address the need for policy change in connection with a health disparity in a community of your choice
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Case Study 5 5. Raising awareness of sustainable food issues and building community via the integrated use of new media with other communication approaches
Case Study Discussion (P. 457)
What other communication strategies and activities can be implemented in your neighborhood or community to raise awareness of, and encourage purchase of sustainable foods?
How does this case study relate to your own food shopping and consumption? What other resources on sustainable food are you familiar with?
Compare the communication strategies and elements used by three different programs that aim to raise awareness of the connection between a specific health or nutrition issue, and other fields
Present a poster presentation on a case study that uses an integrated approach to health communication, employing new media, mass media, and community mobilization and engagement
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Case Study 6 6. What do sidewalks have to do with health?
Case Study Discussion (P. 453)
What are some innovative elements of this case study? How does this case study relate to your own experience?
What other strategies and activities can be used to involve businesses and homeowners in this initiative? Develop key strategies and elements of a partnership plan
What other cost- and time-efficient strategies can be implemented to complement the program described in this case study?
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013.
All rights reserved.
Health Communication in the United States: Case Studies and Lessons from the Field
This presentation is part of the instructor’s supplement for Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice. Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, an imprint of Wiley. The instructor’s supplement is stored within a password-protected webpage for instructors. Copyrights @2013 by Renata Schiavo. All rights reserved
Schiavo, R. Health Communication: From Theory to Practice, San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, Second Edition, 2013. All rights reserved.
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