Week 12: Health Communication Theory

Health communication definition

Study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual decisions that enhance health.

Health communication goal

Create social change by changing attitudes, environment and/or behaviors.

Communication can NOT…

Compensate for inadequate health care or substance behavior change without systemic support

Knowledge gap hypothesis

Knowledge correlates with socio-economic status

Key tasks for building community awareness

Recruit participation or informal and formal leaders or influential persons, share village-specific information with leaders, and help villagers establish link between water and disease.

Elaboration Likelihood Model

Central and peripheral are 2 routes to change attitude.

Central route

Attitude change that is long-lasting and resistant to change.

Peripheral route

Attitude change that is temporary and susceptible to change.

Two types of relevance

Personal and local

The tradeoff triangle

Pick any two: good, cheap or fast