Health Communication Strategies Charles Atkin, Michigan State University ► CHANNELS AND AUDIENCES ► BC/E TOPICS IN COM CHANNELS ► CAMPAIGN SPONSORS AND MESSENGERS ► PERSUASIVE APPEALS ► INFORMATION PRESENTATION
Channels: Comprehensive Array Television: ► PSA spots ► Paid ads ► News coverage ► Feature stories ► Talk/magazine shows ► Entertainment inserts
Channels Radio: ► PSAs ► Paid spots ► News coverage ► Talk/call in
Channels Newspaper: ► News & features ► Editorial comment & letters Magazine: ► Feature stories ► Ads
Channels ► Internet Web pages ► Billboards/Posters ► Tape/slide shows ► Pamphlets/Booklets ► Direct mail/ materials
Channels Interpersonal: ► Informal family… friends ► Internet chat room ► Professional doctor… teacher
Direct vs. Indirect Impact Message Target audience Message Influentials Target audience Message Policymakers Target audience
Pertinent Communication Topics ► Breast Cancer ► Environmental risks ► Both BC & Environ ► Smoking ► Nutrition ► Exercise
BC Env BC/E Smoke Diet BC Env BC/E Smoke Diet News Mag items PSAs Web Booklets TV ads Entertain
News Media Content ► What’s inaccurate? ► What’s sensationalized? ► What’s underplayed? ► Optimum role for media advocacy?
Health Message Sources SPONSOR Creates and disseminates messages Creates and disseminates messagesMESSENGER Models who are featured in messages Models who are featured in messages
SPONSORING ORGANIZATION ► Government agencies ► Associations and foundations ► Medical and educational institutions ► Corporations High vs. low visibility High vs. low credibility National vs. localized Economic vs. political vs. creative resources
Source Messenger ► Expert specialist doctor… researcher ► Specially experienced person victim… survivor… successful role model victim… survivor… successful role model ► Public official gov leader… agency director gov leader… agency director
Source Messenger ► Celebrity athlete… entertainer ► Average person typical girl… mother ► Professional performer ► Unique character
Messenger = Personalization ► Credibility: Expertise, Trust ► Relevance: Identification ► Attractiveness: Attention-getting ► Clarity: Understandable
Persuasive Appeals ► Physical health incentives -- general vs. breast cancer -- general vs. breast cancer -- immediate vs. remote -- immediate vs. remote ► Economic: easy… cheap ► Psychological: security… rational ► Social: normative… cool
Persuasive appeals Positive promise vs. Negative threat Expectancy vs. Value Negative: Susceptibility vs. Severity Negative: Susceptibility vs. Severity Self Efficacy vs. Response Efficacy
Packaging information ► Rational vs. emotional style ► Serious vs. light tone ► Content organization: Navagability ► Adjusting to literacy and numeracy ► Production qualities
How much information? ► Evidence vs. source authority Narrative stories vs. statistical data Narrative stories vs. statistical data ► Detailed translation vs. implicit ► Full explanation vs. bottom line ► Specific stressors vs. relative priorities