Mass communication Mass communication and social marketingand social marketing

Peter D. Rumm, MD, MPHPeter D. Rumm, MD, MPH

Public Health DefinedPublic Health Defined Public health carries out its mission through Public health carries out its mission through

organized, interdisciplinary efforts that address organized, interdisciplinary efforts that address the physical, mental and environmental health the physical, mental and environmental health concerns of communities and populations at risk concerns of communities and populations at risk for disease and injury. Its mission is achieved for disease and injury. Its mission is achieved through the application of health promotion and through the application of health promotion and disease prevention technologies and disease prevention technologies and interventions designed to improve and enhance interventions designed to improve and enhance quality of life.  quality of life. 

Health promotion and disease prevention Health promotion and disease prevention technologies encompass a broad array of technologies encompass a broad array of functions and expertise, including the three core functions and expertise, including the three core public health functions public health functions

http://www.asph.org/document.cfm?page=300http://www.asph.org/document.cfm?page=300

Keep in Mind the Core Functions Keep in Mind the Core Functions Public HealthPublic Health

AssessmentAssessment

AssuranceAssurance

Policy developmentPolicy development

Never Forget the Essential Public Never Forget the Essential Public Health ServicesHealth Services

Monitor health status to identify community health problems Diagnose and investigate health problems and health hazards in the

community Enforce laws and regulations that protect health and ensure safety Inform, educate and empower people about health issues Mobilize community partnerships to identify and solve health problems (a) Link people to needed personal health services and

(b) Assure the provision of health care when otherwise unavailable Evaluate effectiveness, accessibility, and quality of personal and

population-based health services Assure a competent public health and personal health care workforce Develop policies and plans that support individual and community

health efforts Research for new insights and innovative solutions to health problems Public Health Foundation TaskForce 2000.Public Health Foundation TaskForce 2000.

Don’t Forget Health Promotion Science – Don’t Forget Health Promotion Science –

what an MPH brings to the tablewhat an MPH brings to the table!! Models: APEX, PATCH, Proceed-Proceed, Models: APEX, PATCH, Proceed-Proceed,

LOGIC etc.LOGIC etc.

Theories:Theories:• Theory of reasoned actionTheory of reasoned action• Diffusion of innovationsDiffusion of innovations• Health Belief – Stages of ChangeHealth Belief – Stages of Change• Social CapitalSocial Capital• & many more!& many more!

““Communications”Communications” "We take communication for granted because we do it "We take communication for granted because we do it

so frequently, but it's actually a complex process." so frequently, but it's actually a complex process." Joseph Sommerville, PhD Joseph Sommerville, PhD

"You can communicate best when you first listen." "You can communicate best when you first listen." Catherine PulsiferCatherine Pulsifer

"Your ability to communicate is an important tool in "Your ability to communicate is an important tool in your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your your pursuit of your goals, whether it is with your family, your co-workers or your clients and family, your co-workers or your clients and customers." customers." Les Brown Les Brown

"Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. "Courage is what it takes to stand up and speak. Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." Courage is also what it takes to sit down and listen." Winston Churchill Winston Churchill

Principles of Mass Communication Principles of Mass Communication Kreuter et. al.Kreuter et. al.

Use objectives to stay focusedUse objectives to stay focused Make informed decisionsMake informed decisions Don’t reinvent the wheelDon’t reinvent the wheel There is “no such thing as a free There is “no such thing as a free

lunch”lunch” To maximize effectiveness To maximize effectiveness

strategically combine multiple tactics strategically combine multiple tactics to influence complex problemsto influence complex problems

Be creative!Be creative!

Signposts to be Effective – Adapted Signposts to be Effective – Adapted from Kreuter et. al.from Kreuter et. al.

I. Determine what health communication can do for you

II. Determine whom are you trying to communicate

III. What does it cost your audience to hear your message?

III. What do you want to say? IV. How will the message get to your audience?

Source for the last two slides: Kreuter, Lezin et. al. Community Health Promotion ideas that Work, 2nd ed. Jones and Bartlett, 2003.

CDC 4 Principles Social MarketingCDC 4 Principles Social Marketing

Product:Product: what the consumer is what the consumer is asked to "buy" (often a behavior), asked to "buy" (often a behavior),

Price:Price: the actual cost or something the actual cost or something the consumer must give up/ do in the consumer must give up/ do in order to obtain the product, order to obtain the product,

Place:Place: how and where the product how and where the product reaches the consumer, and reaches the consumer, and

Promotion:Promotion: how information about how information about the product is disseminated. the product is disseminated.

Social Marketing DefinedSocial Marketing Defined

One frequently quoted definition of One frequently quoted definition of social marketing is the "application social marketing is the "application of commercial marketing of commercial marketing technologies to the analysis, technologies to the analysis, planning, execution, and evaluation planning, execution, and evaluation of programs designed to influence of programs designed to influence the voluntary behavior of target the voluntary behavior of target audiences in order to improve their audiences in order to improve their personal welfare and that of their personal welfare and that of their society" (Andreasen, 1995) society" (Andreasen, 1995)

Definitions of Mass Definitions of Mass CommunicationsCommunications

Includes journalism, programmes in radio and television Includes journalism, programmes in radio and television broadcasting, public relations, communications arts, broadcasting, public relations, communications arts, library science, programmes for technicians in museums library science, programmes for technicians in museums and similar repositories, documentation techniques and similar repositories, documentation techniques www.unece.org/stats/gender/web/glossary/F/field1.htmwww.unece.org/stats/gender/web/glossary/F/field1.htm

The transmission of messages which may be processed by The transmission of messages which may be processed by gate keepers prior to being sent to large audiences via a gate keepers prior to being sent to large audiences via a channel of broad diffusion channel of broad diffusion highered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072400773/student_viewhighered.mcgraw-hill.com/sites/0072400773/student_view0/chapter1/glossary.html0/chapter1/glossary.html

(Perhaps best) Communication from one person (Perhaps best) Communication from one person or group of persons through a transmitting or group of persons through a transmitting device (a medium) to a large audience or device (a medium) to a large audience or market. market. www.sociologyessentials-2nded.nelson.com/gloswww.sociologyessentials-2nded.nelson.com/glossary4.html sary4.html

Important Public Health TermsImportant Public Health Terms

Risk Communication from the Risk Communication from the standpoint of ASTDR:standpoint of ASTDR:

Overview of Issues and Guiding Overview of Issues and Guiding PrinciplesPrinciplesfor Health Risk Communication = for Health Risk Communication = putting risk into perpective and putting risk into perpective and disseminating this message to disseminating this message to different audiences in a timely different audiences in a timely mannermanner

Caution re Risk CommunicationCaution re Risk Communication

Merely disseminating information Merely disseminating information without regard for communicating the without regard for communicating the complexities and uncertainties of risk complexities and uncertainties of risk does not necessarily ensure effective does not necessarily ensure effective risk communication. Well-managed risk communication. Well-managed efforts will help ensure that your efforts will help ensure that your messages are constructively messages are constructively formulated, transmitted, and received formulated, transmitted, and received and that they result in meaningful and that they result in meaningful actions. Consider how the process actions. Consider how the process works and some general principles for works and some general principles for improving effectiveness.improving effectiveness.

Myths re risk communication!Myths re risk communication! Belief in some common myths often interferes with development of an Belief in some common myths often interferes with development of an

effective risk communication program. Consider the myths and actions effective risk communication program. Consider the myths and actions you can take. you can take.

Myth: We don't have enough time and resources to have a risk Myth: We don't have enough time and resources to have a risk communication program.communication program.Action: Train all your staff to communicate more effectively. Plan projects Action: Train all your staff to communicate more effectively. Plan projects to include time to involve the public.. to include time to involve the public..

Myth: Telling the public about a risk is more likely to unduly alarm people Myth: Telling the public about a risk is more likely to unduly alarm people than keeping quiet.than keeping quiet.Action: Decrease potential for alarm by giving people a chance to express Action: Decrease potential for alarm by giving people a chance to express their concerns. their concerns.

Myth: Communication is less important than education. If people knew Myth: Communication is less important than education. If people knew the true risks, they would accept them.the true risks, they would accept them.Action: Pay as much attention to your process for dealing with people as Action: Pay as much attention to your process for dealing with people as you do to explaining the data. you do to explaining the data.

Source: ASTDR websiteSource: ASTDR website

Continued:Continued: Myth: We shouldn't go to the public until we have Myth: We shouldn't go to the public until we have

solutions to environmental health problems. solutions to environmental health problems. Action: Release and discuss information about risk Action: Release and discuss information about risk management options and involve communities in management options and involve communities in strategies in which they have a stake. strategies in which they have a stake.

Myth: These issues are too difficult for the public to Myth: These issues are too difficult for the public to understand.understand.Action: Separate public disagreement with your policies Action: Separate public disagreement with your policies from misunderstanding of the highly technical issues.from misunderstanding of the highly technical issues.

Myth: Technical decisions should be left in the hands of Myth: Technical decisions should be left in the hands of

technical people.technical people.Action: Provide the public with information. Listen to Action: Provide the public with information. Listen to community concerns. Involve staff with diverse community concerns. Involve staff with diverse backgrounds in developing policy.backgrounds in developing policy.

The Health Alert NetworkThe Health Alert Network

Sophisticated information portal Sophisticated information portal being built “on the backs” of the being built “on the backs” of the terrorism funding by the CDC/HRSA.terrorism funding by the CDC/HRSA.

What is Going on with the HAN?What is Going on with the HAN? Currently, HAN is a strong national

program, providing vital health information and the infrastructure to support the dissemination of that information at the State and Local levels, and beyond. A vast majority of the State-based HAN programs have over 90% of their population covered under the umbrella of HAN. The HAN Messaging System currently directly and indirectly transmits Health Alerts, Advisories, and Updates to over one million recipients. The current system is being phased into the overall PHIN messaging component.

NEDSSNEDSS Closely related:Closely related: The The National Electronic Disease National Electronic Disease

Surveillance SystemSurveillance System (NEDSS) is an (NEDSS) is an initiative that promotes the use of data initiative that promotes the use of data and information system standards to and information system standards to advance the development of efficient, advance the development of efficient, integrated, and interoperable surveillance integrated, and interoperable surveillance systems at federal, state and local levels.  systems at federal, state and local levels.  It is a major component of the Public It is a major component of the Public Health Information Network (PHIN).Health Information Network (PHIN).

GOAL OF NEDSS AND HANGOAL OF NEDSS AND HAN To detect outbreaks rapidly and to monitor the health of the

nation Facilitate the electronic transfer of appropriate information from

clinical information systems in the health care system to public health departments

Reduce provider burden in the provision of information Enhance both the timeliness and quality of information provided Surveillance Systems collect and monitor data for disease trends

and/or outbreaks so that public health personnel can protect the nation's health.

The vision of NEDSS (and the HAN) is to have integrated surveillance systems that can transfer appropriate public health, laboratory, and clinical data efficiently and securely over the Internet. NEDSS will revolutionize public health by gathering and analyzing information quickly and accurately.

Communication LessonsCommunication Lessons

KISSKISS Say you don’t know but will find outSay you don’t know but will find out Do your research and evaluationsDo your research and evaluations Look your audience in the eyeLook your audience in the eye Be enthusiasticBe enthusiastic Don’t’ over-state your knowledge!Don’t’ over-state your knowledge! Don’t underestimate your impact!Don’t underestimate your impact!