This study examined the impact of a health promoting television program series on health knowledge and the key factors of the health belief model (HBM) that have led people to engage in healthy behavior (exercising, losing weight, changing eating habits, and not smoking/quitting smoking). Using data from a posttest comparison field study with 15) viewers and 146 nonviewers in Poland, we found that hierarchical regression analysis showed stronger support for the HBM factors of efficacy, susceptibility, seriousness, and salience in their contribution toward health behavior among television viewers compared with nonviewers. Cues to action variables (including television viewing) and health knowledge boosted efficacy among viewers. Without the advantage of receiving health information from the television series, nonviewers relied on their basic disease fears on one hand, and interest in good health on the other to take steps toward becoming healthier. A health promoting television series can increase health knowledge and enhance health beliefs, which in turn contribute to healthy behaviors.

No abstract

This three-stage national longitudinal survey of 300 respondents evaluated the impact on levels of nutrition knowledge of a specially designed television programme. These levels were assessed among subgroups using different sources of health information. The study was fielded before programme viewing, within three days of programme viewing and about six months after programme viewing. Up to five sources per respondent were obtained. Health information sources analysed included magazines, television, newspapers and doctor/clinic/hospital. Results showed that knowledge levels consistently increased among all groups after programme viewing and also across time ( p<0.001). In general, media users showed higher levels of knowledge than their non-user counterparts; however, only magazine users showed higher and significant differences in knowledge. Programme viewing led to an increased selection of television and newspapers as sources of health information. Magazine use and the use of doctors as health information sources remained the same after programme viewing.

Utilizing the model of information needs which focuses attention on reorientation and construction in addition to orientation, this study compared questioning behaviors toward a low versus high relevance issue. Analysis showed that information needs varied by issue relevance. The high relevance issue elicited questioning behavior pertaining to obtaining expert opinion, gathering various viewpoints for decision making, and developingan opinion. lndividuals focusing on thelow relevance issue morefrequently wanted to find out about how the issue affected them. By focusing on the qualitative differences in information needs, this research also showed that information needs affected the nature of media use.

This study proposed to identify relevant factors of the health belief model (HBM) that provide motivation for people to engage in healthy dietary behavior. The impact of a TV program was also assessed using a longitudinal study with 300 participants and measuring the influence of path coefficients in the HBM that predicted salience, motivation, and healthy eating practices. Findings suggested that nutrition behavior was influenced by susceptibility and efficacy mediated through health motivation and salience. Program viewing boosted salience regardless of age, education, or household size by significantly increasing viewers' confidence in their nutrition knowledge base.