Using a community model in media-based health promotion interventions

Abstract

Over the past few years, a number of media-based health promotion interventions have been broadcast in the Chicago area. The interventions focused on helping viewers stop smoking, better deal with stress, and improve nutrition and weight management. For each of these interventions, from 50,000 to 175,000 self-help manuals were distributed. These large-scale media interventions were made possible by the collaboration of university researchers, a variety of community agencies, and several television stations. The process by which this unique series of interventions was developed is described and the implications of mounting such large-scale health promotion programs are presented.

A multimedia-based approach to increasing communication and the level of AIDS knowledge within families

“…Because the mass media have been used with great success to promote behavior change in other life-style areas (Jason, Crawford, & Gruder, 1989), it seems reasonable to expect that mass media can be used with great efficacy in teaching individuals appropriate methods of making healthful decisions regarding high-risk behaviors associated with HIV transmission; the present study supports that expectation.…”

Chi-squares versus green eye shades: Psychology and the press

“…Media-based health promotions have proven effective in reaching large segments of the population and encouraging participation in programs ( Jason, Crawford, & Gruder, 1989;Jason & Salina, 1993). Collaborating with the media can lead to broader, better publicized interventions that are more likely to change behaviors and attitudes within the community ( Jason & Salina, 1993).…”

Designing and evaluating alcohol problem community interventions: Quasi-lessons from the experience of medical trials

“…While "community interventions" aimed at reducing heart disease have used components of the community such as the local media (e.g., Jason et al, 1989) or the persuasive power of community elites as agents of change, the targets of these efforts are individuals and their life style choices.…”

“…In contrast, this topic receives an explicit discussion in reports on the same researcher's later efforts in five California towns (Farquhar et al, :1161. However, although there often is mention of "formative research" to plan and modify the form and structure of the interventions as they are implemented in the field (usually training programs or elements of media campaigns; see Farquhar, 1985b:328), measures of treatment exposure or similar indicators required to empirically assess individual applications of the intervention components (or "dosage") are usually non-existent with the exception of aggregate indicators like minutes of program time during a media campaign, the total number of bus signs placed, or the number of meetings held during the project period (Jason et al, 1989;Altman, 1986:485;McAlister et al, 9182:44,46: Farquhar et al, 1985b:327). 5…”