The media is an important ally in any public health situation. It serves the role of being a source of correct information as well as an advocate for correct health behaviors. But before the media can take on that role, it needs to understand the virus, the issues surrounding it, policy and practices, and finally, recommended correct behaviors. Role of mass media in public health

1. ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN
PUBLIC HEALTH
HEALTH COMMUNICATION & BEHAVIOUR CHANGE MPH206
SCHOOL OF HEALTH SCIENCE
2016/2017

2. CONTENTS
 DEFINITION
 TYPES OF MASS MEDIA
 FUNCTION
 ROLE OF MASS MEDIA IN HEALTH COMMUNICATION
 CONCLUSION & REFERENCE

3. Definition
 Mass communication is a process in which a person, group
of people, or an organization sends a message through a
channel of communication to a large group of anonymous
and heterogeneous people and organizations. The sender of
the message is usually a professional communicator that often
represents an organization.
 Health communication is the study and practice of
communicating promotional health information, such as in
public health campaigns, health education, and between
doctor and patient. The purpose of disseminating health
information is to influence personal health choices by
improving health literacy.

4. Types of Mass Communication
Types of Mass Communication Mass media can be categorized according to physical
form, technology involved, nature of the communication process etc. Given below are
the major categories of mass media.
 Print Media:
Newspapers Magazines Books other textual documents
 Electronic Media : Radio Movies Television Audio and Video records
 New Media: CD-RoMs DVDs Computer Mobile Phones Internet facilities like
World Wide Web, email, Social Media etc.

5. Functions of Mass Media
As mentioned earlier, mass media have pervasive effects on our personal and
social life. The role and scope of mass media in our society are in the following
areas:
 Information
 Education
 Entertainment
 Persuasion

6. Role of Mass Media in Health Communication
The local and international media play a vital role as the link between health workers and
the larger public. Health authorities educate and entrust the media with essential health
information, which is then relayed to the public in readily accessible formats through a
variety of media channels
 Mass Media: Expanding Reach & Health Promotion : The mass media helps health
workers expand their audience reach, which is crucial considering the fact that face-to-
face channels of communication often require too many human resources and reach
only a small number of people in large, underserved rural areas. The mass media
provides an important link between the rural residents and vital health information.
 Printed Media : The distribution of pamphlets and leaflets created by
specialized health bodies can disseminate vital health information reliably.

7.  The Internet Revolution : As Internet access continues to expand, it will
increasingly serve as a rich health resource in environments that lack health
expertise. Regardless of location, the Internet allows people to gain access to
a wide array of health-related information from worldwide at a mouse click.
 Reaching Out to Rural Communities: Radio Spots : In places where radios are
still popular, they can be used, with great success, as health communication
tools. Not only are they cheaper and more readily available in rural areas, their
programs can also be adapted to suit local needs in terms of language,
culture and values. In Africa, radio spots or advertisements are used to
combat malaria.

8. Conclusion
The media is an important ally in any public health situation. It serves the role
of being a source of correct information as well as an advocate for correct
health behaviors. But before the media can take on that role, it needs to
understand the virus, the issues surrounding it, policy and practices, and
finally, recommended correct behaviors.
PROS; The wide reach offered by mass media is phenomenal. It can target a
global audience. In terms of newspaper and magazines, it can reach a specific
target, besides it is easily accessible.
CONS; At times, the info reported may not be authentic from every angle,
there maybe a misinterpretation. Difficult to make specific to local
community. Media bias can occur due to various issue.
Reference;
http://www.nou.edu.ng/uploads/NOUN_OCL/pdf/pdf2/MAC%20111.pdf
http://www.universityofcalicut.info/SDE/SMMassCommunication.pdf
http://www.uniteforsight.org/health-communication-course/module5