This document discusses how new media can be leveraged for health communication and behavior change. It outlines several theories of health communication and how they can be applied through new media's interactive capabilities. New media allows for immediate, transactional feedback through features like tailored messaging, stage-based interventions, and targeting individual attitudes. While access remains limited, the Internet has potential to reach broad audiences as a mass medium through technologies that deliver content through televisions and familiar settings. Examples of new media resources that can create and implement health campaigns are also provided.

1. Health Com
munication
and New M
e di a
Dr Ritu Awa
s t hi

2. 0 -“No other nation like India provides a better example
of the role of the new communication media in the
development process through which a country moves
from being an agriculture-based economy towards
becoming an information society”. Arvind Singhal and
Everett M Rogers

3. 0 Health Communication is persuasive communication
0 Fruitful when it is transactional and response
dependent

4. Must haves
0 (a) motivate the receiver to actively attend to
messages and perceive and interpret their content,
0 (b) include transactional solicitation of feedback from
audience members, and
0 (c) activate elaboration of message arguments and
counterarguments to encourage individuals to move
through the process of attitude change

5. Mass Communication
0 Traditional mass media channels provide receivers
with delayed feedback,
0 modifications in message content and source
characteristics to meet population-level market
demands

6. 0 The lengthy lag time between message receipt,
0 market-based feedback
0 new message construction, and dissemination
0 Results in deterioration in prior message relevance
and recall
0 resulting in a relapse through prior stages in the
persuasive process.

7. Interpersonal Communication
0 Interpersonal channels provide rapid and continuous
feedback
0 Capable of providing transactional, response
dependent communication, thereby effecting
persuasion
0 During interpersonal communication, the
communicator can ensure receiver comprehension by
asking questions and observing where understanding
is faulty

8. 0 In addition, the communicator can probe to discover
sources of resistance to change,
0 emphasize that someone like the receiver shares salient
beliefs,
0 modify message delivery to ensure that the receiver
attends to the message,
0 provide rewards for agreement, and
0 facilitate constructive interaction between the message
source and receiver.

9. 0 Sole reliance on IPC in large scale intervention
programs does not yield timely results
0 New Media could aid in making the process run faster
0 Serve as a channel of IPC

10. New Media
0 Computer mediated communication systems
0 New media technologies include the Internet, multi-
media, portals, mobile phones, gaming & animation
and many others
0 Interactive user feedback
0 Creative participation and
0 Community formation around the media content

11. Qualities of New Media
0 ‘Archives’ content
0 Highly Interactive
0 On-demand access to content any time, anywhere, on any digital
device
0 “Democratization" of the creation, publishing, distribution and
consumption of media content

12. New Media and Health
Communication
0 Potential for Internet based research directed at
encouraging users to pursue healthier behavior
0 Can serve as global tool for Health Communication
0 Provides immediate, transactional feedback

13. 0 An interactive cycle of specific feedback and
customized response can be repeated over and over
via the Internet to facilitate an individual’s movement
through the persuasive process
0 Along the way, both source and message factors can
be instantly and dynamically modified to realize the
persuasive advantages inherent in interpersonal
channels

14. 0 Graphics and video clips can be used to make the
information source appear similar to the receiver, praise
can be offered for receiver agreement, and
0 the interactive process itself can be used to encourage
receiver attention,
0 facilitate message comprehension, and
0 identify and modify potential sources of resistance to
change

15. Theories of Health Communication
and New Media
0 Health Belief Model: the health belief model holds that
health behaviors are mediated by the perceived
threat of a health outcome,
0 the expected threat reduction caused by action, and
0 the perceived benefits and barriers to taking action.

16. 0 By providing health messages that are specific to
individuals’ perceived benefits and barriers,
researchers have used the health belief model to
promote healthier behaviors.
0 This process of delivering messages to individuals
that are based on their personal attributes is called
message “tailoring”.

17. 0 By electronically soliciting information on individuals’
perceived benefits and barriers to behavior change
and
0 by delivering immediate tailored messages aimed at
modifying these expectancies,
0 the health belief model can be applied to design
tailored Internet-based interventions

18. 0 Stages of Change Model: It focuses on behavior
change as a process rather than an event and
proposes that individuals at different stages of this
process may need different messages that are specific
to their situation.
0 Researchers have demonstrated the effectiveness of
applying the stages of change model to develop
tailored interventions aimed at smoking cessation
and other health-related behaviors.

19. 0 The interactive capabilities of the World Wide Web
can provide for immediate, on-line assessments of
individuals’ stage progress and can quickly deliver
relevant stage-specific messages.
0 These characteristics indicate that the Web can
accommodate stage-based interventions.

20. 0 Social cognitive theory: it posits that behavior influences, and
is influenced by, constant interactions with personal and
environmental conditions.
0 These interactions help to shape individuals’ expectancies
regarding the performance of behaviors, and Bandura has
noted that when individuals lack confidence in their ability to
perform certain behaviors (when they lack self-efficacy) or
0 have adverse expectations of the outcomes of these
behaviors, they are less likely to engage in such behaviors

21. 0 What is required is an understanding of each
individual’s attitudes regarding the behavior and the
creation of messages that target these attitudes.
0 The Internet’s interactive capabilities render the
channel well suited to this type of transaction, and
0 The World Wide Web can be used to provide
individuals with many of the components social
cognitive theory suggests are essential for behavior
change

22. Internet as Mass Medium
0 Internet-based resources could similarly be used to
deliver theory-based health communications to the
general population.
0 Members of a target audience need not know how to use
a computer—or even have access to one—to have
access to video, audio, and text based information
supplied through the Internet.
0 The technology already exists to supply individuals with
high-speed Internet connections through their home
television sets

23. 0 User-friendly interfaces such as touch screens, voice
recognition, and hand-held remote controls can be
used instead of keyboards to interact with programs
on the Internet.
0 Thus, the Internet has the potential to reach those
with low computer and reading literacy levels with a
wide array of visual and audible cues

24. 0 Public health interventions that use Internet-based
technologies could be delivered in familiar
intervention sites, such as clinics, schools, community
centers, workplace settings, and the home.
0 Although access is still limited for many population
segments, the current trend in the Internet’s growth
suggests that it will become a more popular,
pervasive, and accessible form

25. 0 The Internet could also be used in conjunction with
other interpersonal and mass media channels to
expand the reach of public health programs and
promote program effectiveness.

26. Internet Usage in India
0 As of September 2011, there were 112 Million
claimed Internet users of which 88 million from
urban cities and 24 Million from rural villages.
0 Compared to 2010, there has been a growth of around
13%. The growth gathered momentum and by
December 2011, there were 121 Million claimed
Internet users.
0 Of the active Internet users in urban cities, 26.3
Million access Internet through their mobile phones

27. 0 Internet usage in smaller towns continues to spike its
dominance over Top 8 metros with a combined usage of
more than 60%. Penetration in Lower SECs continues with
25% with people from SEC C status and 11% for the ones
with SEC D and E status*.
*Report on Internet in India (I-Cube) 2011. Mumbai: Internet & Mobile Association of India (IAMAI).

28. New Media Resources
Description Campaign Resource
Application name and
website
Blog Website maintained by an Opportunities for Blogger.com
individual where the key issues in a Livejournal.c
author can post regular campaign to be om
entries of commentary or raised and
Creating other material such as discussed
Content graphic or video
and
Social Website where users or Opportunity to use Facebook.co
implemen
Networking organizations can create viral marketing to m
ting
personal pages and interact connect individuals
campaign
with other users. and members of Twitter.com
Information posted their social network
include-personal to campaign’s cause
information, blog, video,
music

29. Contd.
Description Campaign Resource
Application name and
website
Video Websites where videos are Campaign ads can Youtube.com
Sharing shared. Viewers can view receive additional
ads, share with contacts exposure: Users can
and comment on their view ads, share
Creating content with contacts and
Content comment on each
and their content
implemen
ting
E- A newsletter sent by email: Campaigns can Personal
campaign
Newsletter Tools available to create keep audience mailing
email newsletters and posted about
manage contacts developments in
campaign and
communicate key
messages

30. Contd.
Description Campaign Resource
Application name and
website
Keyword A service which monitors Campaign planners Google Alerts
Alerts mentions of keywords on can track mention google.com/
the Web, including on news of campaign issues alerts
Measuring sites or campaign name
campaign on the Web
reach and
A service which monitors Campaign planners Google
process
Website visitors traffic to a website can track visitors to Analytics
(Process
Analytics and behavior of website campaign websites, google.com/a
Evaluation)
visitors and associated nalytics
blogs, videos and NetTracker
other material
posted on the web

31. Contd.
Description Campaign Resource
Application name and
website
Survey A tool for conduction Campaign planners Survey
Tools surveys of the users via can survey Monkey
Measuring web or email members of the
campaign target audience: Surveymonk
impact on The sponsoring ey.com
beliefs, organization needs
attitudes to have its own
and sample of users and
behavior their emails
(Outcome
A service which offers a Campaign planners Knowledge
Evaluation)
Web based probability based sample can survey networks
panels or convenience sample for members of the
research purposes target audience: Knowledge
Company provides networks.co
access to the m
samples

32. Case Study
World Malaria Day Twitter War
The challenge: Malaria No More, a not for profit non
governmental organization dedicated to ending malaria
deaths in Africa, wanted to raise the profile of World
Malaria Day, increase awareness of the malaria
problem in Africa and promote Malaria No More’s
Mission to end malaria deaths.

33. 0 Target Audience: Twitter users and anyone with a pulse to social media
and social good
0 Action: For World Malaria Day, Malaria No More and high profile twitter
celebrity Ashton Kutcher partnered to raise awareness on Twitter.
Ashton decided to take the partnership a step further by daring CNN’s
breaking news Twitter feed to race him to one million followers of the
micro-blogging platform. Ashton pledged to donate 10,000 mosquito
nets to Malaria No More if he got there first-which he did-and the rest is
history.
0 The 89,724 life saving bed nets donated through the campaign have been
distributed to African families in Senegal.

34. 0 Results: Awareness about malaria spread
exponentially on Twitter as millions of twitterers
learned about malaria and what they could do to help
0 A 10,000 per cent increase in @malarianomore
followers on Twitter to stay informed of progress
about malaria directly as Ashton and millions more
spread the word by re-tweeting

35. Case Study
0 Website: www.8372.com VERB
0 The Challenge: The “8372” VERB campaign was
introduced by Center for disease control, USA to
increase and maintain an active lifestyle during the
summer months when young people generally have
more free time for physical activities. The goal was to
connect tweens in innovative ways with specific places
and events where they could be physically active in their
local area. To motivate youth to be physically active
during the summer

36. 0 Target Audience: “Influencer”tweens (9–13 year-olds)
0 Action: The campaign integrated a multiple–channel
approach to reach youth: TV, the Internet, and cell phones.
Three commercials drove tweens to go online to
www.8372.com and
0 download an application to their desktops to receive instant
messages about local activities and celebrity promotions,
participate in live webcasts with their favorite athletes, play
games, enter contests and win prizes.

37. 0 Banner ads placed on websites frequented by tweens such
as AOL, Disney, Nick, and Cartoon Network also drove
traffic to the site.
0 In addition, tweens were invited to sign up for text
messages on their cell phones about campaign sponsored
promotions, tours, contests and events in their Zip code.
0 Result: Over a 3-month period, the campaign received
approximately 20,000 text messages, and 34 million unique
hits on the website

38. Case Study
0 Gain from Gyaan (Gain from Knowledge)/
www.heroesprojectindia.org
0 The Challenge: To educate the public about
HIV/AIDS and reduce stigma
0 Target Audience: Indian youth (15–24 years old)
0 Action: Project decided to use mobile phones and text
messaging (SMS), as their usage and growth in India
are very high.

39. Cont.
0 As of 2005 there were 41 million mobile subscribers
in India. Approximately 1.2 million subscribers are
added each month.
0 By 2007, the mobile market is targeted to grow to 200
million subscribers. Every cell phone in India is
equipped with text messaging hardware and software
support. Today, Indian SMS traffic is roughly 900
million a month and growing.

40. 0 Titled ‘Gain from Gyaan’ (Gain from Knowledge), the
text-messaging campaign was launched by the Heroes
Project and STAR TV Network (as part of a broader
partnership between these two organizations and the
Kaiser Family Foundation), in association with Radio
Mirchi.
0 Viewers were encouraged to text the number “AIDS”
(7827) on their cell phones.
0 From October 2005 through January 2006, there were
31,695 “hits” for this option.

41. 0 Result: In all, there were nearly 100,000 “hits” to the
text-messaging informational campaign (99,628). Due
to the success of the effort, the Heroes Project plans to
expand its use of SMS, and is looking into interactive
gaming via mobile phones as well.

42. Thank you