Theory of Diffusion of Innovations guides health educators and professionals in planning health interventions at community level.

1. Diffusion of Innovations
Aashma Dahal
MPHN 1st year
Maharajgunj Medical College, IOM

2. Introduction
• Diffusion refers to the process by which a new
idea, object or practice filters through various
channels in the community over time.
• Innovation refers to the new ideas, objects or
practices that are to be adopted.
• The theory deals with new ideas and their
adoption by people in a systematic manner.

3. Historical perspectives
• Early1900: Gabriel Tarde, A French sociologist
wrote the laws of imitation which looked at
factors that made innovations spread.
• George Simmel, a German philosopher and
sociologist introduced a notion of stranger, the
notion of stranger was used in theory of
diffusion.

4. • 1923: Clark Wisseler studied diffusion of
horses from Spanish explorers tribes to
American Indian tribes. The diffusion caused
the peaceful horses to go to war with their
neighboring tribes.
• 1943: Rural sociologists Byrce Ryan and Neal
Gross at Iowa State University worked with
hybrid seeds corn study. Full diffusion of the
seeds among farmers too almost 12 years to
get accepted and adopted.

5. • 1962: Everett Rogers wrote Diffusion of
Innovation with applications of the theory.
• Over 5200 applications of the theory in
various fields had been published by 2003.

6. Constructs of Diffusion of Innovation Theory
• Innovation: It does not matter for how long the
theory has been around but the person who is
adopting it perceives it as new.
• the newness can be regarding
 Knowledge
 Persuasion
 Decision to adopt

7. Attributes of Innovation
Attributes How to Modify
Perceived relative
Advantage
Increase the perception that the
innovation is advantageous
compatibility Make the idea consistent with prevalent
norms and values
Complexity Simplify the idea as far as possible

8. Attributes How To Modify
Demonstrability Provide the idea in small units in total
Clarity of Results Disseminate the information clearly
Costs Minimize costs as far as possible
Reinvention Allow for modification by the user
Reversibilty Make innovations reversible
Pervasiveness Minimize changes in other parts

9. • The second construct is communication
channels.
• The links between those who know about the
innovation and those who do not.
 Mass media Channels
 Interpersonal channels
 Interactive communication channels

10. • The third construct of the theory is time.
The innovation decision process
Adopter categories
Rate of adoption

11. The Innovation Decision process
• Gaining knowledge about the innovation
• Being persuaded
• Deciding to adopt or reject
• Implementing the innovation

12. Adopter Categories
Source: Diffusion of Innovation, Rogers 1995

13. Rate of Adoption
• The speed with which an innovation is
adopted.
• The S shaped curve.

14. • The fourth Construct of the innovation theory
is a social system
• A social system implies people in a society
connected by a common goal and is
composed of groups, organizations or
communities.
• The similarity group members is called
homophily.
• Innovations spread faster among homophilous
groups.

15. • Other aspects of social system are
– Social networks
– Change agent
– Opinion leaders

16. Steps for applying diffusion of Innovation theory
Select the topic
Identify the
programme
population
Derive the
sample of best
practices
Identify
intermediary
networks
Identify opinion
leaders
Collect pretest
Data
Create a
decision
support tool
Set up research
design
conditions
Measure the
rate of
adoption

17. Application of the theory
• Adopting novel medication regimen for
Diabetes management
• Adopting telemedicine In rural areas
• Implementing Family Planning in Rural areas
• Implementing Health counseling interventions

18. Limitations of the theory
• There are no real innovations ( Tornatzky and Flieshcer,
1990)
• The diffussion could long intervals and hence the
challenge and the challenge is huge.( Rogers, 2002)
• Pre-innovation bias- it is preconception that the ideas
should be diffused and adopted. (Rogers, 2003)
• Easier for well educated and wealthy people to get
adapted.

19. • Reference
1. Sharma M and Romas J, Theoritical
foundations of Health Promotion and
Education, Jones and Barlett,2008 pp:209-227