Communication Tools POH705 Week 13 PDF

Communication Tools POH705 School of Occupational and Public Health Toronto Metropolitan University Week 13 1  Lesson Objectives Discuss social marketing principles and health communication Discuss vari...

Communication Tools POH705 School of Occupational and Public Health Toronto Metropolitan University Week 13 1  Lesson Objectives Discuss social marketing principles and health communication Discuss various tools for health education messaging Understand how to communicate a clear message 2 Social Marketing: The Basics "the application of commercial marketing technologies to the analysis, planning, execution, and evaluation of programs designed to influence voluntary behavior of target audiences in order to improve their personal welfare and that of society.“ 3 Social Marketing IS… Systematic and strategic planning process Social or behavior change strategy Total package of strategies carefully chosen based on characteristics of the target audience Social Marketing IS NOT… Just advertising or communication A media campaign Reaching everyone A fast process A theory 4  Social Marketing Principles 1) Focus on behavior 2) Prioritize consumer benefits 3) Maintain a market perspective 4) Develop a strategic ‘marketing mix’ of communication elements according to the 4 Ps: Product, Price, Place, Promotion 5) Use audience segmentation 5  Focusing on Behavior - Current behavior of the Example target audience: Watches approximately 5 hours of television per day Recommended behavior: Watching two or fewer hours of television per day Possible behavior change: Reduce television viewing by 2-3 6  Competition and Market Perspective: Example Possible competing activities for physical activity in pre-teens: Watching TV Playing on the computer Talking on the phone Going to the mall/shopping Spending time with friends Doing homework Participating in after-school programs 7  Audience Segmentation - Example For example, completely different programs would be designed for these two segments: Pre-teens who do not enjoy physical activity and are not motivated to participate in it Pre-teens who like physical activity and are motivated to do it, but can't find the time during the day to participate in it 8  Use a condom. Eat more vegetables. Pull over to text. Don't share needles. Get a flu vaccine. Wear a harness. 9  The Four Ps PRODUCT? PRICE? PROMOTION PLACE? ? 10  The Four P’S - Example Product Physical activity and all the benefits that pre-teens truly want: having fun, being with friends, being cool, and trying new skills Price Psychological and social costs of physical activity for pre-teens Loss of time that could be spent doing something else Financial costs 11  The Four P’S - Example Place Locations where pre-teens can be physically active Promotion Consistent targeted communication via a variety of channels 12  When do we use social marketing? Goal is Audience- To reach large voluntary focused populations behavior program with limited change resources 13  Use of Theory and Research Many theories guide social marketing programs Can help to: – Identify motives for action – Identify message strategies – Identify target audiences Formative research important in development stages 14  Social Marketing in Public Health Example urce: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jY7YvglA92s 15  Social Marketing- Example Get a Flu Shot https://www.canada.ca/en/public-hea lth/services/diseases/flu-influenza/ge t-your-flu-shot.html Product? Price? Place? Promotion? 16  Social Marketing Example The National Microbiology Laboratory develops a new rapid malaria diagnosis kit that provides results in half the time of current tests. The new kits are announced by the national media and by publication in medical journals. Free samples are sent to all countries most affected by malaria and are delivered to provincial and regional health departments, clinics and hospitals. What are the Four Ps? 17  What is Health Communication? ‘The study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual decisions that enhance health’ (Center for Disease Control) 18  How is it different from social marketing? Common goal Overlapping and complementary Communication strategies vs. framework ‘Health Marketing’ 19  Planning a Campaign Describe the problem Perform audience research Audience Insights Define your strategy Develop interventions Evaluate your plan Implement your plan 20 Examples of Health Marketing Campaigns - CDC https://www.cdc.gov/health-communic ation/php/communication-resources/fe atured-campaigns.html 21 Toronto Public Health launches vaccination campaign to combat COVID-19 and flu https://www.toronto.com/news/toronto-public-health-launches-vaccinatio n-campaign-to-combat-covid-19-and-flu/article_61b49898-b861-51bc-97e e-d0eba1fdfd2c.html 22 ?  Toronto Public launches vaccination campaign to combat COVID-19 and flu 23  Common Public Health Audiences Consumer and non-health professionals Adolescents and young adults Caregivers Community leaders Employees and employers Parents People likely to have been exposed to a specific harm People with questions about a health issue 24  Common Public Health Audiences Health Professionals Clinicians Epidemiologists Laboratory professionals Public health department staff Public health organizations 25  Common Public Health Audiences Other Audiences: Policymakers Researchers and academics Non-profit organization staff Teachers Health insurance brokers and advisors Community health workers 26  Health Communication Channels How/where we deliver our messages Important to use the right channels appropriate to your target audience Audience research helps to identify the right channels What are examples of important health communication channels? 27 28  Adapting Health Communication in a Canadian Context Canada’s diversity requires tailored messaging: ○ Multicultural populations (e.g., newcomers, Francophone communities) ○ Indigenous peoples (First Nations, Inuit, Métis) ○ Rural/remote communities Some key considerations: Official bilingualism (messages must be accessible in English and French) Equity: Address barriers such as digital access, 29 ource: https://www.nccih.ca/en/  30 Source: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/publications/diseases-conditions/plan-your-flu-shot.html  Language Guidelines BC Centre for Disease Control gives guidance on the use of inclusive and non-stigmatizing language for COVID-19 written and digital communications Also includes preferred language choices in multiple areas, such as: ○ Disease basics ○ Racial identities ○ Substance use ○ Gender 31 ○ Sexual identity Source: http://www.bccdc.ca/Health-Professionals-Site/Documents/public_health/Language_Guide.pdf  The Important Role of Social Media Did you know? The Social Media Revolution: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h4w5U_q guyM Social media and healthcare: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fScgEA9i mCI 32  What is Social Media? Category of online media Where people are talking, participating, sharing, networking, bookmarking Discussion, feedback, voting, comments What are the top three social 33  Why is social media so important to health communication? Shift in public expectation of information delivery Public bypass of traditional information gateways More stock in the ‘wisdom of the crowd’ Top-down dissemination of information is not working Need for more dialogue-oriented approaches Potential to better tailor messages and improve reach 34  Use of Social Media in Health Syndromic surveillance Real-time outbreak detection, early warning systems Identifying and/or reaching communities Further engaging the public Study of health beliefs and behaviours Health education and communication 35  Feasibility of social media? Costs Personnel resources Technical needs and support Population size Length of investigation/campaign Ethics and Privacy 36  Target audience for social media Know and define your target audience! Where are they ‘present’ online? What are their key behaviours? What are the cultural norms of the social media platform? What drives user traffic? How can we define the population? Who are we missing? Who are we including? How can we engage them? 37  Capacity and Responsiveness The barrier to responding to changing conditions in real time lies in the limits of organizational capacity Governments are risk adverse and slow to change Time to implement strategies much slower than user behaviours or public conversations Multiple policies and processes Poor technical infrastructure and internet access Security measures and other restrictions Unopposed views and bad information 38  Strengths of social media Low intensity, low cost Real-time Technological innovations Access to diverse populations, wide geographic range Target sub-populations and otherwise unreachable populations Reduction of stigma Facilitates interaction Ability to study peer networks and spread of behaviours 39  Goal to reach 800 parents with a budget of $1500 Facebook users: – Located in Canada – 18 years or older – Parent of a child aged 0-15 years – French or English 40  Social Media Messaging Example Health campaigns are using platforms like Tik Tok, Instagram, and gaming platforms to target youth audiences about reducing tobacco/vaping usage Sources: https://www.ctvnews.ca/health/health-canada-to-enlist-social-media-influencers-to-help-vaping-awareness-1.3976390 Vassey, J., Galimov, A., Kennedy, C. J., Vogel, E. A., & Unger, J. B. (2022). Frequency of social media use and exposure to tobacco or nicotine-related content in 41 association with E-cigarette use among youth: A cross-sectional and longitudinal survey analysis. Preventive Medicine Reports, 30, 102055–102055.  CDC’s Advice in Using Social Media in Health Communication 1. Make strategic choices and understand the level of effort 2. Go where the people are 3. Adopt low-risk tools first CDC Widgets 4. Make sure your messages are science- based 5. Create portable content 6. Facilitate viral information sharing 42 7) Encourage participation 8) Leverage networks 9) Provide multiple formats 10) Consider mobile technologies 11) Set realistic goals 12) Learn from metrics and evaluate your efforts Source: CDC, Health Communicator’s Social Media Toolkit, July 2011 43 44  Tips in Messaging Give most important information first – What actions to take, and why it is important – ‘Always wash your hands with soap and warm water for 20 seconds to avoid illness’ Limit the number of messages Tell audience what they need to do – Concrete nouns and active voice – ‘Use appropriate PPE in the workplace’ Source: CDC, Simply Put, April 2009 45  Tell them what they will gain from the material Choose your words carefully – Keep it short – Respect and value audience – Use a tone that encourages – Limit use of technical/scientific language – Choose words with a single definition or meaning – Be consistent with word use – Use analogies familiar to your audience – Avoid unnecessary abbreviations and acronyms – Limit use of statistics, use words like ‘half’ – Limit use of symbols Source: CDC, Simply Put, April 2009 46  Visuals Photographs best for showing ‘real life’ events Cartoons for casual tone, humour Illustrations to simplify complexities Source: CDC, Simply Put, April 2009 47  Visuals Communicate your message to your audience Source: CDC, Simply Put, April 2009 48  Visuals Culturally relevant and sensitive 49  Visuals Easy to understand 50 Source: CDC, Simply Put, April 2009 51  CDC Clear Communication Index To identify the most important communication characteristics Research-based Designed for health professionals Assesses materials in 7 areas to produce a score out of 100 52 Seven Areas of Clear Communication: 1. Main Message and Call to Action Does the material contain one main message statement? 53  Is the main message at the top, beginning, or front of the material? Is the main message emphasized with visual cues? Does the material have at least one visual that conveys or supports the main message? 54  Does the material include one or more calls to action for the primary audience? Does the material always use words the primary audience uses? ‘ Breastfeeding in the first six months is important to healthy child development. If you plan to go to work after pregnancy, a lactation counselor can help you plan to keep providing breast milk for your baby while you are away. If you have questions about breastfeeding please call local health at xxx-xxxx.’ 55 Seven Areas of Clear Communication: 2. Language Do both the main message and the call to action use the active voice? Active? Wash your hands with warm water and soap for 10 seconds Passive? Hands should be washed with warm water and 56 soap for 10 seconds Seven Areas of Clear Communication: 3. Information Design Does the material use bulleted or numbered lists? The signs and symptoms of E.coli O157:H7 include: Bloody diarrhea Fatigue Headache Muscle pains Fever 57  Is the material organized in chunks with headings? 58  Is the most important information for the primary audience summarized in the 1st paragraph or section? Sun Safety Health Canada: http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hl-vs/sun-sol/index- eng.php 59 Seven Areas of Clear Communication: 4. State of the Science Does the material explain what authoritative sources know and don’t know about the topic? ‘Public Health Ontario is working with local health authorities to determine the source of the outbreak. The investigation could take several weeks. The public will be notified as soon as the source is identified’ 60 Seven Areas of Clear Communication: 5. Behavioural Recommendations Does the material include 1 or more behavioural recommendations for the primary audience? Does the material explain why the behavioural recommendation is important to the primary audience? Does the recommendation include specific direction about how to perform the behaviour? 61 Seven Areas of Clear Communication: 6. Numbers Does the material always present numbers the primary audience uses? ‘Seventy-five percent of children under the age of 12 years are on the computer for 1.95 hours per day’ ‘Seventy-five percent of children under the age of 12 years are on the computer for 2 hours per day’ 62  Does the material always explain what the numbers mean? ‘...1 in 9 women is expected to develop breast cancer during her lifetime. That is a very high number of women. In fact, breast cancer is the most common cause of cancer among Canadian women.’ ‘One food guide serving of vegetable and fruits equals 250 ml or ½ a cup of raw leafy vegetables or salad.’ 63  Does the audience have to conduct mathematical calculations? 64 Seven Areas of Clear Communication: 7. Risk Threat or harm Outcome of a threat or harm Risk factors Likelihood that a threat or harm could happen 65  Does the material explain the nature of the risk? ‘The risk of pregnancy loss by miscarriage and stillbirth increases as women get older, perhaps due to pre-existing medical conditions or fetal chromosomal abnormalities. Ask your health care provider about monitoring your baby's well-being during the last weeks of pregnancy.’ 66 Example: Risk Communication During COVID 19 Public Health Ontario (2023, May) Risk Communication and Trust in Public Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Public Health Ontario Evidence Brief. Retrieved from: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/nCoV/main/2023/risk- communication-trust-public-health-covid-19-pandemic.pdf?rev=015f717e6a474c98a46022722879fb98&sc_lang=en 67  Risk Communication During COVID-19 The pandemic presented multiple risk communication challenges, i.e., spread of misinformation and distrust of scientific evidence, which contributed to decreased engagement in recommended public health measures Trust can be influenced by individual factors, such as: personal beliefs, political beliefs, the organization/institution delivering information, and delivery platforms like social media Public Health Ontario (2023, May) Risk Communication and Trust in Public Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Public Health Ontario Evidence Brief. 68 Retrieved from: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/nCoV/main/2023/risk-communication-trust-public-health-covid-19-pandemic.pdf? rev=015f717e6a474c98a46022722879fb98&sc_lang=en  Risk Communication During COVID 19 Maintaining public trust in health crises requires good risk communication practices such as: – Transparency – Evidence-based and action-oriented messaging – Leveraging and engaging in two- way communication COVID-19 provided a unique opportunity to study risk communication and public trust on a global scale Results confirmed the importance of established risk communication theories and strategies Public Health Ontario (2023, May) Risk Communication and Trust in Public Health During the COVID-19 Pandemic. Public Health Ontario Evidence Brief. 69 Retrieved from: https://www.publichealthontario.ca/-/media/Documents/nCoV/main/2023/risk-communication-trust-public-health-covid-19-pandemic.pdf? rev=015f717e6a474c98a46022722879fb98&sc_lang=en  Does the material address both the risks and benefits of the recommended behaviours? 70  If the material uses numeric probability to describe risk, is the probability also explained with words or a visual? ‘Every year, one out of six Canadians will get food a foodborne illness’ 71  For other tips and tricks… On Health Communication tools and messages go to CDC’s website at: https://www.cdc.gov/health-communic ation/php/index.html 72