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Outline

Health Promotion & Media Use ~What Works An Adventure In “Media Richness” Gary L. Flegal, Ph.D.

Distribution of Subjects by Education Levels High School           4               1.9% Associate’s            6               2.9% Bachelor’s            63             30.3% Master’s              126             60.6% Doctorate               9                4.3% As a group, it is fair to say that practitioners in Health Promotion are a well-educated group.

Distribution of Subjects by Departments within their Companies Finance      . . . . . . . . . 3  . . . . . . .     1.4% Production     . . . . . . . 1  . . . . . . .     0.5% Research/Develop . . . 2  . . . . . . .     1.0% Marketing   . . . . . . . . . 4  . . . . . . .     1.9% Human Resources  . .99 . . . . . . .   47.8% Support      . . . . . . . . .19 . . . . . . .     9.2% Health Services   . . . .69 . . . . . . .   33.3% Other        . . . . . . . . . .10 . . . . . . .     4.8%

Questions for Consideration about Media Choice Decisions Do we ever try to find/use the most effective media? Do we always do the same thing (the comfortable thing)?

Six Main Organizational Values for Determining Program Effectiveness Health Behavior Change Attendance Long Term Health-Cost Improvement Management Favors It Public Relations Cost/Financial

Communication Theory ~ Two Basics Mediums ~ specific modes of transmitting information. Common modes include face-to-face, small group, large group, telephone, electronic messaging, written-personal, written-formal (Sitkin et al., 1992). Channels ~ general categories for transmitting data, such as audio or visual. Taken together, the descriptors, medium and channel, enable fairly precise classification of intra-organizational communication means.

Media Richness relates to media characteristics

Important Media Characteristics Urgency Detail Cost Novelty Interactive

Media Richness relates to media characteristics relates to choices in media types

Top 10 Identified Media Used By Health Promotion Professionals    All of these can be categorized into two basic categories ~ Personal Contact Media (PCM) & Print Media One-on-one (face-to-face) Word-of-mouth Newsletter Bulletin Board Flyers One-on-group (in person) Posters Announcement at meeting In-house publication E-mail

Media Richness relates to media characteristics relates to choices in media types relates to the way in which information is presented to employees, what comes first, second, etc.

Media Richness Face-to-face Small group Large group Videoconferencing Telephone Electronic messaging Written, personal Written, formal Numeric, personal Numeric, formal                                                         Source: Sitkin et al., 1992

Media Richness Media display “richness” when they provide multiple channels through which to send messages. Example:  Face-to-face interactions offer both audio & visual channels and are comparatively “richer” in information than either solely audio or visual channels.

Media Richness Rich media “convey multiple cues and enable rapid feedback.” For instance, facial expressions (e.g., a wink or a frown) bring a level of understanding, or richness, to an information exchange unavailable on the telephone or in a letter.

Most Important Reasons for Most Effective Programs Management Support ~ more programs have been killed by lack of this one thing than by any other single reason. Words are not enough ~ management must actively participate. Personal Contact Media Effective use of all media ~ this includes both PCM & Print Media

Management can be “Gate Keepers” who decide: What information is delivered to others in the organization, and If information is delivered to others in the organization.

Most Important Reasons for Least Effective Programs Lack of Media ~ logically, if you don’t let people know about a service or event, for whatever reason, it is likely to be ineffective. Participant Readiness ~ this implies both knowledge and motivation.

Here’s What Works . . . (at least some of it) Use more than one type of medium Involve Management from the very beginning (this is not optional) Assess ~ How important is the success of this current program? Learn more about the concept of participant Readiness.

Health Promotion & Media Use ~What Works An Adventure In “Media Richness” Gary L. Flegal, Ph.D. The Beginning . . . ?