Today is our topic of discussion Mass communication
Mass communication
Definition:
It is type of communication aims to reach mass audience and the public. Example of media used in mass communication are, newspaper, magazine, radio, television etc.
Role of mass media in health education:
1. It helps to create a political will in favour of health by appealing to the policy makers.
2. It raises the consciousness of the people and help set norms that have a strong bearing on health.
3. It informs decision makers about health care.
4. It helps in fostering community involvement by reflecting public opinion through encouraging dialogue between the community and health care providers and by conveying the feedback to decision makers.
Use of mass communication:
1. Entertainment
2. Information dissemination
3. Advertising
4. Marketing
5. Express and share- ideas, options, views
Advantages of mass communication:
1. Reaches many people quickly
2. Low cost in broader aspect
Disadvantage of mass communication:
1. Difficult to make it specific for local community
2. Fixed message
3. Chance of misunderstanding
4. Access often difficult
5. Lacks feedback
Prejudice
Definition:
A prejudice is a prejudgment, an assumption made about someone or something before having adequate knowledge to be able to do so.
The word prejudice is most commonly used to refer to preconceived judgments toward people or a person because of race, social class, gender, ethnicity, homelessness, age, disability, obesity, religion, sexual orientation, or other personal characteristics.
Health importance:
Mostly, it poses risk to health. Counselors, educators, and parents should try for combating prejudice development in children, adolescents, and adults.
Superstition
Definition:
A belief or practice resulting from ignorance, fear of the unknown, trust in magic or chance, or a false conception of causation.
Health importance:
There were many myths and superstitions about health and hygiene as there still are today. People believed, for example, that disease was spread by bad odors. It was also assumed that diseases of the body resulted from sins of the soul. Many people sought relief from their ills through meditation, prayer, pilgrimages, and other non-medical methods.
Family
Definition:
A family is defined as a group of biologically related individuals, living together in one household unit and eating from a common kitchen. However, in a complex society, some members of the family may live separately.
Functions of family:
1. To ensure that new babies actually survive to become adult members of that society.
2. To provide economic support for other family members.
3. To satisfy our emotional needs for love and security.
4. To provide us with a sense of place and position in our society
5. To ensure that children are satisfactorily socialized into the norms and values of society.
6. To regulate sexual activity.
Types of family:
Nuclear family:
It is an elementary or primary form of family consisting of father, mother and their children – all living in a single dwelling unit where the head of the family is the head of the household.
Extended or joint family:
It is a family group, consisting of a number of married couples and their children, living together in the same household and is usually related by blood.
Three generation family:
It is the household which consists of representatives of three generations. It occurs usually when young couples are unable to find separate housing accommodation and continue to live with their parents and have their own children. Thus, representatives of three generations related to each other by direct descent live together.
Importance of family:
In the context of primary health care (PHC), the family is the first point of contact for the provision of health care, and the basic unit of referral to the PHC workers and institutions.
Society
Definition:
It is a system of social relationships between individuals and which controls and regulates the behaviour of the individual both by law and customs.
Importance of society:
1. It can exert pressure on the individual to conform to its norms.
2. It is a network of relationships and compulsions that propel, direct and constrain man’s individua! efforts.
3. Public health is an integral part of social system.
4. The social organization has made it possible to translate into practice the scientific concepts and achievements.
Culture
Definition:
It is the learned behaviour which has been socially acquired.
Importance of culture:
1. It lays down norms of behaviour and provides mechanisms which secure an individual with his personal and social survival.
2. Culture has its own customs, some of which have a profound influence on the incidence of disease.
3. Cultural factors are deeply involved in health related issues, such as, immunization, sanitary practice, personal hygiene, seeking of early medical care etc.
Custom
Definition:
A traditional and widely accepted way of behaving or doing something a particular society, place, or time.
It is such a thing that no single member of the community can escape. Laws are generally customs- inspired. The starting point of all customs is convention. Convention is the practice promoted by convenience of the society or the individual.
See also :
1 thought on “Mass communication”