Multimedia Health Communication

This essay discusses the role of mass-media in controlling obesity in children and explores the resources available for health promotion. It emphasizes the importance of using a multimedia approach and a planned strategy for media campaigns. The essay also highlights the risks associated with childhood obesity and outlines the communication objectives for addressing this issue.

Multimedia Health Communication

Table of Contents
PART 1............................................................................................................................................1
Topic: Role of mass-media for Obesity control in Children............................................................1
Table: Mass media resources for health promotion.....................................................................1
REFERENCES................................................................................................................................7
PART 2............................................................................................................................................9
Introduction......................................................................................................................................9
Main Body.......................................................................................................................................9
Rationale for media health promotion activity............................................................................9
Importance of multimedia and planned approach for media campaign....................................10
Health issue and communication objectives..............................................................................10
Supporting theory for marketing media strategy.......................................................................11
Evaluation of entire plan............................................................................................................12
Conclusion.....................................................................................................................................12
REFERENCES..............................................................................................................................12

PART 1
Topic: Role of mass-media for Obesity control in Children
Table: Mass media resources for health promotion
Types of
media
Advantages Disadvantages Supporting
theory
Literature Evidence
1.
Newspaper
Newspaper
refers to most
prominent form
of the marketing
media
communication,
which can be
used for health
campaigning in
affordable and
timely,
especially to
reach at local or
rural geographic
area. Through
this media,
healthcare
agencies or
government can
easily spread
awareness about
growing issue of
obesity and
more, including
risk for life to
Limited
creative
opportunities
and lack of
visual
representation
as well as
growing
attention of
readers towards
digital media,
they rarely go
through entire
information of
information.
So, this might
affect the aim
of health
campaigns.
Along with this,
only literate
people can read
information and
understand
behind any ad
Cognitive
Development
Theory
Aci, O.S., Ciydem, E.,
Bilgin, H., Ozaslan, Z.
and Tek, S., 2020.
Turkish newspaper
articles mentioning people
with mental illness: A
retrospective
study. International
Journal of Social
Psychiatry,
p.0020764019894609.
1

people more
easily.
or health
campaign. This
would create
limitations for
spreading
awareness
among people
about health
issues.
2. Social
Media
Social media
provides
multiple
strategies to
promote health
campaigns,
where through
particular
websites, site-
based
advertisement,
You-Tube
videos and other
social
networking
sites, message
regarding with
health issue can
easily be spread.
Message can be
targeted to
searches site of
This advertising
strategy
although refers
to be a cost-
efficient way
for reaching a
large audience,
but it may
prove
ineffective for
reaching
towards
populations that
have no internet
access, or
people who do
not use social
media
Social
Cognitive
theory
Mehmet, M., Roberts, R.
and Nayeem, T., 2020.
Using digital and social
media for health
promotion: A social
marketing approach for
addressing co‐morbid
physical and mental
health. Australian Journal
of Rural Health.
2

users on the
internet. Along
with this, social
media
marketing also
considered as
cost-effective to
reach targeted
audience and
help in getting
feedback of
them for way to
overcome from
health issues
3. Television TV is
considered as
one of the great
source for
advertising the
health campaign
related to issue
and way of its
prevention or
treatment. It
helps in
reaching
towards more
targeted
audience. Since
today, most
growing issue
Although
television ads
help in reaching
large audience
at both rural
and urban
areas, but it
requires high
costs to
promote health
campaign on
various
channels.
Social
cognitive
theory
Hoffman, B.L., Cafferty,
L.A., Jain, P., Shensa, A.,
Rosenthal, E.L., Primack,
B.A. and Sidani, J.E.,
2020. Patient-centered
Communication
Behaviors on Primetime
Television. Journal of
Health Communication,
pp.1-10.
3

that people are
facing is obesity
related health
problems,
therefore, if at
early childhood
age, weight of
children will be
controlled then
it will help in
preventing them
from such
problems. So,
such
information in
more detail can
easily be
provided to
public through
television
media. This
would help in
adding video,
graphics and
more to make
content more
visible for
audience.
Another main
advantage of
using television
4

advertising for
health
promotion it
that fosters
emotion and
empathy
through heart
breaking
content about
seriousness of a
health issue.
4. Radio It refers to
effective way
for reaching
towards target
audience, with
minimal cost of
production as
compared to
other mass
media. Along
with this,
accessibility to
captive the
public i.e. “talk
radio” shows
helps in
spreading
awareness about
health issue
more easily.
Lack of visual
representation,
less
affordability
and less
durability show
the major
disadvantages
of radio
advertising as
compared to
other mass
media. Along
with this, poor
attentiveness
and
fragmentation
refers to
primary
drawback of
Social
Constructive
Theory
Muela-Molina, C.,
Romero-Rodríguez, L.M.
and Business, E.S.A.I.,
2020. THE
IRRESPONSIBLE SELF-
REGULATION OF
MEDIA IN SPAIN:
HIGH-GRADE
ALCOHOLIC
BEVERAGE
ADVERTISING IN
SPORTS RADIO
PROGRAMMES. Journal
of Legal, Ethical and
Regulatory Issues, 23(1).
5

Advertising
works also with
more frequency
and repeatedly.
Furthermore,
being less
expensive,
immediate as
well as catching
listeners’
attention is
another main
benefit of using
radio for health
campaign
this media,
which may get
less
engagement of
targeted
audience.
5. Leaflets Posting leaflets
at people’s
doors refers to
be popular and
traditional way
for promoting a
campaign,
which takes less
cost i.e. Leaflets
are as
significantly
cheaper than
investment in a
digital
marketing
strategy to
People may be
discarded
leaflet once
reading and
may avoid to
read message if
it is presented
with poor
quality and
creativity. It
also doesn’t put
a long term
impact on
people mind
unless capture
their attention
Diffusion
innovative
theory
Karlsson, S., Ridbäck, A.,
Brobeck, E. and Norell
Pejner, M., 2020. Health
Promotion Practices in
Nursing for Elderly
Persons in Municipal
Home Care: An
Integrative Literature
Review. Home Health
Care Management &
Practice, 32(1), pp.53-61.
6

produce
information and
distribute to
potential
customers. It
also helps in
spreading large
information in
easy to read
manner.
Thus, through this table analysis, it has been evaluated that there are many resources
available of mass media for spreading health awareness issues and messages for well-being of
people. As present issue is regarding with increases cases of overweight of children at their early
age, which may cause obesity and other risks. Therefore, to bring awareness among people and
grab their attention, it is highly essential to use multi-media marketing strategies.
REFERENCES
Karlsson, S. and et. al., 2020. Health Promotion Practices in Nursing for Elderly Persons in
Municipal Home Care: An Integrative Literature Review. Home Health Care Management
& Practice. 32(1). pp.53-61.
Muela-Molina, C., Romero-Rodríguez, L. M. and Business, E. S. A. I., 2020. THE
IRRESPONSIBLE SELF-REGULATION OF MEDIA IN SPAIN: HIGH-GRADE
ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGE ADVERTISING IN SPORTS RADIO
PROGRAMMES. Journal of Legal, Ethical and Regulatory Issues. 23(1).
Hoffman, B. L. and et. al., 2020. Patient-centered Communication Behaviors on Primetime
Television. Journal of Health Communication, pp.1-10.
Mehmet, M., Roberts, R. and Nayeem, T., 2020. Using digital and social media for health
promotion: A social marketing approach for addressing co‐morbid physical and mental
health. Australian Journal of Rural Health.
Aci, O. S. and et. al., 2020. Turkish newspaper articles mentioning people with mental illness: A
retrospective study. International Journal of Social Psychiatry, p.0020764019894609.
7

8

PART 2
Introduction
Health communication or mass media campaign includes both written and verbal strategies for
influencing and empowering individuals, communities and populations, to concern on their well-
being and make healthier choice (Weissová and Prokop, 2019). Mass media campaign integrates
a number of components about models and multiple theories like social media marketing, to
promote changes in perception of people for living a healthy life. Such components also include
research-based strategies for shaping materials and resources to select best channel for spreading
message to audience (Kim and et. al., 2019). Therefore, consideration of health literacy, to
convey a message through mass media channels, “Obesity control in children” is chosen as
health issue under present essay. It depicts how increasing weight of children arise risks for them
to live a healthy life. This essay covers importance of multimedia and planned approach for
marketing the message on chosen topic. It also demonstrates risks that children might face due to
obesity, with supporting theory for marketing strategy.
Main Body
Rationale for media health promotion activity
To prevent people from growing issues of health that decreases their quality of life day by
day, mass media campaigns are used (Gittelsohn and et. al., 2019). This would help in exposing
high proportion of targeted audience to message via radio broadcasting, newspapers, leaflet,
social media and more. Exposure of such messages is generally passive which transfer from
word mouth in large population, by competing with factors like behaviour which driven by habit
or addiction, powerful social norms, product marketing and more. Therefore, the main reason
behind mass media campaign is to raise awareness about health-risk behaviour among people
(Shahsanai and et. al., 2019). This would help in producing positive changes as well as
preventing from negative ones across large people. It also contributes about concurrent
availability to protect people from risk behaviours, community-based programmes, government
interventions and health policy.
9

Importance of multimedia and planned approach for media campaign
Mass media campaigns have been most notable aimed at prevention of long-term health
issues, for survival of people, with increasing their quality of life (Lee and et. al., 2019). It refers
to an important ally within public health situations, that services the role of being an important
source of spreading correct and relevant information, as well as also advocate for change to
positive behaviours. Typical campaigns mostly have placed the messages in media which reach
large targeted communities, most frequently through television, digital channels and radio
(Zanganeh, Adab and Frew, 2019). Along with this, outdoor media like leaflets, billboards,
posters and print media such as newspapers and magazines. In this regard, exposure to such
messages is mostly passive, that resulting from an incidental effect of routine use of media. For
this purpose, before placing any health campaign on mass media, it is essential to understand the
entire risks associated with a particular disease or risk behaviour, policy or programmes run for it
and then recommend correct behaviours for the same.
The mass media or health promotion channels helps health practitioners in expanding their
audience reach, which seems to be crucial for considering fact that channels including face-to-
face communication are often required much cost, many human resources as well as create
difficulties to reach underserved rural areas (Salimi and et. al., 2019). This media also provides
an important link within vital health related information and rural residents, through radio or
television. For this purpose, to bring message regarding with obesity control in children, social
media and television broadcasts will create, because almost people use any one or both media
channels to get information of outside world (Wogu and et. al., 2020).
Health issue and communication objectives
Childhood obesity is considered as most serious medical condition, which affects both
children and adolescents. Children having high BMI (body mass index) i.e. weight above normal
weight as per their age and height, then they are diagnosed as obese (Wogu and et. al., 2020).
This health issue is particularly troubling, as after gain extra weight then at adult age, it would
arise a number of risk problems, which affect life quality of them. Such risk problems include
increasing level of sugar that cause diabetes, high cholesterol, high blood pressure and more.
Along with this, in many cases where both or either one parent is obese, it has evaluated that
obese children also become obese adults (Salimi and et. al., 2019). It would lead to increase
stress level, depression, poor self-esteem and other mental health issues. Lifestyle issues i.e. less
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attention on physical activity, eating fast food, carbonated drinks having too many calories, are
referred to be main contributors to increase BMI and childhood obesity (Zanganeh, Adab and
Frew, 2019). In addition to this, genetic as well as hormonal factors also play a main role in
increasing obese condition. While psychological factors like personal, parental or any kind of
family stress also lead to increases risk of obesity under children. In such condition, to deal with
stress and emotions or to fight boredom, children used to overeat which increases their BMI and
causes obesity and other related problems. Furthermore, some community members have limited
accessibility of market or limited resources to get health foods. As a result, they buy fast foods,
frozen meals, cookies and more (Lee and et. al., 2019). One of the best strategies for reducing
childhood obesity is to make improvement in lifestyles, food habits and regular exercises. Along
with this, treating and preventing obesity childhood also helps in protecting child's health now
and in the future and enhance their quality of life.
Communication Objectives:
 To increase public knowledge and bring awareness about particular health issue i.e.
complications due to obesity
 To influence positive attitude and behaviours of people towards health issue
 To demonstrate the healthy lifestyle practices for preventing people from health issue
 To advocate health programmes and government interventions for resolving health issue
Supporting theory for marketing media strategy
As mass media plays an important role in promotional of health well-being or bringing
awareness about health issue. Therefore, for broadcasting the present issue – Obesity in Children
which causes a number of life risk diseases, television and social media channels are going to use
(Shahsanai and et. al., 2019). It is evident that people spend most of their time to watch
television, activate on social media and reading newspapers etc. so, promoting news on these
channels aid in reaching large audience. The proliferation of these communication channels, help
public health community, NGOs, government and policy makers to spread issues that children
and adult might face if they do not control their weight (Gittelsohn and et. al., 2019). News
attention of online readers and television listeners to obese children, may distort perception of
public towards lifestyle and change behaviour of them, in adverse ways. Health promotion on
media function as a catalyst towards particular action, such as regular action, proper diet plan,
11

yoga or meditation to reduce stress level, etc. within community. Television grab attention of
large population and acknowledge them about serious conditions that children will face in future,
if BMI index and obesity related factors do not reduce (Kim and et. al., 2019). While social
media helps in reaching large audience easily regardless of their geographical locations. It allows
people to get information about a wide array of health issue at just a mouse click. They can get
detailed information including statistical data of children that are facing obesity related
problems. Along with this, it also allows people to give their feedback and suggestions for
prevention of children from obesity. But this media also includes a caveat, where with growing
information at an unprecedented rate, amount of inaccurate, false and harmful information may
be spread. In this regard, misleading, misinterpretation or inaccurate information may trigger
mass panics (Weissová and Prokop, 2019). Therefore, it is essential for health workers before
using social media marketing strategies for promoting health-issue, make appropriate plans to
prevent spreading of misinformation.
In order to support these planned approaches viz. social media and television, a number of
theories can be utilised. It includes Social Cognitive theory, Cognitive Development theory,
Social Constructive theory and more can be utilised for health promotion on mass media. In
present case, for utilising both social media and television channels, Social Cognitive theory can
be used. This theory include observational learning, reinforcement, self-control, self-efficacy and
more, which synthesis concepts as well as processes from behaviouristic, cognitive and
emotional models to change perception of people to adopt health lifestyles. As per this theory, it
states that people not only learn from own experience but also from actions taken by others, to
resolve health issue and for well-being. Along with this, using such theory health promoters gain
opportunity to use effective ways for correcting distorted beliefs. It includes provision of
accurate information, which enhances learning experiences of people via exposure of positive
stimuli.
Social cognitive theory also helps in developing an agentic and effective conceptual
framework, that aid to analyse determinants as well as psychosocial mechanisms, to influence
public thoughts and actions through symbolic communication. Communications systems can be
operated via two pathways, as direct and socially mediated. Through direct pathway, health
promotors can bring awareness about obesity issues and promote positive changes via informing,
motivating, as well as guiding participants. While adopting socially mediated pathway, mass
12

media channels influences public at large level to give participation in social networks and
community settings.
Conclusion
Thus, from all over analysis, it has been evaluated that using social media networking sites
and television, health promoters can easily spread information related to obesity issues under
children, including ways through which people can prevent them and their child from this
specific issues.
REFERENCES
Wogu, J. O. and et. al., 2020. Mass media reportage of Lassa fever in Nigeria: a
viewpoint. Journal of International Medical Research, 48(1), p.0300060518821552.
Salimi, D. and et. al., 2019. The impact of social media on marketing using bibliometrics
analysis. International Journal of Data and Network Science, 3(3), pp.165-184.
Zanganeh, M., Adab, P., Li, B. and Frew, E., 2019. A systematic review of methods, study
quality, and results of economic evaluation for childhood and adolescent obesity
intervention. International journal of environmental research and public health, 16(3),
p.485.
Lee, J. and et. al., 2019. Application Design for Child Obesity Management Based on Users’
Preferences and Needs. Western journal of nursing research, p.0193945919862797.
Shahsanai, A. and et. al., 2019. Perceived barriers to healthy lifestyle from the parental
perspective of overweight and obese students. Journal of education and health
promotion, 8.
Gittelsohn, J. and et. al., 2019. Challenges and Lessons Learned from Multi-Level Multi-
Component Interventions to Prevent and Reduce Childhood Obesity. International
journal of environmental research and public health, 16(1), p.30.
Kim, S. S. and et. al., 2019. Behavior change interventions delivered through interpersonal
communication, agricultural activities, community mobilization, and mass media increase
complementary feeding practices and reduce child stunting in Ethiopia. The Journal of
nutrition, 149(8), pp.1470-1481.
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Weissová, M. and Prokop, P., 2019. Alternative conceptions of obesity and perception of obese
people amongst children. Journal of Biological Education, pp.1-13.
14