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Ally or Adversary? Using Media Systems for Public Health

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  28 June 2012

Sandra J. Ball-Rokeach  and
William E. Loges
Sandra J. Ball-Rokeach*
Affiliation:
Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
William E. Loges
Affiliation:
Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, California, USA
*
Annenberg School for Communication, University of Southern California, Los Angeles, CA 90028, USA, ballrok@usc.edu
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Abstract

The media system controls information resources that public health agencies may wish to use to accomplish their goals, particularly in a crisis. The resources of the public health system sometimes are prized by the media system, and this provides opportunities for public health agencies to gain access to the media. This paper reviews the goals and resources of the media system as they relate to the mission of public health agencies in the periods before, during, and after a public health crisis. The various media are reviewed with attention to the role each can play for different purposes and at different stages of a crisis. The importance of presenting health information in the form of stories is emphasized, with specific advice regarding the attributes of an effective story.

Resumen

Los medios de comunicación controlan recursos de información que las agendas de salud pública pudieran desear utilizarpara lograr sus objetivos particularmente en una crisis. Los recursos del sistema de salud publica a veces son apreciados por los medios de comunicación y ésto ofrece oportunidades a as agendas de salud publica para obtener acceso a los medios de comunicación. Este trabajo revisa los objetivos y recursos de los medios de comunicación en su relación con la misión de las agencias de salud pública en los períodos antes, durantey después de una crisis de salud pública. Se revisan los varios medios de comunicación con atención al papel que cada una puede jugar para diferentes propósitos y en diferentes etapas de una crisis. Se enfatiza la importancia de presentar la informacion en salud en forma de historia enfatizando los atributos de una historia efectiva.

Keywords

agenciescrisisdisaster goalsinformationmediapublic health
Type
Public Health and Disasters
Information
Prehospital and Disaster Medicine , Volume 15 , Issue 4: The Role of Public Health in Disaster Medicine , December 2000 , pp. 62 - 69
Copyright
Copyright © World Association for Disaster and Emergency Medicine 2000

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