The Communication Initiative
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The Communication Initiative
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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Evaluating Audience Impact of Selected Health Messages in TV Storylines

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Affiliation
Oral presentation delivered at "What's in/on the Air: A Multi-method Evaluation of TV's Effect on Environmental Health", a session at the American Public Health Association (APHA)'s 132nd Annual Meeting
Summary

Abstract:

"CDC [Centers for Disease Control & Prevention] and USC [University of Southern California (USA)] analysis of data (Beck and Pollard) from the national Healthstyles Survey conducted by Porter Novelli has shown a consistent trend over three years (1999 to 2001) that African American and Hispanic TV viewers report they learn, discuss and take actions more frequently than general viewers after hearing about health topics in TV storylines. Bandura's Social Learning Theory also suggests that the Entertainment Education strategy of embedding health messages into storylines of popular TV programs may influence modeling of health promotion behavior.

Previous analyses of TV viewing habits based on HealthStyles data has been self-reported, for behavior and learning, and there remains a need to examine the impact of specific TV health content on corresponding knowledge, attitudes, beliefs and behaviors associated with the health topic. This presentation will report on CDC-USC analysis of 2003 HealthStyles data based on a cross-examination of Porter Novelli's ConsumerStyles with HealthStyles and YouthStyles. Specific health behaviors will be compared between respondents who were exposed to selected TV health storylines and those who were not exposed. Health storylines were chosen from the Spring 2003 TV viewing season across the most popular TV shows among general, Hispanic and African American audiences (based on Nielsen Audience Research). Health topics that were investigated include: smoking and cancer, carbon monoxide poisoning, seat-belt use, cardiovascular disease, HIV/AIDS, sexually transmitted diseases, and teen pregnancy.

Implications from findings will contribute to strategic outreach efforts to the television industry, and to future studies examining the impact of TV health content on audiences."

Editor's note: As of this writing, the findings from this study have not yet been published. Please contact Vicki Beck (see below) to learn more about preliminary
findings.

Click here to access a related peer-reviewed summary "1999 Porter Novelli HealthStyles Survey: Soap Opera Viewers and Health Information" on the
Health e Communication website, and to participate in peer review.

Click here to access a related peer-reviewed summary "2000 Porter Novelli HealthStyles Survey: Prime Time Viewers and Health Information" on the
Health e Communication website, and to participate in peer review.

Click here to access a related peer-reviewed summary "2001 Porter Novelli HealthStyles Survey: TV Drama Viewers and Health Information" on the
Health e Communication website, and to participate in peer review.

Click here to access a related peer-reviewed summary "2002 Porter Novelli HealthStyles Survey: Telenovela Viewers and Health Information" on the
Health e Communication website, and to participate in peer review.

Source

Norman Lear Center website; American Public Health Association website; and email from Grace Huang, MPH to The Communication Initiative on September 7 2005.