Role of Mass Media in promoting Health Literacy

Abstract

Centre for Disease Control, Healthy people 2030, defines Health literacy as ‘the degree to which
individuals have the ability to find understand and use basic health information and services needed to
make appropriate health decisions for themselves and others. The American Medical Association
(AMA) defines it as ‘a constellation of skills including basic reading and numerical tasks required to
function in the healthcare environment.’ Businesses, educators, community leaders, government
agencies, health insurers, healthcare providers, the media, and many other organizations and
individuals all have a part to play in improving health literacy in our society.
Development Communication is a complex evolutionary branch that looks at development through
communication an empowerment tool to facilitate the participation of people in activities that lead to
economic and social transformation. There have been many approached to development
communication starting with the “dominant paradigm” as proposed by Rogers in 1960. The
modernisation theory looked at traditional culture as an impediment to development. Further scholars
like Daniel Lerner and Wilbur Schramm who were involved in third world development posited that
as the traditional society was non-participant as people were more isolated as communities with
minimal interactions. He emphasised the role of mass media and identified that it had the potential to
transform people attitudes and usher in modernisation. Mass media was looked up as ideal vehicles for
transferring new ideas and models from developed nations to the third world. They were looked up as
“magic multipliers” and key factors in the speed of development by Schramm. The diffusion of
innovations theory identified by Rogers looks at the innovation, communication, channels of
communication and the social system within which and for which the process occurs, through five
stages – awareness, interest, evaluation, trial and adoption. Over time the theory has been replaced
with social marketing theory which provides a model for strategic, scientific, determination of
messages and media strategies to disseminate ideas to promote a social cause. Family planning, gender
rights, adult literacy, HIV/AIDS prevention, responsible sexual relationships have all been some of the
responsible campaigns carried out with the support of media.
Media is crucial to the advancement of communication because it disseminates information, offers a
forum for debate of problems, and imparts concepts and abilities. achieve a better life and establish a
foundation of agreement for the stability of the nation.
India concentrated on development communication in the 1940s with radio broadcast in different
languages through various programmes, like-Programs for Rural Audience, Educational Programs and
Family Welfare Programs. Television entered the foray shortly through different programs like
Educational Television (ETV), Countrywide Classroom (CWC), Teleconferencing. Successful
missions like SITE, Kheda Communication project have brought out social change and development.
January - June – 2024 Vol.- 14, Issue 3 & 4 ISSN-2231-2498
www.communicationijcd.com International Journal of Communication Development 62
 (A UGC Enlisted-2017 & 18, Journal No.-49378, Peer Reviewed (refereed) Research Journal)
With the development of newer technologies that support interactivity Government programs optimise
on this strength.
Health literacy concerns the knowledge and role of media in health literacy is increasingly recognised,
there is no consensus about the definition of health literacy and possible limits for measurement and
comparison. Hence the authors’ aim of the study is to review definitions, models on health literacy and
role of media in health literacy to develop an integrated definition and conceptual model capturing the
significance of media’s role in promoting health literacy