HomeInformationEducational Communication In Health

In an era of access to information, educational communication becomes a necessary rather than an accessory task. In consonance with this, and in compliance to its institutional objectives, the Carso Health Institute is engaged in developing a line of work in educational communication for health within its information, diffusion, evaluation and analysis platform of action.

The broad-scope objective of this line of work is to develop a strategic educational communication model with tools that contribute to generate behavioral changes in the Latin American region regarding responsible self health care, prevention of health risks, search of care alternatives and adherence to the treatments prescribed. The model will pay special attention to the individual, family and community levels.

In order to make this an integral health educational communication model, the following elements should be incorporated and connected in its design:

• Messages
• Means
• Movilization
• Materials
• Method

Messages

The strategic model seeks to identify and develop information contents whose characteristics meet the following criteria:

• Stages of life by age and gender: the information transmitted will respond to the information needs of persons according to their age and gender. Information emphasis will be placed on prevention of risks and maintenance of health. The identification of contents will be supported by expert consultation.
  
  
• Specific diseases: materials aimed at persons who live with a disease, whether transient or chronic. The following conditions will be considered, among others:
  • Diabetes
    
  • Chronic renal impairment/failure
    
  • High blood pressure
    
  • Depression
    
  • Addictions
    
  • Obesity

Means

A multi-media strategy will be adopted so that messages are  transmitted through ideal means of communication according to the line of work they derive from and the specific target audiences. These communication means will use technologic and telecommunication breakthroughs, while also incorporating traditional means highly effective in conveying messages

• Web portal. This mechanism will not only serve as a channel for expression and reinforcement of the educational model, but will also become an additional educational communication action through the integration of interactive groups and on-line courses, among others.

• Printed material. Development or adaptation of manuals for health maintenance; brief message pads, and an editorial line to create an association between health and culture.

• Mobile telephone. Specifically related to the AMANECE, Healthy Longevity and Tel-Health programs.

• Interactive kiosks. Establishment of modules for the monitoring of constants, such as weight, size, body mass, that will provide input in the Operative Solution Department’s information system, allowing users their own monitoring. These modules will be placed at public and/or easy to access places.

• Puppet show. This means takes this old tradition up again, which has proven to be very effective in conveying educational messages.

 Mobilization

Mobilization represents all the channels through which the messages in the model are disseminated. These channels are defined according to the different target audiences.   

• Carso channels: An extended network of companies and services that will serve to mobilize these messages to urban populations.
  
• Community participation: strategy to approach rural and peri-urban populations. 

Materials

These are the collections that will be drafted according to strategic educational communication models. Three types of essential collections are foreseen:
           

• Bank of health educational materials. The Bank will be developed under a clearing-house approach. Establishment of alliances with domestic and international organizations dedicated to the production of these types of materials and willing to transform them into a public good will be pursued.
  
• Wiki-format conceptual collection: Through a social participation dynamics approach and using the Web portal, new health field-related entries, definitions and concepts will be built. Incorporation of specific registries of migrating and indigenous groups, among others, will be specially looked for.
  
• Evaluation methodology. The educational communication line of work will develop methodologies to evaluate the efficacy of the health materials promoted by this line of work and the results of its performance.

Método

The operation mode with which the educational communication strategy will articulate all the above-mentioned elements.

• Carso Health Institute. Interaction between its strategic platforms -in this particular case information- and its different lines of work or programs.
  

• Connection with groups of experts and specialized organizations to provide these activities with a technical and professional support of excellence.
  

• Association with the best partner. As with the other lines of work, the CHI will look for operating and multiplying organizations to implement some lines based on the identification of terms of mutual collaboration in accordance to the objectives of the CHI.

The parallel and comprehensive development of the above elements aims  at identifying educational solutions in health that may attain a beneficial impact in the Latin American region.