Health Promotion Flashcards
primary care
promoting behaviour that facilitates the avoidance of disease, ill health or injury
secondary care
treating an illness once it has developed
health psychologists are increasingly recognising that in order to have a healthy society they need to
have a more proactive primary care approach of health promotion instead of the inadequate reactive stance that is secondary care
Strategies for promoting health
– fear arousal
– Yale model of communication
– providing information
Fear arousal
-a key feature of many health promotions
campaigns
-works by letting people know bad things will happen to them unless they change their ways
Fear arousal was investigated by
*Cowpe (1989)
*Janis and Feshbach (1953)
Aim of Cowpe’s (1989) study
-In the UK from 1976-1984, chip-pan fires were the major cause of domestic fires and accidents
-The study aimed to test the effectiveness of an advertising campaign warning people about chip pan fires
How chip pan fires were a problem
-Approximately 1/3 of all domestic fires were caused by chip pans
-In 1981, there were 21 deaths and 1372 injuries caused by 15000 chip-pan fires in the UK
-Chip-pan fires were a major cost to the taxpayer in terms of providing emergency rescue crews and police and the associated costs to the National Health Service
What type of experiment was Cowpe’s (1989) study
quasi-experiment
Describe the advertisement campaign the UK made to combat chip pan fires
-Two sixty-second advertisements involving the usage of chip pans were made, as well as advertisements dedicated to avoiding chip pan fires
-These advertisements were screened on UK Television between 1976 and 1984
-Ten regions were shown the advertisements
How Cowpe (1989) measured the effectiveness of the campaigns
through the usage of fire brigade statistics
The results of Cowpe’s (1989) study
-an overall 12% decrease in fires (7-25% depending on area) over 12 months
-largest reduction was actually during the time that the campaign was running
-high awareness levels and recall of the adverts existed for a considerable time as shown by questionnaires
Conclusions of Cowpe’s (1989) study
-advertising campaign was proved effective as shown by the reduction of chip pan fires
-as time passes the effectiveness of the campaign passes away
-viewers are less likely to be influenced by the campaign if overexposed
Aim of the study conducted by Janis and Feshbach (1953)
to test if a level of fear would have a behavioral consequence in relations to tooth-brushing
Sample of Janis and Feshbach’s (1953) study
-50 high-school students (mean age 15 years) divided into 4 groups
-Depending on the group they were in, they either received:
*a strong fear message involving tooth decay
*a moderate fear message involving tooth decay
*a low-fear message involving tooth decay
*a video involving the functions of the human eye (control group)
The results of Janis and Feshbach’s (1953) study
-76% of the high fear group worried (42% increase after watching the video) about tooth decay
-46% of the low fear group felt worried (24% increase after watching the video) about tooth decay
-28% of the high-fear group reportedly changed habits after being exposed to the video
-50% of the low fear group changed their tooth-brushing habits after being exposed to the video
-Minimal fear elicited the most resistance to the counter-propaganda and strong fear, the least resistance
Conclusions of Janis and Feshbach’s (1953) study
-Students in the high-fear group had a quick emotional reaction but less behaviour change
-Fear appeals can be helpful in changing behaviours, but it is important that the level of fear is tailored to each audience
Who created the Yale Model of Communications?
Hovland et al (1953)
What does the Yale Model of Communication state
-there are several factors that will affect how likely a person is to change their behaviour in response to a cue in the environment
-takes into account the fact that a person’s behaviour is unlikely to change unless their thoughts or attitude towards the behaviour change first
The aspects of communication the model focuses on
*The communicator (who says it)
*The communication (what is said)
*The audience (to whom it’s said)
The Communicator
Focuses on credibility, as well as sources for the message given. This can be achieved through using academic advice, appropriately qualified people, as well as personal experiences and trustworthiness (e.g. group-based drug therapies led by ex-drug user)
The Communication
Focuses on the arousal given by the message promoted. The Health Belief Model suggests that perceived threat is a prerequisite for positive health behaviours. The Yerkes–Dodson Law of Arousal states that each individual has their own optimal level of arousal and it is important for an effective message to be strong enough to increase attention, but not too unpleasant as to produce high levels of anxiety
The Audience
Focuses on considering the proper demographic and type of issue that is being promoted. With complicated issues, it is better to spell out the conclusions whereas when there is a simple message or it is addressing well-informed people, let them make their own conclusions. Also, where possible, the audience should be involved in some way by posing questions or using point-of-view filming
Outline what the Health Belief Model says about healthy behaviour
States that people are motivated by fear to protect their health
