Publications - UCLA Health and Media Research Group -- Background information

Resources: Publications: Abstracts

Media Literacy and Public Health: Integrating Theory, Research and Practice for Tobacco Control

The influence of mass media on the culture and health-related behaviors of youth has prompted health education and health promotion practitioners and researchers to turn towards media literacy approaches. In this article, development, implementation and evaluation of a media literacy curriculum for tobacco control for high school students will be used. Various theories from the field of public health will be used to frame practice and research issues. A quasi-experimental research design was used to assess changes in tobacco-related knowledge, attitudes and behaviors among students exposed to the curriculum. This type of evaluation approach has become de rigueur for assessing school based curricula in both educational and public health fields.

Public perceptions and risk communications for botulism.

This article presents data from 11 focus group interviews on the topic of botulism, collected from an ethnically diverse sample of persons throughout the United States in 2003. A standardized focus group guide was developed and included questions about emotional and cognitive responses, behavioral intent, and information seeking in response to a hypothetical terrorist attack. Data were collected, transcribed, coded, and analyzed using content domains based on communications and health communications theories. Findings showed that focus group participants had little knowledge about botulism symptoms, treatment, transmission, or prevention strategies, were interested in learning more, were interested in preventative and protective measures, and expressed a need for clear, concise, and actionable messages available in a number of different languages. The majority of participants reported that they would turn to the broadcast media (television and radio) and the Internet for information at the onset of an event. Many would also turn to government organizations, professional groups and community-based organizations. Recommendations for making botulism preparedness messages more accurate and responsive to the needs of the general public are discussed. Findings also have implications for general risk communications for disaster response.