Expanding the Reach of Health Campaigns: Community Organizations as Meta-Channels for the Dissemination of Health Information
Authors:
Keri K. Stephens a;
Rajiv N. Rimal b; June A. Flora
| Affiliations: | a University of Texas, Department of Communication Studies, Austin, Texas, USA |
| b The Johns Hopkins University, Department of Health Policy & Management, Baltimore, Maryland, USA |
DOI:
10.1080/10810730490271557
Publication Frequency:
8 issues per year
Subject:
Communication Studies;
Number of References: 46
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Abstract
This study investigates whether, and to what extent, community organizations can serve as viable channels of health information. We use Putnam's (2000) findings on social capital to argue that organizations can serve two major functions in health campaigns: instrumental (e.g., providing material support) and affinity (social support). Through a secondary analysis of data from the Stanford Five-City Project, we find significant support for our predictions about who joins community organizations. Membership in community organizations explains greater variance in health outcomes than that explained by general media use, demographic indicators, and health-specific media use. Implications for health campaigns are discussed.
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