Methods of Communication - Mass Approach

Meant to educate the whole community

Useful in transmitting messages to people even in remotest places
Number of people reached is in millions
High returns for the time and money involved
One way communication
Generally inadequate in changing behavior
Useful for creating a political will in favor of health, raising health consciousness of people
TV:
- Most popular
- Useful in creating awareness and forming opinions
- One way channel

• Radio

Broader reach than TV in developing countries
- Purely didactic medium
- Cheaper tan TV
- Local health issues may be given importance
Internet
- This fast growing media holds large potential for health communication
- Health related literature from WHO other agencies is available online
- This info is available on the website of MOHFW
Newspapers
- The most widely disseminated of all forms of literature
- Low readership in rural areas
- Reach only the literate
Printed material
- Magazines, booklets, pamphlets
- They can convey detailed information
- Can be produced in bulk for very little cost
- Can be shared by others in family and community
Direct mailing
- New in India
- Sent directly to opinion leaders like panchayats, village leaders etc
- A kind of personal mass media
Posters, billboards
- Intended to catch the eye
- Message must be simple and artistic
- Motives such as humor and fear are introduced into posters in order to hold the attention of the public
- Placed where people have some time to spend e.g. bus stops, railway station, heath centers
- Should be frequently changed to have an effect
Health museums and exhibitions
- There is a big element of personal communication through workers who explain each item on the exhibit
- Printed literature is often distributed
- Both personal and impersonal method combination
Folk media
- Keerthan, katha, folk songs, puppet shows
- These have roots in our culture

Reference:
Park’s Textbook of Preventive and Social Medicine, 23rd ed

Channels of communication: Channels of Communication
Barriers of communication: Barriers of Communication
Types of communication: Types of Communication
Methods of communication: Methods of communication
Methods of communication -Individual level approach: Individual Level Approach (methods of communication)
Methods of communication- lecture (chalk and talk): Methods of communication: Chalk and Talk (Lecture)
Methods of communication- demonstration: Demonstrations
Group Discussion: Group Discussion
Panel Discussion: Panel Discussion
Delphi method: Delphi Method
Work shop: Workshop
Role-play: Role Playing (Socio – Drama)
Conference: Conferences and Seminars
Methods of Communication - Mass Approach: Methods of Communication - Mass Approach