Health Communication

The text that we read this week (Corcoran) first proposed the idea of theories in health communication. Corcoran first states that communication is a cyclic process involving a series of actions. Because of this, there are two important factors that greatly influence communication and they are: content and relationship. Content is that message or the words and the information transmitted. The relationship part of communication is the dynamics between those involved in the communication transaction – the communicators (Corcoran). Corcoran views communication as a multi-way process in that the content of the message contains verbal and nonverbal communication. Also, within the nonverbal communication, Corcoran states that there are four elements in which we communicate nonverbally – prosodic, paralinguistics, kinesics, and eye contact.
However, in the context of health and communication, Corcoran says that the addition of health to the definition of communication as a ‘resource’ that allows health messages to be used in the education and avoidance of ill health. In addition to that, Corcoran proposes five theoretical models to help us understand health communication. The first is the cognitive theory, which provides continuum accounts of behavior and proposes that a certain set of perceptions or beliefs will predict a behavior. The second is the Stage step theory, which assumes that the individual is not on a continuum. Rather, the stage step model postulates that the individual goes through a process of change via a series of stages. The third theory is the theory of reasoned action. The theory of reasoned action proposes that in individual’s beliefs influence attitudes and expectations as well as influence intentions and behaviors. The fourth theory is the theory of planned behavior. This theory states that the closest determinant of behavior is the intention to perform (or not) that behavior. The theory of planned behavior also postulates that intention is determined by three factors: (1) attitude to the behavior, (2) subjective norm, and (3) perceived behavioral control. And finally, the fifth theory is the Transtheoretical model. According to Corcoran this model suggests that people change their behavior at certain states in life, rather than making one big change.
At any rate, Corcoran also informs the reader about the communication-persuasion model and the information-persuasion model. The communication-persuasion model is mainly used in the media, especially in the field of advertising as a way to guide the public and influence a person’s choices about health. And the information-persuasion model, in contrast, has clear planning stages that can be followed in order to obtain an outcome (Corcoran). Finally, Corcoran uses the health belief model, which suggests that there are also barriers – just as any – to communication. Not only that, but the health belief model contends that these barriers may be more important that the benefits and provide a focus for targeting health in communication.
I decided that it would be easier to understand the three main models of health communication if I drew them out. I am a visual learner so it definitely helps me understand better.
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Isn’t it ironic that we would be talking about health communication while the ‘Swine Flu’ (H1N1) is spreading? In all honesty I find it hilarious. The topic fits perfectly! It is a clear example of the communication-persuasion and information-persuasion models. As for the communication-persuasion model, the ‘Swine Flu’ is all over the news and has been on the front page just about every other day in the last two weeks or so. Just as well, it has also been the hot topic for the evening news. Mainly I think that one other reason why the issues of the swine flu and other forms of illnesses such as cancer have been on the news recently is because of the heated debates about health care reform. At any rate, the information-persuasion model can be seen in what schools and businesses are doing to take care of the ‘Swine Flu’ problem and make sure as few of people get sick as possible before the vaccination becomes available. Take Creighton University of Omaha, Nebraska for example. Creighton has taken important steps to help prevent the spread of the “Swine Flu” at the University. For example, there are hand sanitizers at just about every corner and major hallway in each building and dorm. Also, Creighton has set up a place where sick students may be quarantined for a period of time until they are better because the administration does not want any one sick student to go and get every other student sick. It would just not be good for the school because then classes would have to be cancelled, putting students behind in their studies – which is why professors were told to come up with a contingency plan so that students would not get behind.
It is not just Creighton and the “Swine Flu” that has everyone worried. Other health related issues are being observed and dealt with as well – such as eating right and exercising. I know that back at Lincoln High School in Sioux Falls, SD the information-persuasion model has been highly effective because over the past few years or so they have taken out the soda in the vending machines and replaced it with healthier choices such as Gatorade, flavored water and juice in order to help students make healthier choices about what they drink.
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Like I said, one of the most important health issues that we are dealing with right now is the dieting the right way and exercising. There is even one episode of The Office called ‘Weight Loss’. In this episode, each branch of the Dunder Mifflin Paper Company is asked to compete against one another to see which branch can lose the most weight in one month. At the beginning of each week the employees all stand on a scale to get their total weight and to see how much weight they have lost compared to their competitors.
When I watched this episode, one thing that I found interesting was how each person dealt with losing weight, fact that the company wanted people to lose weight and also how each individual went about losing weight. Some of them tried to lose weight in a healthy way and others a not so healthy way. For example, Stanley quit taking the elevator and now always takes the stairs. He also starts to eat healthier foods. Dwight and Andy decide not to eat and basically become anorexic. Others decide to try being bulimic and some even try a liquid only diet in order to lose weight.
In connection to our reading, I think that most weight loss plans fit the stages of change model of health communication. The stages in this model include six stages. They are: pre-contemplation, contemplation, readiness to change, action, maintaining the change, and relapse. So, it’s easy to see how people contemplate the idea of losing weight and then being ready to change their lifestyle in order to lose weight, maintaining in their new lifestyle, and then of course, there is always a point where an individual can relapse in their diet and go back to eating less healthy food and therefore gain the weight that they just lost back.
In the end, the Scranton branch doesn’t win, however they do come in second place.

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Also this week in my communication 111 class we watched the movie called "And The Band Played On". This movie deals specifically with health and its a wonderful example of how we communicate or miscommunicate our health and ways of being healthy and preventing unwanted illnesses. Throughout the video we see how doctors and people of health administration and departments as well as health magazines and pamphlets decide what to communicate.
The movie "And The Band Played On" is specifically about the beginning of the spread of epidemics and especially the spread of sexually transmitted diseases and blood related diseases such as AIDS. One of the men who gets sick is gay. Actually, they call the disease "Gay Cancer" because it has spread through the gay community and has a forty percent or more mortality rate that is increasing each day. The problem that occurs in this video is that the doctors are unable to find out what is the source of this illness.
Anyway, this relates to the article we read by Corcoran because the health belief model can be seen in action. The health belief model can be seen in this film through the fact that most people decide that because this illness is spreading only through the people who are gay - specifically men - that they will not be affected. even some gay men think that they can't be affected because they have had sex with plenty of other men and basically choose to ignore the problem. This then, brings us also to the theory of planned behavior. This theory is seen when the gay dance choreographer gives money to the doctors in order to attempt to secure his health because he is scared and wants them to find a cure or solution to this "Gay Cancer". Unfortunately, he eventually dies.


Corcoran, N. "Theories and models in communicating health messages" (Blueline)