"Estrategias de comunicación en salud revisa los aportes que puede realizar una investigación de carácter dialógico, orientada a la superación de las barreras metodológicas clásicas que dificultan la realización de un trabajo riguroso basado en la excelencia científica. En el campo de la in
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vestigación en comunicación, los programas sociales en salud son ejercidos por los políticos y administradores públicos, y no ciertamente desde la visión teórico-metodológica. Por ello es común que, en las acciones de comunicación, se carezca de una praxis metódica tanto para el diseño como para su implementación, ya sea para las instituciones privadas o públicas. Esto significa un área de oportunidad para el comunicólogo, es decir, existe un gran nicho de aplicación de la investigación. El presente trabajo aborda algunas áreas de relevancia en comunicación y salud: a) diagnóstico, b) planeación, c) validación, d) monitoreo y e) evaluación, entre otras." (Descripción de la casa editorial)
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"The current systematic review identified seven overall findings with distinct programmatic and research implications for capacity strengthening (CS) in social and behavior change communication (SBCC). First, there is a scarcity of literature about specific evaluation of CS for SBCC. Although CS has
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become a ‘buzz word’ in international development (Hawe et al., 2000), published evaluations of CS activities that aim to build SBCC capacity in LMICs are rare. Only 19 publications met the study’s eligibility criteria, and only three focused solely on CS findings. This review’s findings complement previous literature which has noted that evaluation of CS efforts for SBCC is rare (Lettenmaier et al., 2014). Future evaluations should publish their findings more widely in order to share lessons learned with others interested in implementing CS activities in SBCC and generate further knowledge about what works and what does not work. Second, the review found that among publications that described evaluation findings of CS for SBCC, most did not emphasize the assessment of CS activities. The details of how CS activities were evaluated was often lost in description of large multi-arm interventions that were not focused on SBCC or CS [...] Third, the current systematic review found that evaluation assessments of CS for SBCC generally employ non-experimental designs. Of the reviewed publications, only one described an experimental design [...] Fourth, in terms of the SBCC Capacity Ecosystem, while evaluations commonly addressed organization-level capacity and individual-level competencies, they rarely addressed system-level capacity [...] Fifth, publications highlighted several challenges regarding assessing sustainability of CS activities. Although CS is key to ensuring sustainable gains in development, most publications did not explicitly assess sustainability [...] Sixth, authors identified the shortcomings in terms of quality, both in terms of the writing as well as providing sufficient detail and documentation to support claims. Problems of clarity in the writing, particularly in gray literature, made it difficult to understand what kind of CS activities were most effective at strengthening capacity for SBCC [...] Finally, publications did not consistently support all of their recommendations and conclusions with evaluation findings." (Discussion, page 13-14)
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"The goal of this handbook is to provide guidance to practitioners and organizations interested in evaluating mental health prevention and early intervention (PEI) programs. In the course of developing an evaluation plan for a series of PEI programs implemented statewide by the California Mental Hea
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lth Services Authority (CalMHSA), we found many resources that discussed general approaches to evaluating mental health programs and policies but few that discussed how to tailor an evaluation approach to mental health PEI activities in particular. PEI activities may require different evaluation strategies than treatment interventions do. First, the activities being administered are different in that they are not clinical interventions. Indeed, PEI activities are highly diverse and provided in many different types of nonclinical settings. Thus, the process outcomes that are used as indicators of successful implementation tend to look different for PEI interventions." (Introduction)
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"The purpose of this review is to contribute to the evidence base on health communication evaluation research in order to aid public health professionals and researchers in the development of future evaluation strategies. The review is divided into two sections. In the first section the focus is on
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reviewing evaluations of campaigns undertaken in European Union (EU) and European Economic Area (EEA) countries, however, examples from the wider European region are also included. The second section, addressing challenges posed by campaign evaluation, draws on broader international literature pertaining to the identification of health communication campaign evaluation tools, frameworks and models. It would appear that there has been very few high quality European evaluation studies carried out in the last decade in relation to communicable disease prevention campaigns. Nevertheless, it is evident in reviewing the literature that there are valuable existing frameworks and guidelines that can help guide and inform evaluation research development. The review examined the international English-language literature published between 2000 and 2011 . The reviewers retrieved 160 references of which 35 were examples of evaluations of health communication campaigns carried out in EU/EEA Member States." (Executive summary)
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"This textbook bridges the gap between health communication theory and health promotion and public health practice. It provides students and practitioners with the knowledge and skills they need to design, plan, implement and evaluate programmes and campaigns." (Publisher description)
"Promotion of healthy behaviors and prevention of disease are inextricably linked to cultural understandings of health and well-being. Health communication scholarship and practice can substantially and strategically contribute to people living safer, healthier, and happier lives. This book represen
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ts a concrete step in that direction by establishing a strategic framework for guiding global and local health practices. Taking a multi-disciplinary approach, the volume includes state-of-the-art theories that can be applied to health communication interventions and practical guidelines about how to design, implement, and evaluate effective health communication interventions. Few books have synthesized such a broad range of theories and strategies of health communication that are applicable globally, and also provided clear advice about how to apply such strategies. This volume combines academic research and field experience, guided by past and future research agendas and on-the-ground implementation opportunities." (Publisher description)
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"Behavior Change Communication (BCC) interventions have become an integral part of many HIV prevention programs. Monitoring and evaluation is expected to be included in the design of any BCC interventions from the beginning on. However, the know-how on how to demonstrate results and impacts of such
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interventions in a methodologically sound way often lags behind. This document aims at enhancing program officials' understanding of the importance of evaluations as well as the most important steps to take and decisions to make in the course of an evaluation, and at enabling them to oversee the work done by the evaluators.
It is divided into three parts. The first part presents the main general aspects that need to be taken into consideration when monitoring and evaluating BCC interventions with a focus on HIV-related BCC approaches. More specifically, a general framework for monitoring and evaluation is presented, including among others information on the use of appropriate indicators, the development of an evaluation plan, different types of evaluation, study designs of summative evaluations, statistical analysis and dissemination of the evaluation results. Based on this theoretical background presented in part one, the second part draws conclusions, presents recommendations and gives practical advice on monitoring and evaluating HIV BCC programs. Three types of HIV BCC interventions, relevant to the work of German Development Cooperation (GDC), are also here discussed; these are the tool Join-in-Circuit, peer education programs and mass media campaigns. The third part presents four country examples of M&E of HIV BCC interventions implemented by GDC programs. These were discussed during a short-course on evaluation of BBC interventions offered by GIZ from 9]10 March, 2012 in Johannesburg, South Africa." (Executive summary)
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"To encourage smoking cessation, persuasive messages can be used to raise smokers' risk perception. This article discusses challenges and solutions in designing a study to evaluate the effect of two different communication strategies ("gains from quitting" vs. "losses from continuing smoking") in en
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couraging calls to a quitline. The authors conducted an intervention study in two subway stations for 4 weeks, considering only 1 strategy per station. Large posters containing non-age-specific images and texts, on the basis of the theme "shortness of breath," were displayed on central dividing columns on the boarding platforms. Call rates from the selected stations, and respective rate ratios, overall and per study week, were calculated. Passengers who were smokers, exposed to the positive-content message, called on average 1.7 times more often than did those exposed to the negative-content message (p = .01). Moreover, call rate ratios did not decline over the 4 weeks of the study (p = .40). The effectiveness findings suggest that antismoking campaigns could use positive-content messages in order to recruit a larger smoker population. The proposed methodology can also be used to evaluate effectiveness of messages for "capturing" individuals with other health problems (e.g., alcohol abuse), thereby increasing its potential impact." (Abstract)
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"Working on Health Communication provides a practical guide to the process of designing, implementing and evaluating campaigns. The book follows the campaign design process step-by-step. It covers every stage from selecting theoretical models and identifying the message and target audience, right th
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rough to running the campaign and evaluating its success. "Real-life examples" of actual campaigns are used throughout to show how theoretical ideas work in practice." (Back cover)
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"The Toolkit provides a step-by-step approach, emphasizing prevention through education, gender awareness and practical support for behaviour change. Its intended users are government authorities, employers’ and workers’ and their organizations, businesses, ILO/AIDS National Project Coordinators
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, national Behavior Change Communication (BCC) consultants and collaborating NGOs. It is designed for those with little or no experience in communications planning. As explained in the introduction, it is divided into several pull-out booklets that can be used either separately to learn more about different elements of BCC, or jointly to design and implement a comprehensive BCC programme at the workplace." (Preface)
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"Achieving and maintaining the goals of the President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) and of national malaria programs depend on correct and consistent use of insecticide-treated nets (ITNs), acceptance of indoor residual spraying (IRS), and adherence to treatment and prevention therapies. Past malaria
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control programs have taught us the importance of communication and community participation to attain sustainable shifts in the behaviors of individuals and communities around malaria treatment and prevention. The new resources and myriad new partners available for malaria programs now provide an opportunity to fully address the underlying behaviors related to malaria prevention and treatment in the design and operation of programs." (Introduction)
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"Essentials for Excellence is not comprehensive but it does equip you with sufficient know-how to be able to plan and manage useful RM&E for your AI/PI strategic communication. For those seeking further information, web-links and key references are included. The guide is aimed at users who want stra
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ightforward answers to often quite complex questions (including sampling, research design and pre-testing) who need handy tips, and who are looking for practical rather than academic advice. To be of any use, the guide is highly dependent upon your ability and willingness to adapt the suggestions offered to suit your circumstances and needs. This is also a useful basic reference for researching, monitoring and evaluating other Strategic Communication initiatives whether you are conducting an initial assessment for a child protection communication programme or a final evaluation of a hygiene promotion project." (Foreword)
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"This paper discussed the possibility to improve public communication campaign theory, by making use of data obtained through mass media health communication campaign evaluations. The idea of an ‘engineering’ approach to campaign design, where theory and scientific findings are systematically us
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ed and adopted for practical problems, plays an important role in the discussion [...] In the third part, a sample of 33 evaluation reports for mass media health communication campaigns was analyzed. 32 of these reports have not been published in an scientific journal. The evaluations were conducted in 22 different countries. The analysis of the reports focused on the campaign goals, evaluation outcome measures, research design and methods, and on questions of validity. The findings suggest that theory is not widely and consequently used to inform health mass communication campaigns or their evaluations – with notable exceptions. While there is a large number of outcomes measured, they seem to be taken out of theoretical context. Neither the campaign goals nor the evaluation measures reflect the large number of possible communication strategies that the various communication or behavior-change models and theories imply. Unintended campaign effects were mostly ignored. In very few cases the campaign designers or evaluators make use of an effects model or program logic model. This is one of the areas where I see the possibility of an important improvement. The methodology of campaign evaluation is relatively homogenous across the 33 cases in regards to data collection method. Standardized questionnaires are the dominating data collection instrument. Non-reactive observation or tracking methods are very rare. A surprising two thirds of the evaluations did not use multivariate analysis, and the reliance on self-reports raises questions of reliability." (Summary, page 120-121)
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"The 29 indicators in the Guide measure the reach, usefulness, and use, as well as the collaboration, and capacity building engendered through information products and services. The innovative “Conceptual Framework for Monitoring and Evaluating Health Information Products and Services” shows how
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they contribute to the initial, intermediate, and long-term outcomes of health development efforts—something which perhaps we all instinctively recognize but have failed to track in the past. Such a track record will go a long way to making information products and services an integral part of future global health development efforts. What makes this guide special is that it brings together knowledge about monitoring and evaluating information products and services from dozens of health organizations—all members of the HIPNET community of practice." (Foreword)
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"The Spot on Malaria guide focuses on malaria prevention and treatment messages and ways to tailor them to reach communities often missed by national malaria programmes. The guide shows how to adapt or localise materials from national malaria programmes and how to create original radio spots or adve
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rtisements to respond to local needs. It offers tools to help navigate the production process. The guide also encourages collaboration with colleagues and local experts. It suggests that gathering a team to provide advice and share some of the work will make the products stronger. The Spot on Malaria guide takes the reader through a 7-step process for planning, adapting or creating, testing and producing radio spots. It also offers tips on: securing adequate and appropriate airtime; deciding whether to use free or paid airtime; monitoring and evaluating spots. The Spot on guide also includes: resources about malaria, radio and communication - many available free on the web; planning, research and implementation tools, including a sample pretesting guide and screener; more than 15 sample scripts on various malaria topics, including treatment, insecticide-treated nets and intermittent preventive treatment of pregnant women; a sample five-day agenda for conducting a Spot On training workshop; a glossary of malaria, radio, research and scriptwriting terms." (Communication Initiative)
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