Getting out the message
Developing communication tools is a critical part of each intervention project. Many of the center's materials are tailored to the study group and must reflect different languages and cultural and age preferences. A food pyramid aimed at Latino people, for example, might include a tortilla rather than sliced bread; a project involving smoking among teenagers gave out popular fisherman's hats. Some of the center's literature — created in-house by the Health Communication Core — is customized for individuals. In one project, each participant who meets with a health educator later receives a flier containing a photo of that educator and feedback from their conversation.
"We try to understand how the social context of people's lives influences their health behaviors, their exposures to hazards, and their likelihood of getting screened for cancer."
— Glorian Sorensen, PhD, MPH
Whereas health communicators of the past typically told people to "change" their lifestyles, today's messages tend to be more subtle and realistic. In a recent study on secondhand smoke, Emmons used a method called "motivational interviewing" to talk with parents about the impact of their smoking habits on young children, including an elevated risk of ear infections and asthma.
"People come with their own agendas, and if you give them information in a context that relates to their own goals and motivations, they will make their own decisions — and it will be more effective," she reasons. "It's a technique in which you offer choice and constructive feedback." Adds CCBR Communication Director Elizabeth Harden, "Everybody wants to make some change for the better — even if it's just increasing your daily fruit intake by half a pear. We need people to find reasons that are meaningful to them."
According to Emmons, center staff take an "asset-based approach" to the people they're studying. Rather than assuming their subjects are unhappy because of their economic status, CCBR staff recognize that "they have a lot of good things in their lives. Much of what our projects do is help people take those positives and act on them."
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