Unit 6

Discuss your opinion, as a health educator, of the level of personal empowerment you think patients and the community currently have for their health care. You have experienced different types of new media in this class and in your personal lives. After reading the article, what is your opinion of the viability of using new media in your professional practices and with your patients, clients, and communities. What would prevent you from implementing some new media into your professional practices?
With the availability of new information as well as fast health care access, patients are gaining a greater empowerment over their heath. Specifically, with the universal and wide availabilty of the Internet, patients are able to have a much greater control over their health anywhere and anytime. For example, ordering prescriptions through the internet have made it easier and faster for patients to order their medications whenever they need them. Also, many health issues related information are presented through the internet where patients can go and learn about different drugs, diseases, diagnosis, etc..However, not all informtaion concerning healthcare are valid and reliable on the internet and thus patients will need to make sure they're getting the correct information. I think new media should absolutely be implemented in my health care profession as it presents an easier and more convenient way for people to learn about their health. The article by Hanson et al discusses different types of social networking media. I actually don't think that such social networks wil be implemented in my health care profession. I think those site are great for social networking but not necessarily for patient communication. I think electronic mails and blogs are a great source for communication and thus can be implemented in my profession. From my past experience, the elderly are one of those groups that will have difficulty keeping up with new media. Thus I think new media should absolutely be implemented but also a traditional way of communication should be followed in order to target those groups.

Think about your group's PSA. If you were the PR person, briefly describe what you would need to consider in creating a marketing plan that would be inclusive of the PSA. Use the 4P's marketing principles to guide your response.
In the article "Social Marketing for public Health,"the authors identify four components that are crucial in the world of marketing. Those four components consist of the product, the price, the place and the promotion. In our PSA video, the topic was sun protection. The goal of the PSA is to change people's views about the sun and to have them take action in order to protect their skin from the damaging utlraviolet rays. Thus, in this case the product is a message that would call for a behavioral change. The "social product" can also be a social and consumable object such as sunscreen. The best place for the promotion of sunscreen is dermatology centers. Physicians, specialists and skin care consultants can advise patients to always use a sunscreen. Also, local pharmacies can pass out brochures and pamphlets on the harmful effects of the sun and the importance of using sunscreens. Different community workshops are also a good tool to use to maximize sun awarness among different people. The message and the product are both very affordable for people to practice and use.