Ajakirjanduse roll tervise edendamisel Kodutohtri ja Tervis Plussi näitel. Potentsiaal, tegelikkus, perspektiivid

Date

2004

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Tartu Ülikool

Abstract

Description

Health is often regarded as a problem that belongs to the field of medicine, but actually we should talk about health as a social phenomenon. Solutions to many modern health problems can be found in the behaviour of people, as well as in the surrounding environment and society. It is difficult to lead a healthy lifestyle without the support of the society. Means supporting and promoting health that are channelled towards the individual, the community, and the society – this could be the definition of the term ‘health promotion’. The role of journalism in the field of health promotion has not been researched in Estonia, at least no studies are known to the author of the current paper. The paper can be viewed as an attempt to bring out the role of journalism in health promotion. The research is based on the Estonian magazines Kodutohter and Tervis Pluss. The paper takes a closer look at the potential of health magazines in this field as well as how to implement this potential. In addition, the paper attempts to bring forth the perspective of how to increase the role of health magazines in health promotion. During the research 58 interviews were conducted, including both face-to-face and telephone interviews. While analyzing the interviews, qualitative text analysis was used. Among the interviewees there were both specialists and experts involved in health promotion and health journalism as well as common people. While analyzing the content of the health magazines, quantitative and qualitative content analysis was used. Specialists and experts consider health magazines necessary and useful. In general, they approve the quality of published materials. However, there is a certain amount of criticism found concerning mainly the adequacy of the translated articles and the recurrence of topics and writers. The interviews reveal that the opinions of the experts about the role of journalism in health promotion depend directly on their understanding of the meaning of the term ‘health promotion’. The interviewed experts can be devided into two groups: the „theorists” who are familiar with the theoretical basics of health promotion, and the „practicians” who are somewhat, or not at all, familiar with the theoretical basics. The „theorists” understand the complexity and interdisciplinarity characteristics of health promotion, and estimate the role of journalism less important than the „practicians”. According to the „theorists” the target group of the health magazines is individuals, who are offered information and certain amount of entertainment with the goal to impact their health behaviour. Environmental and social factors which should help people make healthy choices and lead a healthier life, have been left in the background. The “practicians” group consists of journalists, including the editors in chief of health magazines. The editors in chief mark deliberate distancing from any form of healthcare politics. Due to this, part of the potential the health magazines have in health promotion is not implemented. Among other factors that reduce the role of health magazines in health promotion, social and gender inequality can be mentioned. Health magazines are designed with women in mind and, mostly, they are read by women while men are left in the background. Problematic availability of the magazines indicates the social inequality; availability is a problem for the elderly and the low-income people whose health condition is often worse and requires more attention. Based on the gathered and analysed material it can be said that in Estonia the potential of health magazines is not implemented a lot in the field of health promotion. On one hand, implementing the maximum potential of health magazines is hindered by a too narrow and one-sided understanding of health promotion by journalists. On the other hand, the health promotion specialists are not familiar with the contents of health magazines, also they lack in activity, and, perhaps, are unable to effectively communicate with the journalists. The analysis of the contents of health magazines confirms the fact that the periodicals focus on the individual. Unfortunately only few readers note the absence of the topics related to the healthcare politics. The majority of people probably do not perceive the connection between their health condition, their health behaviour and the healthcare politics of the government. Generally, the contents of health magazines meet the expectations of the readers. The articles of the magazines have mostly informational and advisory function. Information is what the common readers are primarily seeking for in the health magazines. Readeres are very content with the health magazines and regard their contents trustworthy. However, the readers admit that they have not made any permanent changes for a healthier lifestyle. The reasons are often the lack of money, time and interest. But behind these reasons one can see social and economical aspects, and social problems – areas that the health magazines do not deal with, more likely they ignore them altogether. In summary it can be stated that however necessary and practical the contents of the health magazines are, people have difficulties following their good advices. Making healthy choices is not easy as the society does not support it. As the nation’s health problems are at a large part of a social origin, offering explanations and solutions on the level of the individual is not enough. It is certainly possible to increase the role of health magazines in health promotion, for example by offering more topics related to the healthcare politics and reflecting various topics related to the society. The role of health magazines in health promotion can be increased also by involving more actively the health promotion specialists in the process of the production of the health magazines. This kind of cooperation could be implemented as project based where the financing could come from the health promotion budget of the Estonian Health Insurance Fund. The readability of the health magazines among low-income people can be increased by offering special price or subscription deals or by distributing the magazines for free. As additions to the regular issues magazine extras could be produced to encourage reading among men and other less involved groups. There could be more diversity between the health magazines Kodutohter and Tervis Pluss. Tervis Pluss could pursue the direction of health promotion and focus on healthy people. Kodutohter could pursue the utilitarity direction and become to function as a reference publication. In health promotion as a interdisciplinary sphere, the cooperation of different institutions is very important. The key to a successful cooperation is in knowing the potential and possibilities of everyone involved. Hopefully the results of this paper provide explanations, ideas and povoke furhter interest both for the health promotion specialists and journalists, who write about health issues.

Keywords

H Social Sciences (General), magistritööd, Kodutohter (ajakiri), Tervis Pluss (ajakiri), ajakirjandus, ajakirjad, rahvatervis, terviseedendus, ajakirjandusuuringud, küsitlusuuringud

Citation