INTRODUCTON TO MEDIA AND HEALTH (5 credits)

Instructor:  Lawrence Rugema, MPH, PhD.

University of Rwanda, College of Medicine and Health Sciences,

School of Public Health

 E-mail: rugencem2001@yahoo.com

Course Description

Several factors influence health-related behaviours within a community.  One way to improve health of individuals and communities is to raise awareness about risks and motivate people so as to make the necessary behavior change. The media is a critical element of health promotional strategies calculated to change health risk behaviours. Instantaneously, the media reaches and influence a huge number of people. A TV station and a radio can reach millions of people smalteneousily and instantly and so is the message carried on their airwaves. The advent of social media is an additional instrumental tool.

 But educating the audience about health may not be a major responsibility of those who control and manage access to the media. Hence it warrants the public health professionals to identify and seek opportunities and strategies that can promote health of the countrymen.

 The following are the course objectives:

• Provide students with the understanding of the role of the media in health promotion – using social media and traditional media
• Equip students with knowledge, skills and approaches needed to promote health in the media and develop partnerships with the media as a strategic ally.
• Explore the Strategic Process of developing and running public health campaigns in the media