COMMUNICATIONS RESOURCES

General Resources

Print Materials

The Journal of Health Communication is a peer-reviewed quarterly that publishes the latest developments in the field of health communication, including research in social marketing, shared decision making, communication (from interpersonal to mass media), psychology, government, policymaking, and health education around the world. Call (800) 821-8312, ext. 1117, for more information.

CSAP’s Northeast CAPT is developing a series of trainings, with videos, that will build practitioners' capacity to incorporate each of the seven prevention strategies into their efforts.

Web Resources

CSAP’s Decision Support System (DSS) at https://preventionplatform.samhsa.gov promotes scientific methods and programs for substance abuse prevention for use within communities and State prevention systems. You can use this site to learn how to assess your needs, gain insight into how to further develop your agency capacity, and choose among effective prevention programs.

Public Information and Education

Print Materials

National Cancer Institute (1992). Making health communications programs work: A planner’s guide. Bethesda, MD: National Cancer Institute. The full text is available online at http://cancer.gov/pinkbook or by writing to the Information Projects Branch, Office of Cancer Communications, National Cancer Institute, Building 31, Room 4B43, Bethesda, MD 20892.

Media Advocacy

Print Materials

Wallace, L., Dorfman, L., Jernigan, D., and Themba, M. (1993). Media advocacy and public health: Power for prevention. Newbury Park, CA: Sage Publications. This book, which is well suited for community groups and prevention practitioners, provides a framework for understanding and using media advocacy, and tools for strategically using the media to advocate for policy changes by key decision-makers.

Social Marketing

Print Materials

• Jaker, J. (2000). Early and often: How social marketing of prevention can help your community. Published by the Minnesota Institute of Public Health, this document can be obtained by calling (800) 782-1878.

• Weinreich, N. (1999). Hands-on social marketing: A step-by-step guide. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage Publications. This book provides readers with the practical skills needed to develop a social marketing program. Designed for local practitioners, it takes into account the challenges faced by organizations with small budgets and little experience with the development and implementation of this type of program. The book is equally suited for individuals working at the State, national, and international levels.

• Zimmerman, R. (1997). Social marketing strategies for campus prevention of alcohol and other drug problems. Washington, DC: U.S. Department of Education, Higher Education Center for Alcohol and Other Drug Prevention. The full text of this document is available online at http://www.higheredcenter.org/services/publications/social-marketing-strategies-campus-prevention-alcohol-and-other-drug-problems

Websites

• The Social Marketing Network website http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/hppb/socialmarketing/ contains resources, a forum, and a network for those interested in social marketing.

• A comprehensive social marketing resource is available online at http://www.social-marketing.com/. It contains general information on this strategy as well as news of upcoming conferences, job listings, and a chat room.

Organizations

The Social Marketing Institute is an excellent resource for those seeking to learn more about this strategy. Contact Alan Andreasen, Social Marketing Institute, 1825 Connecticut Avenue NW, Suite S-852, Washington, DC 20009, or visit the organization online at http://www.social-marketing.org.

Electronic Mailing Lists

To join the Social Marketing Institute’s electronic mailing list, send an e-mail to listproc@listproc.georgetown.edu. Type "subscribe soc-mktg" in the message body. You will receive confirmation of your subscription shortly after sending your subscription message.

Media Literacy

Print Materials

• Center for Substance Abuse Prevention, Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration, The Office on Smoking and Health, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, The American Academy of Pediatrics, and National Education Association Health Information Network. (1997). MediaSharp: Analyzing tobacco and alcohol messages. Atlanta, GA: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This five-module curriculum, jointly developed by CSAP, SAMHSA, CDC’s Office on Smoking and Health, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the National Education Association Health Information Network, addresses advertising, promotions, media mapping, and the analysis of pro-health messages.

• Burke, K. (1995). Flash point: Life skills through the lens of media literacy. Salem, MA: Eastern District Attorney’s Office. Using media literacy as a teaching strategy, participants are challenged to examine their attitudes regarding violence and substance abuse in the media.

Organizations and Websites

• The Media Awareness Network http://www.media-awareness.ca/english/index.cfm is a clearinghouse of information on media education and media violence, established under the auspices of the National Film Board of Canada in 1995.

• The Center for Media Literacy http://www.medialit.org/ is a Los Angeles-based national advocacy organization that distributes educational materials and develops training programs for promoting critical thinking about the media in school classrooms, after-school programs, parent education, and religious and community centers, as well as in the home.

• The Media Literacy OnLine Project is located in the Center for Advanced Technology in Education at the University of Oregon’s College of Education. This project works with educators, producers, students, and parents to make resources available related to the influence of media in the lives of children, youth, and adults. The website http://interact.uoregon.edu/medialit/MLR/home has archived articles, bibliographies, and other resources of value in the study of mass media.

Electronic Mailing Lists

To subscribe to the Media-L list, send an e-mail to listproc@nmsu.edu. In the body of the message, on one line, write Subscribe Media-L, your name, your title, and the name of your organization. It is important that it all fit on one line, so abbreviate if necessary. You will receive confirmation of your subscription shortly after sending your subscription message.

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SAMHSA | NCADI | National Mental Health Information Center | USA.gov Page last updated: 11/14/2008