Media and Health
Authors: Devkota, S., Maharjan, H.M. and Van Teijlingen, E.
Editors: Wasti, S., Simkhada, P. and van Teijlingen, E.
Pages: 169-184
Publisher: Social Science Baha & Himal Books
Place of Publication: Kathmandu
ISBN: 9 789937 290951
Abstract:This chapter outlines key aspects of the media that relate to health reporting, health communication and health promotion. The chapter will help health workers, health activists and health policy-makers to understand working with the media. It also aims to benefit those working in the media, such as journalists and editors, to better understand health communication issues. Media in a low-income country such as Nepal are largely following the path of the diffusion of innovation in information technology from high-income countries. At the same time, it is important to address the broader role of media in society to help understand that health is one of the issues competing for attention within the media. Health communication is a relatively new concept in Nepal in terms of its professional growth, academic foundation, and skilled human resources. However, with increasing audiences, an encouraging environment is being created where the media can act as a change agent in a developing country like Nepal to achieve health goals for people’s health and well-being. This analysis of the media in relation to health in Nepal is based on evidence from various sources.
This includes the Government of Nepal’s health communication policies, plan and reports on media use, secondary analysis of newspaper cuttings collected by the Health Journalist Association of Nepal (HeJAN), and the combined experiences of the authors as researchers and media practitioners.
Source: Manual
Preferred by: Edwin van Teijlingen