165252 Communication Strategies to Influence Policy Makers: The Role of Media Advocacy in Policy and Social Change

Tuesday, November 6, 2007: 8:30 AM

Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA , 1) Health Equity Initiative; 2) CUNY; 3) New York University, New York, NY
Carin Upstill , Foundation for Healthy Living, Latham, NY
Carol Girard , Department of Public Health, Bureau of Substance Abuse Services, Boston, MA
Gary R. Black, BA , Health Communication, Mecklenburg County Health Department, Charlotte, NC, Charlotte, NC
        
Media advocacy,” the strategic use of mass media to support community organizing to advance a social or policy initiative," (Dorfman and Wallack, 1996), has been defined by the IOM as one of the key areas of expertise for public health professionals in the 21st century. While media advocacy efforts may take many forms, often they are complemented by grassroots attention-getting events and/or other communication approaches and strategies.

The strategic use of the mass media (both new and traditional) has proven to be successful in educating and influencing policy makers on several disease areas, and helped advance social change as well as the adoption of new health policies. This session focuses on the theory and practice of media advocacy and includes presentations on several US and international models, case studies, and post-intervention evaluations.

Moderator:

Renata Schiavo, PhD, MA Senior Health Communications Consultant and Founder, Strategic Communication Resources; Adjunct Assistant Professor of Public Health, Department of Nutrition, Food Studies and Public Health, New York University 646 486 9485 renata@renataschiavo.com

Speakers:

Rebecca Murphy-Hoefer, PhD, MPH Health Communications Branch Office on Smoking and Health Centers for Disease Control and Prevention 770-488-5345 rmurphy1@cdc.gov Topic: Tobacco Control

Luann Tia Blount, MA Senior Communications Associate The PATH Malaria Vaccine Initiative Tel: 1 240 395 2721 lblount@malariavaccine.org Topic: Promoting Voices from the Field: African Scientists as Malaria Advocates

Michael J. Scippa Advocacy Director Marin Institute michaels@marininstitute.org 415/257-2490 Topic: Alcohol Related Policy

Kate Tulenko, MD, MPH, MPhil Public Health Specialist The World Bank 1-202-473-1066 ktulenko@worldbank.org Topic: Hand Washing

Learning Objectives:
At the conclusion of the session, the participant (learner) in this session will be able to: 1.Identify key principles and theoretical approaches of media advocacy. 2. Discuss lessons learned from the use of media advocacy strategies in specific disease areas. Other Session-Specific Goals: 1. Provide successful case studies and outcomes(bill, laws, state subsidies and funding for education, research, changes in policy or social behavior, etc.), from disease models and public health issues. 2. Provide a "media advocacy primer" of communications techniques and strategies for participants to take back to their communities and programs.

Keywords: Media Advocacy, Public Policy

Presenting author's disclosure statement:

Any relevant financial relationships? No
Any institutionally-contracted trials related to this submission?

I agree to comply with the American Public Health Association Conflict of Interest and Commercial Support Guidelines, and to disclose to the participants any off-label or experimental uses of a commercial product or service discussed in my presentation.

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