Communication strategies in improving cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases in the North Karelia Project
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.35669/revistadecomunicacionysalud.2011.1(1).45-54Keywords:
communication; innovation; opinion leaders; information; cardiovascular riskAbstract
Between 1972 and 1982, a comprehensive community program to control cardiovascular
diseases (CVD) was carried out in North Karelia, Finland. The program’s main objective
was to reduce the prevalence of smoking, the concentration of cholesterol, and raised
blood-pressure among the area’s population. The North Karelia Project illustrates the
fundamental goals of health promotion, health communication and sharing of innovations
using opinion leaders. The project’s specific activities serve as examples of how concepts
from social and behavioral sciences can be applied so as to reduce risk factors of
transmissible chronic dise ase s in comm unit i es in order to reduce the burden of said
diseases. The project’s approach is based on reorganizing the community and its health
communication strategies represent an innovation in chronic disease control.
Reorganizing the community entails the participation of various social groups such as
opinion leaders and the media. The experiences in North Karelia emphasize the important
role played by opinion leaders, local media, and health communication strategies. An
accurate understanding of the community a nd close collaboration with a series of
organizations have been essential e l em ents fo r success. This article explains the
strategies used in campaigns regarding (1) information to educate people about the ir
health and (2) persuasion to motivate people to take healthy measures.
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