Impact of health messaging in a televised soap opera on diabetes risk knowledge: a longitudinal study conducted in Fiji
Article Sidebar
Main Article Content
Abstract
Abstract
Purpose: We hypothesized that exposure to locally relevant health content in Shortland Street (a New Zealand based hospital television drama) would be associated with increased knowledge and awareness of diabetes and associated risk factors.
Methods: Prospective study design to compare knowledge of health and diabetes-related risk, and healthy behaviours, self-efficacy, behavioural intentions, and perceived social norms among a convenience sample of Fijian television viewers exposed to health messaging in three episodes of Shortland Street.
Results: Exposure to health messages in the Shortland Street episodes was associated with change in perceived health and diabetes norms. Perception that family members were engaged with healthy behaviors increased significantly following exposure (p = .033). Perceived prevalence of diabetes among acquaintances significantly increased following exposure to the episodes (p = .008).
Conclusions: Entertainment Education may be helpful in shifting health norms in the context of Fiji, alongside other health promotion measures.
Article Details
Articles on this website and article downloads are provided free of charge by Open Access under a Creative Commons with the author retaining all copyright to the material. eg © Alec Ekeroma 2021. Except as provided by the NZ Copyright Act, no part of this publication may be reproduced or stored in a retrieval system in any form or by any means without the prior written permission of the copyright owner and the Pacific Health Dialog. Manuscripts can be used for private study but must not be used for commercial purposes.
