Article updated 7/06/2022
The majority of the population does not fully understand what Public Health means and how it can benefit society. Only less than 4% of 1000 adults that were asked what is Public Health answered correctly by defining this subset of healthcare as disease prevention and promoting healthy living.
That is very concerning and if this keeps on, the majority of people will not fully comprehend Public Health or where they can get treated. Another cause of this ignorance is the low-health literacy most people have that has been reported by the US National Adult Literacy Survey.
To combat this issue, Public Health education has been provided using pop culture and media marketing, how has this been done?
Creating educative videos to promote Public Health
Millennials and Gen Zs have their brains channeled to prefer audible or visual content instead of books. Outreaching them to help them understand Public Health more, there has been a variety of videos produced that explain this concept further.
Sensible examples of how it affects the general public have been provided in some videos and practical recommendations of how to prevent illnesses. For example, some videos went viral amidst COVID-19 depicting how this virus can spread and how to prevent it.
Some videos have been produced that outline workout programs to maintain a healthy lifestyle. Above these useful tips that help communities understand Public Health better, more videos explain this concept in a more detailed manner.
Some of them offer reminders to healthcare workers on how they can prevent contracting illnesses themselves. Since videos form part of the pop culture and also media marketing, these awareness channels have helped greatly in educating communities about Public Health.
How the film industry has improved Public Health education
Contagion is just one of the many movies available produced about global pandemics of different viruses. These movies have shined some light on the repercussions of unnecessary global panic and how it can lead to more people dying.
That benefits Public Health efforts to educate communities about how they should conduct themselves during an outbreak. Some have also given healthcare professionals tips on how to manage or limit the curb of an infectious disease.
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In some countries, the government had better ideas when watching horror movies. For example, a city in the Philippines is using ‘The Purge’ during lockdown to ensure that its citizens stay indoors. The announcement goes on and then a continual siren goes off to signal the importance of being indoors all of the time during this global pandemic.
In some countries, major television stations are playing movies based on infectious diseases. Although some say this instills fear in the hearts of citizens, this approach helps because people start taking public health more seriously.
Advanced Public Health education available digitally
Technology has been used to educate students studying courses related to Public Health. That goes more than just using a laptop or tablet to study in class and at home but it also involved in teaching using technological methods.
Universities are offering Public Health online courses that allow students to study anywhere and at any time. Some use a hybrid system of teaching that uses a distant learning approach paired with the traditional instruction method. The number of students opting for these courses has increased as their accessibility increased.
There has been a great success in this way of teaching students and it has proved that it is just as good as an in-person instruction method. Some have said it is far better than the traditional teaching method because it is more flexible on students and give them more time to understand the material presented.
Studying Public Health online can also help familiarize oneself by using pop culture to educate others about it. Since assignments are handed in digitally, students can get used to using digital channels to distribute information about Public Health.
How pop culture was used during the Ebola outbreak
During the Ebola outbreak, it was trying times for many people but healthcare professionals were tested to the limit.
Doctors, nurses and scientists that were dealing with this outbreak had to face the reality that they might also contract this illness. Above all else, healthcare providers were really the first line of defense and a book was published about this period of time.
The book that was authored is titled “The Hot Zone,” but then a television series was subsequently created. It depicts how the real-life heroes that combated the Ebola outbreak did so and maintained courage throughout the pandemic.
It also helped shine the light that healthcare professionals are also people and that they are risking their lives for others. Due to that, they should be supported and shown gratitude for the sacrifices they are making.
The use of the internet and social media disseminating information
One of the most popular distribution channels that form part of the pop culture and media marketing is the internet. It has successfully been used to disseminate information about Public Health concerns.
For example, during the COVID-19 outbreak, it has been used to share accurate statistics about the virus as well as point the public in the right direction to access services such as rapid covid testing and vaccination clinics. Social media has also been used by reputable organizations like the World Health Organization to clear out any confusion about this global pandemic.
Their Facebook account provides detailed information about how to protect yourself from the COVID-19 virus and myths related to it.
Different content has also been shared using these distribution channels that have helped with education people about Public Health. You can use these information distribution channels to find more information about any Public Health questions you may have.
The bottom line
Pop culture and media marketing have helped educate the general population about Public Health using video creation and filmmaking. There are other forms of pop culture like podcasts, music and other media that have been used to spread awareness about public health. Universities have also used technology to train and instruct students studying Public Health-related courses.
Article submitted by Becky Holton.
Becky Holton is a journalist and a blogger at best paper writing services. She is interested in education technologies and is always ready to support informative speaking at dissertation help service. Follow her on Twitter.
