Healthcare Communication
Overview of Studies
The advent of information and communication technology (ICT) has been implemented in a number of industries that has facilitated their growth and success. In the interest of finding the effect of the ICT in the primary health care (PHC), Muhmud, et al., (2013) hypothesized that ICT can be used to empower and increase the health literacy of health care, as this is a prime factor that can enhance the control that people has over their health. The article, therefore, aimed at gaining a deeper understanding of health communication and ways that it can promote PHC by implementing a planned ICT system (Mahmud, et al., 2013). Upon the completion of the study, the authors found that health communication played a major role in the promoting the PHC (Mahmud, et al., 2013). However, it was also found that there lacked a consistent approach and strategy of health communication (Mahmud, et al., 2013). The study, affirms that an effective approach of adopting ICT strategies in the healthcare institutions should be identified and implemented.
Sylla, et al., (2012) carried a study on the need and flow of health information in Senegal. The basis for the study was that most of the Africans lack sufficient information to make sound decisions for effective health care. The study was conducted to find out how families in Senegal use and acquire information for reproductive and planning health (Sylla, et al., 2012). The study aimed at assessing the way information is accessed by evaluating the sources and sources of accessing the information as well as the barriers to accessing and sharing health information. Upon the completion of the study, the participants claimed that health information was required to overcome the religious barriers that inhibit the accessibility and sharing of information. Mobile phones are also referred as the effective platform for facilitating the flow of health communication.
Methodology
Source 1
The study used a qualitative explanatory case study methodology. The methodology employed a number of data collection methods such as document studies, participatory observations, and focus groups. To ensure that the PHC factors and communication were well linked, the case together with the analysis was treated as a phenomenon (Mahmud, et al., 2013). The researcher employed a variety of data collection methods to ensure that a wider range of data of the study is collected (Mahmud, et al., 2013). The participants of the study were required to describe their personal experiences to describe the health promotion approaches appropriate for the intervention of the ICT practices. The personnel were to describe how they interact with the available technological tools and strategies to facilitate communication health. Manual observation notes were made while the conversations between the researcher and the participants were recorded in field notes as well as the reflections of the participants.
Purposive sampling was employed to identify relevant printed materials, documents, and records for the study relating to health communication and promoting PHC. As a result, 13 documents were identified to be important for the study as they addressed the health promotion of PHC by improving health communication (Mahmud, et al., 2013). Moreover, the study used snowball method to recruit the study participants. The participants were contacted through a request letter indicating the purpose of the study. Five focus groups were identified for the study where they were subjected to study interviews. Data, in this case, was collected through open-ended and semi-structured interview guide with two distinct parts (Mahmud, et al., 2013). The first part was meant to collect data concerning the participant’s knowledge and experience of using ICT in facilitating the health promotion as well as possible interventions that can be made to improve heath communication (Mahmud, et al., 2013). The second part of the interview required the participant to describe their personal experiences in delivering health communication in PHC. The analysis of the collected data was done through ‘inductive qualitative content analysis’ (Mahmud, et al., 2013). This analysis involved coding and categorizing the themes emanating from the information revealed by the data sets; thus enriching the study with important data.
Source 2
The study used qualitative methodology comprising of the informant individuals to be subjected to an interview as well as focus group discussions (Sylla, et al., 2012). The study involved a small sample size, which is a major characteristic of a qualitative study. The study used qualitative data collection instruments such as interview guide for interviewing the participants from families (Sylla, et al., 2012). Moreover, the study used network interview guide to interviewing the local professions networks and lastly used the focus group discussion discuss the questions emanating from interview guide.
Besides, data was collected through handwritten notes of the important points raised during the focus group discussion and interviews (Sylla, et al., 2012). Also, tape-recording was used to record the interview and focus discussion at some of the sessions. Data analysis was done from the interviews, literature review, and focus group discussions by specific themes (Sylla, et al., 2012). Content analysis was manually conducted through the organization of information into thematic by identifying the similarities and differences as well.
Explanation on Methodologies
Source 1
The issue being investigated is treated as a phenomenon. The number of data collection used are meant to provide a rich source of data. The study collected data through field notes, focus groups, and document study is implying that non-numerical data was collected. Purposive sampling was used to identify the study’s participants. The study makes use of open-ended and semi-structured interviews to ensure that the participants and focus groups explain their experiences in an effective way. Data analysis is done through content analysis where the similarities and differences of the participant’s experiences were used to identify the themes of the study.
Source 2
The study used two types of interviews to ensure that the participants of the study describe their experiences well. Focus discussions are used to discuss the questions and content of these interviews (Sylla, et al., 2012). Notes and recordings are used to collect data from both the interviews and focus discussions. The analysis is facilitated through content and thematic analysis where differences and similarities of the obtained data were used to develop the study themes.
References
Mahmud, A.J., Olander, E., Eriksen, S., & Haglund, B., (2013). Health communication in primary health care- A case study of ICT development for health promotion. BMC Medical Informaiton and Decision Making, 13(17) doi: 10.1186/1472-6947-13-17
Sylla, A.H., Robinson, E.T., Raney, L., & Seck, K., (2012). Quality study of health information needs, flow, and use in Senegal. Journal of Health Communication, 17(2), 46-63. http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/10810730.2012.666624
