"Soap operas as a platform for disseminating health information regarding ART and the use of 'reel' versus 'real' role models"
- Authors: Deiner, Catherine Anne
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Isidingo (Television program) , Television soap operas -- South Africa , Health in mass media , Mass media in health education -- South Africa , Antiretroviral agents -- South Africa , Public health -- Moral and ethical aspects , HIV-positive women -- South Africa -- Grahamstown
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3542 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017783
- Description: The media, through development communication and edutainment, plays a critical role in the transformation of societies. In line with this, this thesis discusses the extent to which commercially driven prosocial soap operas can provide a platform for public health messaging, in the context of the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa, for antiretroviral treatment (ART) and for encouraging ART adherence to foster national development. Furthermore, this thesis examined the potential of celebrities as HIV/AIDS ambassadors and the potential of both fictional characters and ‘real-life’ celebrities to disseminate these health messages. Although the HIV/AIDS epidemic in South Africa is stabilising, this is not the time to relax the communication around the disease, particularly regarding adherence to ARVs, considering that South Africa has the largest ARV rollout in the world. The qualitative methodological approach taken for this thesis is a three-step approach examining the intended message, the text and the appropriated message by viewers. Firstly, a thematic content analysis of an episode of Isidingo, that illustrated Nandipha as HIV-positive and the side-effects that came with her ART adherence, and the 3Talk interview with Lesego Motsepe, where she announced that she was weaning herself off ART, was done in order to understand the intended health messaging in the soap opera and the health message disseminated by an HIV-positive actress with regards to ART. Thereafter interview responses by the production team as well as by HIV-positive viewers, using ARVs, were thematised. In addition media texts which provided commentary on the use of a celebrity as a HIV-positive role model were examined. In doing this, this thesis has offered up the meanings of how HIV-positive women taking ARVs and living in Makana experience and understand the media, particularly health messaging relating to ARVs. The findings of this study suggest that commercial soap operas are the perfect platform to address HIV/AIDS and that prosocial health messaging regarding ARV adherence is still necessary in this country. Soap operas have the potential to have an educational angle. Although, HIV-positive individuals serve as better role models as they are authentic; given human nature, fictional characters, such as Nandipha Matabane in Isidingo, may be more sustainable role models as their message can be scientifically-based and well-researched. Realistic characters serve as role models whose behaviour is to be emulated. Soap operas appeal to a wide audience and so storylines can be tailor-made according to the times and the needs in terms of health issues and messaging. Thus, soap operas are not a single platform but rather one which can be exploited to maximum advantage for public health messaging.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015
Public understanding of malaria in pregnancy : selected Dar es Salaam audiences' reception of the health education film Chumo
- Authors: Nkwera, Godfrey
- Date: 2015
- Subjects: Chumo (Television program) , Malaria in pregnancy -- Tanzania -- Dar es Salaam , Health education -- Tanzania -- Dar es Salaam , Communication in medicine -- Tanzania -- Dar es Salaam , Sex role -- Tanzania -- Dar es Salaam , Health behavior -- Tanzania -- Dar es Salaam , Health behavior -- Sex differences -- Tanzania -- Dar es Salaam
- Language: English
- Type: Thesis , Masters , MA
- Identifier: vital:3544 , http://hdl.handle.net/10962/d1017785
- Description: This study examines the impact of a health education film, Chumo, in Dar es Salaam on knowledge about malaria in pregnancy. Specifically, the study examines the meanings that the selected audiences make after watching the film. Drawing on the tradition of ‘reception studies’, the data for this study was generated through focus group discussions. These discussions were preceded by thematic analysis of the film and its script. An analysis of the audiences’ responses reveals that Chumo, mostly, successfully conveyed new knowledge about malaria in pregnancy, and reinforced existing knowledge bases about the disease. The audiences were able to ‘decipher’ most of the preferred meanings (of the producers) with regard to the disease, particularly in relation to the transmission of the disease and its prevention in pregnant woman. For example, the analysis indicates that both women and men become more aware of the importance of attending antenatal care sessions at local clinics (hereafter ANC). An interesting finding is that men, mostly, expressed a reluctance to attend ANC with their wives because they fear having to undergo HIV/AIDS testing. Men also expressed the sentiment that attending ANC is a women’s responsibility. The discussion groups also raised issues about the use of insecticide-treated nets - some people believe that using them will affect their health because of the chemicals used to treat the nets. From the reception analysis, various other meanings and themes, relating to the choice of storylines and gender stereotypes used in the story, were raised in discussion. The study attempted to assess whether the storyline was advantageous in conveying the core educational messages, or if some elements of the storyline either ‘got in the way’ or reinforced gender roles in ways that may or may not be helpful in terms of combatting malaria in pregnancy. The study also found that Chumo stimulated interpersonal communication, which may trigger behaviour change. It can be demonstrated, at least for the participants in these focus groups, that the film motivated positive attitudes towards behaviour change, i.e. created at least some intention to change. However, interpersonal communication and attitude to change are not, of course, actual change of behaviour: these elements only indicate the possibility of behaviour change in the future. Further study needs to be undertaken to explore whether the actual change took place and whether the change is a result of the exposure to Chumo.
- Full Text:
- Date Issued: 2015