Biomedical Communications (eBook)

Front Cover 1
Biomedical Communications: Purposes, Audiences, and Strategies 4
Copyright Page 5
Contents 6
Acknowledgments 12
Part I: A Basic Framework 14
Chapter 1. Using Research to Improve Biomedical Communications 16
The Study of Human Attitudes and Behaviors 17
Two Purposes for Biomedical Communication 21
A Framework for Thinking about Biomedical Communication 22
The Need for Feedback 23
Chapter 2. The Public Understanding of Biomedical Science 24
The Measurement of Biomedical Literacy 26
A Basic Learning Model for Biomedical Literacy 39
The Marginal Impact of Selected Factors 47
Summary of Findings 51
Implications for Biomedical Communicators 53
Chapter 3. Public Interest in Health Information 58
Patterns of Interest in Health Information 59
A Model to Predict Interest in Health Information 66
The Importance of Selected Diseases 75
Implications for Biomedical Communicators 79
Chapter 4. Primary Sources of Biomedical Information 82
General Patterns of Media Use 84
Patterns of Media Use by Selected Groups 99
Trust in Health and Biomedical Information Sources 108
Implications for Biomedical Communicators 112
Chapter 5. The Acquisition and Retention of Health Information by Consumers 116
The Recall of Health Information 116
Current and Latent Health Information Consumers 120
Sources of Biomedical Information 125
Communicating Biomedical Information to Selected Groups 135
A Case Study in Nervousness or Stress Management 154
Implications for Biomedical Communicators 158
Chapter 6. Strategies for Communicating to Consumers 162
The Nature of Biomedical Communications to Consumers 162
A General Model of Biomedical Communications 164
Nine Questions to Guide Communications to Consumers 174
The Estimation of Communication Impact 177
Part III: Communications to Influence Public Policy 182
Chapter 7. Citizen Participation in the Formulation of Biomedical Policy 184
Participation in the Policy Formulation Process 187
The Attentive Public for Biomedical Research Issues 190
Implications for Biomedical Communicators 204
Chapter 8. The Acquisition of Information about Biomedical Policy Issues 206
Patterns of Media Use 206
A Summary Measure of Biomedical Information Acquisition 214
Trust in Information Sources 217
Implications for Biomedical Communicators 220
Chapter 9. Public Attitudes toward Biomedical Research Issues 224
General Schema toward Science and Technology 226
Attitudes toward Support for Basic Scientific Research 233
Attitudes toward Spending to Improve Health Care 239
The Use of Animals in Biomedical Research 242
Implications for Biomedical Communicators 247
Chapter 10. Public Attitudes toward Biotechnology Issues 250
Awareness of Biotechnology 251
Schemas about Biotechnology 259
Attitudes toward Medical and Agricultural Applications 263
Implications for Biomedical Communicators 269
Chapter 11. Strategies for Communicating about Biomedical Policy 272
The Structure of Biomedical Policy Communications 273
A General Model of Biomedical Policy Communications 277
The Role of Intermediaries and Interpreters 283
Nine Questions to Guide Communications for Policy Purposes 287
The Estimation of Policy Communication Impact 292
Part IV: Biomedical Communication Policies for the 21st Century 298
Chapter 12. Policies to Improve Biomedical Communications 300
Educational Policies to Advance Biomedical Literacy 301
Policies to Support Informed Decision Making by Consumers 307
Citizenship and the Formulation of Biomedical Policy 314
Research and Biomedical Communications 320
Appendix A. Questionnaires 322
Questionnaire for the 1993 Study of Biomedical Literacy 323
Questionnaire for the 1998 U.S. Biotechnology Study 347
Questionnaire for the 1999 U.S. Science and Engineering Indicators Study 381
Appendix B. Constructed Variables 414
Chapter 2 414
Chapter 3 418
Chapter 4 419
Chapter 5 423
Chapter 6 424
Chapter 7 424
Chapter 8 428
Chapter 9 432
Chapter 10 434
Chapter 11 439
Chapter 12 439
Appendix C. Analytic Procedures 440
An Introduction to Structural Equation Modeling 440
Specific Techniques Used in This Book 444
Additional Information about Structural Equation Modeling 446
References 448
Index 456