The Role of Planning in Health Communication Campaigns

Introduction

Planning is the process of establishing a goal and defining strategies or methods through which
these goals can be attained. Alford and Beatt (1960) describe planning as the thinking process,
the organized foresight, the vision based on fact and experience that is required for intelligent
action. Health communication campaigns have made important contributions to the
advancement of public health globally and are often considered critical components of broad
intervention efforts, such as cancer and tobacco control, Zhao (2020).

Planning in health communication campaigns is essential so as to ensure success. Godin et al.

(2007), in their review of the planning process in STI and HIV campaigns, emphasize that
planned campaigns are more likely to be successful. Planning not only helps to organize theories
and ideas, but also ensures correct identification of a problem and a solution. Therefore, planning
plays the following roles in a health communication campaign;

Helps identify the campaign goals and objectives

Planning in a health communication campaign project assists in identifying the campaign

objectives and goals. In this case, these include the main problem and its solution. The set
objectives of a campaign represent a systematic understanding of how behavior change is
supposed to happen within the target population

According to Tones and Green (2004: 109), ‘the overall purpose of systematic planning is to
identify goals and the most effective means of achieving them’. For example, in a Malaria
prevention communication campaign, planning will help identify the objectives that the
campaign wants to achieve and how to achieve them. First, identifying the target audience is one
of the ways of determining a campaign objective. Planning function begins with the setting up
of the objectives, policies, procedures, methods and rules, which are made in planning to achieve
these objectives only. Therefore, planning help the practitioners ensure a correct identification of
a problem and a solution.

Planning assists in the selection of the most appropriate campaign approach.

1
In most health communication campaigns, approaches vary. For instance, a National Youth
Anti-Drug Media Campaign in Kenya targeting a risk youth nonusers and occasional youth users
will use a different approach to a campaign compared to an accident prevention campaign aimed
at young school going children. A campaign approach is

According to (Wang et al. 2005; Corcoran 2007b), a considerable differences between

campaigns can be identified , especially in relation to applicability and transferability of theory
or ideas into practice. This is where planning comes in. It helps the campaign practitioner
choose the most appropriate campaign approach.

Planning also helps to ensure effective resource use and allocation

Resources in a campaign include people, time, information or money. Douglas et al. (2007)
indicate that failure to demonstrate a planned approach can mean there is a risk that your topic
will not be given priority, and thus funding or resources may be allocated elsewhere. As a
practitioner, you can ensure your resources are used and allocated effectively through planning.
How? Through managing all these resources (people, time, information or money) effectively so
that no matter how resource-rich or resource-poor your campaign is, you can maximize your
impact and potential to win.

Effective planning helps avoid unwanted results or success

Most health communication campaigns have failed because of the risk of unexpected or
unintended consequences. A campaign may run out of resources or target the wrong audience. In
a sexual health promotion campaign as indicated by Lee (2007) in his work, the campaign
missed its audience with men who have sex with men, possibly in part due to the advertising
imagery used having unintended consequences.

Through planning, any problems or errors marked can be tackled in the preliminary phases
hence eliminate factors such as misdirected messages or practitioner failures. Application of
planning models can help reduce the unwanted risks.

In conclusion, planning in a health communication campaign leads to a successful campaign.

Planning ensure that problems are resolved, approaches, resources and outcomes are achieved as
practitioners

2
References

Bartholomew, L K, Parcel, G S, Kok, G and Gottlieb, N H (2006) Planning health promotion

campaigns: a campaign mapping approach.

Green, LW and Kreuter, MW (2005) Health promotion planning: an educational and ecological
approach, 3rd edition. McGraw-Hill, London

Jossey-Bass, San Francisco. Earle, S, Lloyd, C, Sidell, M and Spurr, S (2007) Theory and
research in promoting public health. Sage/OUP, London.

Lee H. (2007). Why sexual health promotion misses its audience: men who have sex with men
reading the texts. Journal of health organization and management, 21(2), 205–219.
https://doi.org/10.1108/14777260710736886

3
4