Communication

Dr. ANM Shamsul Islam

Program Coordinator – MPH
Associate Professor
Public Health & Hospital Administration
NIPSOM
 Communication
• Communication is the process of
transferring / transmission, sharing
and exchange of ideas or
information from one person or
group of persons to other persons
or groups with an attempt to bring
them to the point of view.
 Communication
• Broadly it refers to the countless
ways that humans have of
keeping in touch with one
another.
• An individual make himself
understood by others.
• Connection established between
to points or location by road, rail,
air, water for movement.
Components of Communication
• Language
• Spoken words
• Songs
• Written scripts
• Facial expression
• Gesture of face and hands etc.
Elements of Communication
1)Communicator or Sender or
Speaker or Source.
2)Message (content)or Speech or
Signal.
3)Receiver or Audience.
4)Channels (medium).
5) Feedback effect.
 Models of Communication
• Aristotle model
• Shamon and Weaver model
• Schramm Model
• Berlow model
• Laegan model
• Fano model
• Literer’s model
• Westly-Maclean’s model
 Westly-Maclean’s Model

• It is obviously a simple, comprehensive

and ideal model
• Process of communication

• Sender Encoding Channel Decoding Receiver

Feedback
 Process of Communication
• Process of communication consist
of inter-related steps taken one
after another with a view to
accomplishing a desired goal.
• Communication becomes
completed when feedback takes
place.
• Communicator (sender) is the
source of information.
Process of Communication…contd.
Encoding:
• Process of putting thought into symbolic
form.
• Process of converting the
communication purpose into message
by systemic codes.
Steps:
• Process of arranging an idea.
• Preparing the message.
• Transmission of an idea into a message
by source.
Process of Communication…contd.
Message:
• Is the physical end product of
encoding. It is the set of symbols that
the sender transmit.
Channel:
• Is the vehicle, which carries the
message from the source (sender) to
the receiver.
Process of Communication…contd.
Decoder:
• It is the process of converting the
message from the source to the
receiver.
Receiver:
• Is the person to whom the
communication transfers his purpose.
 Principles of Communication
• The perception of the sender and
receiver should be as close as
possible to each other.
• For effective communication
there should be involvement of
more than one sensory organ for
giving cumulative effects.
 Principles of Communication
• The more the commutation takes
place face-to-face the more is its
effectiveness and conversely the more
the communication gets distant
through indirect channels the less will it
be effective.
• Any communication without two way
process is less effective because of the
lack of feedback.
Ways of Communication
• One-way communication
• Two-way communication
• Verbal communication
• Non-verbal communication
• Formal and informal
communication
• Visual communication
• Telecommunication
Characteristics of Communication
• Communication is a process: It occurs
with systemic involvement of the
elements like the source, message,
channel and receiver.
• The purpose of communication may
not be achieved by a single attempt
and might need continued efforts.
• Communication is interdependent: It
cannot occur in the absence of any
one of the elements.
 Characteristics of Communication
• Communication is reciprocal: It is two way
process flowing from the source to the
receiver and from the receiver to the
source.
• Communication occurs in a cultural
context: It is based on the shared cultural
behavior between the source and the
receiver.
• Communication is universal: It occurs
between the public health specialist and
the people, between the teacher and the
students, between to individuals and so on.
Need to Know about Communications

• Communication takes place all the time.

• Communication is vehicle for behavioral
change through information
dissemination, attitude and skill-building
using appropriate communication
channels.
• Communication is a two-way process
involving the transmission of ideas, feelings
and attitudes between sender and
receiver, both verbally and nonverbally.
Need to Know about Communications
• Feedback is essential for effective
communication. This helps to improve
and refine the communication
process.
• The challenge about information-
seeking behavior is that often the
information you have is what you do
not need; and what you need, you do
not have. The challenge is getting
what you need, when you need it.
Barriers to Communication
Barriers to communication can
operate at various levels such as
sender, receiver, message and
channel levels.
 Barriers to Communication
At sender level:
• Faulty audience and communication
analysis.
• Ignorance regarding receiver’s prevailing
knowledge, attitudes and practices.
• Lack of clear communication objectives.
• Top-down communication planning that
does not invite community inputs and
audience participation.
• Disregard for social norms including
language and culture.
• Insensitivity to feedback.
 Barriers to Communication
At receiver level:
• Distrust of source.
• Selective perceptions or misperceptions.
 Barriers to Communication
At message and channel levels:
• Lack of clarity and reason.
• Distracting noises.
• Distortion of messages.
• Prohibitive cost of mass media.
 Barriers to Communication
At organizational level:
• Lack of institutional support, including
financial, policy and/or strategy
related to BCI.
• Lack of trained personnel.
• Absence of process, outcome or
impact assessment.
Factors affecting Communications
1. Physiological factors: Ability of
hearing, Speaking, Seeing,
Smelling, Feeling and Testing.
2. Psychological factors: Mental
status, Attitude, Interest and
Perception.
3. Environmental factors: Noise,
Invisibility, Congestion, Temperature,
Seating arrangement.
Factors affecting Communications

4. Channel of communication: Defective

channel, Mechanical disturbance,
Electric disturbance etc.
5. Cultural factors:
Social norms, Social values, Social
beliefs, Language, Religion, Educational
status etc.
Effective Communication Planning
 Channels of Communication
Two major channels of Communication:
(i) Interpersonal communication (group
media)
(ii) Mass media
Group media:
• The interpersonal channel is a powerful
channel to establish personal
relationship and group consciousness
when communicating with individuals
and group in various settings.
Channels of Communication
• It is crucial in helping people to make
decisions and comply with intervention
activities.
• Group media facilitates groups,
especially the marginalized, to speak
to one another and articulate their
thoughts and feelings.
 Channels of Communication
Mass media:
• Mass media channels are interpersonal but
reach out to wider audiences.
• It is often the main source of information on
health concerns and could be powerful
inducer of change if used judiciously without
sensationalizing issues or creating alarm and
panic.
• The impact of the mass media is greatly
enhanced when it is combined with
interpersonal approaches.
Channels of Communication
• In recent times, the entertainment media
(infotainment), which combines
education with entertainment, is also
beginning to find out a prominent place
in health communication.
• For example, songs, dram and street
plays related to health issues do more
than just entertain the audiences. They
provide opportunities to reflect on the
issues and to identify common problems
and solutions.
Interpersonal Group Media
Name of the group media channels:
• Face to face discussions
• Public meetings
• Drama/Theatre
• Street plays
• Role plays
• Song and dance
• Pamphlets
Interpersonal Group Media
• Book markers
• Community radio
• Guidelines
• Posters
• School text books
• Video/DVD
• Demonstration
 Interpersonal Group Media
Advantage of Interpersonal Group Media:
• It is interpersonal
• It allows feedback
• Messages are target specific
• Facilitators of this media have control
enough
• It can be used repeatedly
• It requires less technology
• It is very simple to monitor and evaluate
Interpersonal Group Media
Disadvantage of the interpersonal group
media:
• It has limited reach capacity
• Requires expertise
 Mass Media Channels
Name of the mass media channels
• Radio
• Television
• Newspapers
• Posters
• Banners
• Billboards
• Internet
• Mobile phones
• Video/DVD/CD
• Press release
• Press conference
 Mass Media Channels
Advantage of mass media:
• Wider reach of audiences
• It requires less human resources
• It is easy to access in all levels
 Mass Media Channels
Disadvantage of the mass media:
• It has no clear audience
• No feedback
• Gender, age and education bias
• Lack of appeal
• High cost
• Difficult to monitor and evaluate
 Steps for Making a Effective
Communication
• Establish trust and credibility as a
communicator.
• Use information from the audience
analysis study to decide on what
message to convey, the preferred
language, presentation format and the
communication channels to be used.
• Be inclusive: build a functional
partnership with all concerned parties.
 Steps for Making a Effective
Communication
• Ensure the participation of intended
beneficiaries throughout the process of
developing risk communication, including
designing content, choosing the medium
and monitoring feedback.
• Sit down with the affected
individuals/community and engage them
in a dialogue. Listen carefully to his/their
concerns and fears. Respond to these
openly and honestly. Sitting and listening
is a sign of empathy for those affected.
 Steps for Making a Effective
Communication
• Respect culture values, beliefs and
attitudes particularly those associated
with health and disease, by addressing
the negative values and believes in a
sensitive manner and reinforcing the
positive ones.
• In conveying messages avoid ambiguity
and always use multiple channels for
communication. By using only a single
channel, you will lose the effectiveness
and power that the synergies of multiple
media can produce.
 Steps for Making a Effective
Communication
• Avoid inducing undue anxiety or fear.
Present facts as they are known to date and
avoid sounding like a alarmist.
• Recommend preventive and control
measures, and provide details on where
they could accessed.
• Always follows set guidelines for using
protective, preventive and control gears
against communicable and non-
communicable diseases.
 Steps for Making a Effective
Communication
• Give learning guidance regarding early
diagnosis and medical care in the event of
the appearance signs/symptoms of major
killer diseases.
• Advocate widely to ensure that risk
communication to reduce transmission.
• Those responsible to coordinating and
managing behavior change intervention
activities at community level should
guarantee that beneficiaries have a right to
be heard and to have access to information
and preventive devices.
 Conclusion
• Communication is not a solution for
every human need, problems or desire
including behavioral change.
• Simply giving information does not
guarantee behavioral change,
irrespective of the source or accuracy
of the information.
 Conclusion
• What has been communicated
cannot be recalled easily. Hence,
there is a need to plan carefully on
what is to be communicated.
• Interventions do not conclude when
public information campaigns end.
Sustainability of the program must be
ensured.
Thank You