Tuesday, 19 November 2002 - 4:00 PM
Hilton San Francisco Franciscan Room C (100)

MEDI-81. Designing Effective Communication Programs: Reaching Hispanic/Latino Audiences

Aurora E. Flores, BS, University of Southern California, Institute for Prevention Research, Cancer Information Service, auroraf@hsc.usc.edu

Learning Objectives: Identify aspects of communication models and theories for developing effective communication programs. Describe three communication approaches for reaching Hispanic/Latino audiences. Identify evaluation methods (formative, process, and outcome) for successful program implementation.

Abstract: Due to the growing number of Hispanics/Latinos in the U.S. and the tobacco industry’s incessant targeting of this population, efforts to effectively reach Hispanics/Latinos have become a high priority for many tobacco control programs. Without first intimately knowing and understanding the intended audience however, the probability of a successful communication program is low. This workshop is intended for individuals who want to learn effective ways of reaching Hispanic/Latino audiences through strategic communication planning. When designing communication programs for Hispanic/Latino populations, several considerations need to be taken into account. First, although Hispanics/Latinos share many unifying characteristics, they are a very diverse population with individual wants and needs, including language preferences, cultural identity, and cultural beliefs and values. Second, since the ultimate goal of a communication program is to change attitudes and behaviors, models and theories that contribute to an individual’s behavior change should not be overlooked. Some aspects of Social Marketing models, Diffusion of Innovations and other communication theories will be highlighted to show how they can be integrated in the design of a program. Finally, a critical part of an effective communication program is an effective evaluation component. This workshop will help explain what should be evaluated and why evaluation is imperative for ensuring the success of a program.

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