Developing a Framework to Ensure Effective Health Policy Communication

Theoretical Background and research questions/hypothesis:  Health policy refers to decisions, plans, and actions that are undertaken to achieve specific health care goals within a society. Health policy communication involves creating awareness of new operational directions within health care provision that aim to influence people’s attitudes and behaviors.  As such, the process involves using multiple behavioral and social learning theories and models to advance program planning, and identifying steps to influence the target audience. According to the health belief model, people’s beliefs about whether or not they were susceptible to disease, and their perceptions of the benefits of trying to avoid it, influenced their readiness to act. This framework extends on the health belief model in determining factors that influence peoples thought process and their eventual capability to respond positively to health policy communication.

Methods and Results (informing the conceptual analysis):  Effective policy communication requires 1) identification of the target population. This aids in concentration of the efforts, identification of beliefs that ought to be demystified and identification of the appropriate communication medium. 2) Characterization of the objectives of the health policy. The policy communication ought to define the target results from the adoption of the policy. The definition of the objectives should focus on a language understandable to the target audience. It should also create awareness of what the target population stands to gain when the policy is successfully adopted. 3) Creation of an enabling environment. Policy implementation is a resource intensive exercise. This may call for specific contribution both by the target group and the implementer, the latter being an institution such as the government. This may include provision of food at subsidized prices, provision of incentives for compliance with the set policy and availability of necessary drugs among others, each dependent on the policy being implemented. 4) Monitoring and Evaluation. The policy implementers need to be attentive to specific outcomes which may either be positive or negative during the health policy communication. This will enable them take appropriate and timely corrective measures as may be necessary to ensure that effective communication occurs.

Conclusions:  Communication is an art and there may not be one best way of doing it but a combination of different strategies should be sought. As such further work should be carried out around health policy communication to reinforce its effectiveness. This model provides practical steps in ensuring effective health policy communication.

Implications for research and/or practice:  Utilization of this framework in health policy communication will result in: 1) shared decision making. People like to be consulted in the making of decisions that affect their health. This will result in ownership of the message being communicated.  2) Sustainable health policy promotion. Creation of a symbiotic relationship between the policy implementers and the target population will provide the drive for adoption.  3) Improved quality of health care. Health policies have an ultimate goal of improving the quality of health care directly or indirectly. The successful communication of the health policy will be an indicator towards realization of quality health care.