Jr. Finnegan et al., Mass media, secular trends, and the future of cardiovascular disease health promotion: An interpretive analysis, PREV MED, 29(6), 1999, pp. S50-S58
Mass media roles in promoting cardiovascular health in the context of lesso
ns learned from major U.S. community studies, changing media technology, an
d emergent models of media-community partnerships are discussed. Three prin
cipal issues are explored: (1) implications of the current expansion, conve
rgence, and harmonization of mass media technology;(2) recent trends in med
ia coverage of heart disease and population practices; and (3) implications
for the future relationship between the media and public health in cardiov
ascular health promotion. It is concluded that classic campaign models focu
sing on individual-level change have evolved to recognize environmental-lev
el influences on behavior. Emergent public health campaign models have move
d toward "agenda-building," in which the focus is on a more unified approac
h to influencing public and community agendas for social, behavioral, and p
olicy change. Recent developments among the commercial mass media may offer
new opportunities for public health partnerships to promote cardiovascular
health. (C) 1999 American Health Foundation and Academic Press.