AEGiS-BKREV: AIDS: Effective Health Communication for the 90s

AIDS: Effective Health Communication for the 90s

Taylor & Francis, 1101 Vermont Ave., NW, Ste. 200, Washington, DC 20005-3521. 268p., bibliog., index. ISBN 1-56032-273-X. $39.50. (Contributors to this volume: Michael L. J. Apuzzo, Univ. of Southern California School of Medicine; Cynthia L. Bartlett, Emerson College; Nina Biddle, The Mercantile Library; Jill F. Blair, New York City Public Schools; Ellen W. Bonaguro, Northern Illinois Univ.; David A. Brenders, Emerson College; Lisa Conte, Kidder, Peabody & Co.; Edwin Diamond, New York Univ.; Denise E. Dyson, freelance writer in London; Valeria Fabj, Emerson College; Louis R. Franzini, San Diego State Univ.; Lisaanne Garrett, small claims court, Quincy, MA; Karen K. Hein, Albert Einstein College of Medicine; Gary L. Kreps, Northern Illinois Univ.; Michael L. Levy, Univ. of Southern California School of Medicine; Edward W. Maibach, Emory Univ. School of Public Health; John Marlier, Emerson College; Kevin A. Mercuri, Emerson College; Katherine I. Miller, Arizona State Univ.; J. Gregory Payne, Emerson College; Scott C. Ratzan, Emerson College; Matthew J. Sobnosky, Emerson College; Joseph P. Van Der Meulen, Univ. of Southern California; Eric G. Zook, Pennsylvania State Univ.)
Edited by Scott C. Ratzan. 1993.

The purpose of this book is to "present appropriate ethical and effective communication strategies to prevent the spread of HIV." A well-qualified list of contributors have reported on a wide range of topics that pertain to communication. The three sections of the book cover "AIDS: Effective Health Communication," "AIDS: Communication, Education, and the Media," and "AIDS: The Cutting Edge of Awareness, Action, and Policy." The first part lays out the framework for effective health communication through an effective campaign of prevention messages and strategies that are targeted at those audiences who are in the greatest need. Through the preplanning of goals and objectives it is possible to have a highly effective communication structure. This section also covers the COAST model for health communication which mandates that all parties "communicate a particular medical exigence and brainstorm all available options." Finally, this section discusses the effectiveness of the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) in order to get points across to the public. The second section is an interesting section that discusses how printed coverage in magazines has had an impact. The result from studying this aspect is that the public is still significantly uneducated. The coverage of celebrities such as Rock Hudson, Magic Johnson, and Arthur Ashe have had a significant impact but the "journalistic ethics in reporting those diagnosed demand careful study and further investigation."

The last section describes the cutting edge of AIDS awareness and prevention action. It points out that those with AIDS are severely discriminated against by not being included in the American policy making agenda. Another important area that has been neglected involves those individuals with impaired communication ability. They are sometimes overlooked and the effectiveness in communicating with these individuals needs to be improved. For the health care provider "education of the physician and general population is essential to return AIDS to its categorization as an infectious disease and return patient care to the level of the patient-physician relationship." In fact, it is pointed out that the fear of the disease and of the political ramifications of having the disease have compromised the physicians' ability to provide the proper care. Adolescents are targeted as a population that need special considerations. It is the fastest growing population with HIV incidence and, therefore, needs the attention of educators, counselors, physicians, and public health professionals. The final chapter presents an "AIDS Action 2000 Plan." It stresses proactive communication.

This is a well planned and written book which should make those who read it be more concerned about how we are communicating what needs to be done. Education is the key to help stop the spread of HIV infection. Effective communication has to be maintained in order for the money to be available for research. This book does very well in putting this point across. It should be available in public and academic libraries. Although it is somewhat technical, school libraries may want the book, also, especially since it treats a whole chapter to adolescents. (H. Robert Malinowsky)

Keywords: Prevention, Communication in Medicine, Education, Media, Adolescents

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Copyright © 1993 - The University of Illinois at Chicago. All materials in the journal are subject to copyright by the Board of Trustees of the University of Illinois and may be reprinted or redistributed for the noncommercial purpose of scientific or educational advancement granted by Sections 107 and 108 of the Copyright Revision Act of 1976. For other reprinting, redistribution, or translation, address requests to H. Robert Malinowsky, University of Illinois at Chicago Library, PO Box 8198, Chicago, IL 60680 or electronically to hrm@uic.edu.

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