Mass media interventions may influence health services use

Snyder, Leslie

University of Connecticut, USA

Abstracted from:Grilli R, Freemantle N, Minozzi S, Domenighetti G, Finer D. Impact of mass media on health services utilisation (Cochrane Review). In: The Cochrane Library, Issue 4, 1998. Oxford: Update Software .

Evidence-based Healthcare 4(1):p 2, March 2000.

OBJECTIVE

To assess the effect of mass media on use of health services.

METHOD

Meta-analytic review of randomized controlled trials, controlled clinical trials, interrupted time-series analyses and controlled before and after studies.

LITERATURE SEARCH

MEDLINE; EMBASE; Psychlit; Eric; hand searched key journals; reference lists and other bibliographic sources.

INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION CRITERIA

Studies were included if:

(a) the intervention involved use of mass media including radio, television, newspapers, magazines, leaflets, posters and pamphlets (alone or in conjunction with other interventions);

(b) the intervention targeted populations rather than individuals;

(d) the study provided information on the subsequent changes in health services utilization.

Other criteria relating to study design, population of interest and outcomes are also detailed.

DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS

The authors abstracted information on characteristics and content of interventions and obtained quantitative data describing health services utilization. The authors attempted to standardize and pool effect sizes across studies in order to assess overall impact of mass media on similar aspects of care.

RESULTS

Seventeen of 69 papers met inclusion criteria, although quality varied. All used interrupted time series designs. Fourteen evaluated the impact of formal mass media campaigns, and three evaluated media coverage of health-related issues. All but one study concluded that mass media was effective in influencing utilization in the anticipated direction. The findings were repeated by re-analysis in seven studies.

AUTHORS' CONCLUSIONS

Despite the limited information about key aspects of mass media interventions and poor quality of the primary research available, there is evidence to support the view that media communication may have an important role in influencing the use of health services. Those engaged in promoting better uptake of research information in clinical practice should consider mass media as one of the tools that may encourage the use of effective services and discourage those of unproven effectiveness.