1. How Media And New Communication Technology Can Be Used To Enhance Health Literacy Among Children At School Age
Dr K Vijaya
Director
Corporate Marketing & Communication Division
Health Promotion Board, Singapore

2. Health Literacy
The degree to which individuals have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions.

3. Importance of Health Literacy
Improving health literacy is one of the goals and objectives set by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services in Healthy People 2010.

4. Application of Health Literacy
Health promotion
Health protection
Disease prevention & screening
Care & maintenance
Access to care & navigation of system

5. Benefits of Health Literacy
Improving the health literacy of school-going children will empower them to:
Make the right decisions in their adult age
Reduce their chances of contracting diseases
Reduce the need for hospitalisation

6. Promoting Health Literacy in Schools
Schools play a critical role in building health literacy
Classroom environment is conducive for dissemination of knowledge

7. Promoting Health Literacy in Schools
Disadvantages
Didactic instructions no longer favored by Generation ‘Y’
What is taught in schools (theory) may not be applied in practice
Advantages
Accurate information provided in a captive setting
Students can be assessed on their knowledge

8. Influence of Media on Health Literacy
Youth exposed to mass media, Internet, mobile technology
Youth influenced by peers, celebrities and media
Consistency of messages taught in schools and media

9. Promoting Health Literacy Through Media
International examples:
Weaved into popular US TV shows
Story of patient suffering from HIV in “ER”
HIV-prevention storyline in “Bold & The Beautiful”

10. Promoting Health Literacy Through Media
International examples:
Use of media to educate Canadian youth on health risks of tobacco
Interactive microsite in Australia to teach youth how to react to different situations
US website for youth on sexuality, relationships etc

11. The Singapore Experience

12. Opportunities for Raising Health Literacy
Literacy rate : 95.4%
Compulsory education for 6 years at Primary level
Health education part of core curriculum in schools
Universities and schools require students to submit projects and homework online

13. Penetration of Internet Among Singapore School Children
74% of households in public housing and 92% in private housing have at least one computer
88% of households with school-going children have at least one computer
Computer usage :
10-14 yrs : 85%
15-59 yrs : 68%

14. Internet Activities in Singapore
Internet activity
10-14 yrs
15-59 yrs
60 yrs & above
For communicating
78%
86%
61%
For getting information
67%
81%
59%
Other information or general web browsing
69%
25%
Playing or downloading online games
58%
31% 0%
For education or learning activities
52%
32%
28%
Downloading or listening to online music
35% 9%
Related to health or health services -
26%
Creation of own blogs
12%
10% 5%
Reading blogs created by others 4%
17%
Source : 2006 Annual Survey on Infocomm Usage by IDA

15. Singapore’s Mobile Penetration
Penetration rate is 106.8%
Some own more than one mobile phone.

16. Traditional & New Communication Technology
Utilised to enhance health literacy among Singapore school-going children

17. Multi-channel Marketing
Outreach Events
Outdoor Marketing
Press
Reach out to Singaporeans
Radio
Health Resources TV
Internet
Mobile
eDMs
Health Exhibition Center
Health Information Center

18. Target Groups and Channels Used
Programmes
Channels
Parents with kids
Childhood Injury Prevention Programme; Hand, Foot & Mouth Disease; Myopia
Parenting magazine, radio, press, television
Kids aged 5 to 12 years
Television
Youth in Secondary School
Youth HIV/AIDs; Mental Wellness
Press, magazines, radio; online; outdoor media; events
Youth in tertiary institutions
STOMP AIDs; Smoking for Young Women
Peer-to-peer marketing, press, outdoor media, events, electronic mailers

19. New Media Initiatives : HPB Online Podcast Youth Health Blog
Audible Heart – peer led online counselling service
Mobile initiatives
Diet Tracker
Heart Rockz – health messages via mobile phones
SMS Voting

20. New Media Other youth microsites New youth website
Healthy Lifestyle microsites
Food Info Search
Osteoporosis microsite
Health Information Centre
HealthZone
New youth website

21. Impact of Media & New Media Technology on Health Literacy
Measured through :
Surveys
Focus groups
Pageviews, visits, hits to website

22. In Summary…
Traditional and new media can be used both directly and subtly to influence school children's behaviour and cognitive thinking on health issues.
Important stage in their lives, when they are formulating their own identities and are still receptive to learning healthy lifestyle practices.

23. In Summary…
Media and new communication technologies can be used to complement existing health education strategies implemented in schools.

24. In Summary…
Repeated reinforcement of health messages through different channels can increase the rate of recall and awareness among school-going children, and be more likely to put into practice what they have learnt.

25. Acknowledgement
Mrs Sarojini Thanarajah
Ms Vanessa Tan

26. Thank You