Abstract
Public-health priorities are in part driven by fear, yet fear has long been recognized as posing a threat to effective public health interventions. In this article, the authors review the role of fear in global health by focusing on the leading global cause of death and disability: Noncommunicable diseases. Taking an historical perspective, first the authors review Samuel Adams' 1911 analysis of the role of fear in generating public health priority and his recommendations about mass educating the public. Next, they show that Adams' analysis still applies today, drawing on contemporary responses to H1N1 and HIV, while illustrating the ongoing neglect of long-term threats such as noncommunicable diseases. Then, they pose the question, Is it possible, necessary, or useful to create a fear factor for noncommunicable diseases? After reviewing mixed evidence about the effects of fear on social change (on individual behaviors and on building a mass movement to achieve collective action), the authors conclude by setting out an evidence-based, marketing strategy to generate a sustained, rational response to the noncommunicable disease epidemic.
| Original language | English (US) |
|---|---|
| Pages (from-to) | 82-93 |
| Number of pages | 12 |
| Journal | Journal of Health Communication |
| Volume | 16 |
| Issue number | SUPPL. 2 |
| DOIs | |
| State | Published - 2011 |
| Externally published | Yes |
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ASJC Scopus subject areas
- Public Health, Environmental and Occupational Health
- Health(social science)
- Library and Information Sciences
- Communication
Cite this
Who's afraid of noncommunicable diseases? Raising awareness of the effects of noncommunicable diseases on global health. / Alleyne, George; Basu, Sanjay; Stuckler, David.
In: Journal of Health Communication, Vol. 16, No. SUPPL. 2, 2011, p. 82-93.Research output: Contribution to journal › Article
}
TY - JOUR
T1 - Who's afraid of noncommunicable diseases? Raising awareness of the effects of noncommunicable diseases on global health
AU - Alleyne, George
AU - Basu, Sanjay
AU - Stuckler, David
PY - 2011
Y1 - 2011
N2 - Public-health priorities are in part driven by fear, yet fear has long been recognized as posing a threat to effective public health interventions. In this article, the authors review the role of fear in global health by focusing on the leading global cause of death and disability: Noncommunicable diseases. Taking an historical perspective, first the authors review Samuel Adams' 1911 analysis of the role of fear in generating public health priority and his recommendations about mass educating the public. Next, they show that Adams' analysis still applies today, drawing on contemporary responses to H1N1 and HIV, while illustrating the ongoing neglect of long-term threats such as noncommunicable diseases. Then, they pose the question, Is it possible, necessary, or useful to create a fear factor for noncommunicable diseases? After reviewing mixed evidence about the effects of fear on social change (on individual behaviors and on building a mass movement to achieve collective action), the authors conclude by setting out an evidence-based, marketing strategy to generate a sustained, rational response to the noncommunicable disease epidemic.
AB - Public-health priorities are in part driven by fear, yet fear has long been recognized as posing a threat to effective public health interventions. In this article, the authors review the role of fear in global health by focusing on the leading global cause of death and disability: Noncommunicable diseases. Taking an historical perspective, first the authors review Samuel Adams' 1911 analysis of the role of fear in generating public health priority and his recommendations about mass educating the public. Next, they show that Adams' analysis still applies today, drawing on contemporary responses to H1N1 and HIV, while illustrating the ongoing neglect of long-term threats such as noncommunicable diseases. Then, they pose the question, Is it possible, necessary, or useful to create a fear factor for noncommunicable diseases? After reviewing mixed evidence about the effects of fear on social change (on individual behaviors and on building a mass movement to achieve collective action), the authors conclude by setting out an evidence-based, marketing strategy to generate a sustained, rational response to the noncommunicable disease epidemic.
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UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/citedby.url?scp=80052825122&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1080/10810730.2011.602178
DO - 10.1080/10810730.2011.602178
M3 - Article
C2 - 21916716
AN - SCOPUS:80052825122
VL - 16
SP - 82
EP - 93
JO - Journal of Health Communication
JF - Journal of Health Communication
SN - 1081-0730
IS - SUPPL. 2
ER -