By Crystal Y. Lumpkins, Ph.D.

Stroke survivor Virginia Cowans recalls her journey for survival as a stroke victim after she woke up from a coma in 2005.  At 37 years old, she spent three months in a coma. When she awoke she had no idea who she was or who her husband and kids were. She felt helpless. The experience led to several life changing habits. One was to improve the quality of her life and the lives of her family by actively seeking health information.  Cowans believes electronic media (such as text messages, websites and e-mail) helped her accomplish her goal.

“They (electronic media) are so important nowadays because time is a factor. The kids have rigorous schedules and homework and there’s not much time so you have to make time to teach them as well as have fun with them and get the information you need,” says Cowans.

Cowans, a Power to End Stroke ambassador for the American Heart Association (AHA), subscribes to several health services such as WebMD for daily health information, and also uses the AHA’s Facebook page to connect with other stroke survivors. She is one of many stroke survivors in the Kansas City area and one of more than 270 million who uses electronic media as a way to network on the computer, according to Universal McCann, a global media company. 

In addition to social networking, electronic media allow individuals to receive information in many ways. Computer users are seeking information on websites, sending e-mails, and subscribing to receive text messages on cell phones from health organizations. Health organizations see the popularity of electronic media as an advantage to increase awareness about health issues and as a tool to reach the audience who needs the information.

AHA offers users information on a variety of health topics that range from how to get CPR trained to getting facts about how to keep your cholesterol under control.  The website also gives health information seekers a list of how to detect warning signs of having a heart attack or stroke.   In addition, the association’s popular Go Red For Women campaign invites women to log on and take the Red Heart Check Up, watch videos and participate in Go Red events.

In addition to social media outlets, the American Heart Association Midwest Affiliate organized an online chat room for survivors, added more interactive areas on its websites and actively e-mails and texts subscribers with messages to end stroke.  Director of Cultural Health Initiatives (Kansas) Karlease Bradford says these efforts are key to keeping people involved with the many facets of the organization’s mission.

“Our Power to End Stroke website is an important part of our Take 2 to Save 2 campaign.  It is very interactive and has helpful tools that you can use.  Facebook has also been an important part of the campaign.  It is a way others can readily identify with others about their situation,” says Bradford.  She also described how one Power to End Stroke ambassador in Wichita, Kansas uses his blog to further the mission of keeping individuals informed about the dangers of having a stroke and to dispel misconceptions that many people have about being a stroke victim.

While there are individuals like Cowans who spend a lot of time using electronic media to discuss health issues with others online, there are others who receive the majority of health information by subscribing to an electronic health service.

One of the Centers for Disease Prevention and Control’s (CDC) current projects involves a pilot testing of text messages on mobile phones, and this technology helped the organization get the word out about public health crises such as H1N1 and the Haiti relief efforts.  Ruth Ramsey, Publisher of Our Health Matters, is one of the subscribers to the CDC’s text health updates, and says the information helps her to stay prepared.

“For people on the go and especially those who ’live’ to communicate this way, it keeps you on your toes and triggers immediate action if it is a message about checking a fire alarm or making sure that you have the required number of vegetables and fruit when you are on the go and need a quick snack,” says Ramsey. 

The CDC has one of the most trusted health websites and provides a variety of public health information.  The health organization provides information on environmental health issues, vaccines and immunizations, diseases and conditions and also up-to-date data and statistics on morbidity and mortality rates from diseases such as breast cancer.  This year the CDC posted information about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and last year launched a campaign that focused on educating the public about the H1N1 Flu pandemic. 

In addition to the CDC and AHA websites, a local health website is HealthyKC.org, which contains a broad range of health topics.  The website has information on health conditions such as allergies and back pain. The user can also check symptoms by way of the website to see what medical condition he or she may be experiencing. HealthyKC also includes a portion on its website to help find a physician, and videos that inform users of topical health news such as information on nutrition, diabetes and asthma.

Some communication experts are concerned that electronic media can actually contribute to health disparities because those who need the information the most may not have access. Dr. Mugur Geana, professor of strategic communication at the William Allen White School of Journalism and Mass Communications at KU, believes that the technology has allowed health professionals to improve communication efforts, but more needs to be done.

Dr. Geana sees electronic media as a way to reach more people and keep them actively involved with the information; however, it should not be the only way to bring information to people. Barriers such as poverty and low-education levels can prevent some from having access to electronic media.  Additional efforts such as health literacy in schools and in underserved communities combined with promotion campaigns should be included to be successful in reaching hard to reach populations.

Ann Aiken, social media strategist for CDC in Atlanta is optimistic, however, and says reaching individuals via mobile phone technology is one way to address unequal access to electronic media.
“With the Internet we hear a lot about the Internet divide but mobile technology has really changed that – it’s a new way of Internet access,” says Aiken.

She also cites a CTIA (internet wireless association) report that states 71 percent of African Americans use the cell phone as their primary phone and lead the trend among cell phone usage when compared to Caucasians.  Aiken believes that the technology will only help reach more individuals.

“We’ve done a lot of different programs with mobile technology for various reasons; to reach a lot of different groups such as moms, teens but also racial and ethnic minorities and the underserved. According to CTIA, 91 percent of these individuals use a cell phone; just from that perspective more people have mobile devices more than they have computer access and land line access and we like it for that reason,” says Aiken. 

Whether or not electronic media will continue to contribute to the digital divide among the population, experts agree that it is a good source to use for communicating relevant health issues in a timely and convenient way. 

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