Conceptualizing Media Health Literacy in Thailand: Bridging Between Media and Health Concept

Abstract

Health literacy concepts have been addressed for a period and are continuously reviewed, redefined, and used as variables in health behavior research. Many studies indicate health literacy as a determining factor of health behavior, namely health literacy is associated with a variety of adverse health outcomes. The widely used definition of health literacy is “the degree to which individual have the capacity to obtain, process, and understand basic health information and services needed to make appropriate health decisions”. From the definition, media is inevitable a necessary element of health literacy. Besides, media scholars introduce the related concept called media literacy referring to the ability to access, analyze, evaluate, and create media, and health media also entailed. However, the relation of these two terms are less articulated, especially in Thailand, to understanding the role of media as the source of providing health information and the influence factor to promoting health literacy. This article explores and clarifies the relevance of health literacy and media literacy definition including propose the conceptual idea to redefining the term ‘the media health literacy’ and its dimensions in Thai context. The measurement of the media health literacy also criticize in the article.

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Author Information
Sasithon Yuwakosol, College of Social Communication Innovation, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand
Kritchanat Santawee, College of Social Communication Innovation, Srinakharinwirot University, Thailand
Varit Intrama, National Scout Organization of Thailand, Ministry of Education, Thailand

• Category: IICSEEHawaii2018, Oral Presentation
• Tag: Health & Wellbeing

Posted by James Alexander Gordon

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