What is C in ACSM

Communication aims to favourably change knowledge, attitudes and practices among various groups of people. 

Types of communication in healthcare are:

• Oral/verbal communication- by word of mouth (speech/talk)
• Written communication- exchange of facts, ideas and opinions through the use of written materials
• Non verbal communication- through gestures, body language or posture, facial expressions, and eye contact 
• Visual communication- exchange of ideas through visuals

Health communication aims to influence and empower individuals, populations and communities to make healthier choices. It frequently informs the public of the services that exist for diagnosis and treatment and relays a series of messages about the disease. It aims to inculcate behaviour change for healthy life choices.

E.g.: “Seek treatment if you have a cough for more than two weeks”, “TB hurts your lungs” or “TB is curable”.

Approaches to health communication

1. Informative communication

Provides information about a new idea and makes it familiar to people.

2.Educative communication

A new idea on health behaviour is explained, including its strengths and weaknesses.

3.Persuasive communication 

Usually in the form of a message that promotes a positive change in behaviour and attitudes, and which encourages that audience to accept the new idea. This approach to message development involves finding out what most appeals to a particular audience. Persuasive approaches are more effective than coercive approaches in achieving behaviour change.

4.Prompting communication

Messages are designed so that they are not easily ignored or forgotten they can be used to remind the audience about something that reinforces earlier messages.  

Behaviour Change Communication (BCC)

• Behaviour Change Communication (BCC) is an interactive process of any intervention with individuals, groups or communities to develop communication strategies to promote positive health behaviours which are appropriate to the current social conditions and thereby help the society to solve their pressing health problems.
• BCC creates an environment through which the affected communities can discuss, debate, organize and communicate their own perspectives on TB.
• It aims to change behaviour – such as persuading people with symptoms to seek treatment – and to foster social change, supporting processes in the community or elsewhere to spark a debate that may shift social mores and/or eliminate barriers to new behaviour.

                                                                                           Figure: Behaviour Change Communication

Resources

1. Advocacy, Communication & Social Mobilisation (ACSM) for Tuberculosis Control - A Handbook for Country Programmes, WHO, 2007.
2. Operational Handbook on Advocacy, Communication & Social Mobilisation for RNTCP, Central TB Division, MoHFW, GoI, 2014.

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