Public Information Programs Research Articles

America's Highway Program

Today's 180,000,000 automobiles, trucks, and buses are creating crisis‐level highway traffic problems in many locations. The two items making up highway transportation costs, the vehicle and the road, are out of balance because of inadequate attention to the roadways. The challenge of a free society is to follow through with long‐range programs such as the Interstate Highway System, the initial construction of which is nearing completion 18 years behind schedule. Many studies are underway to determine the next program for emphasis. While the basic framework is now in place, much now requires reconstruction, rehabilitation, and in some areas, enlargements and adjustments to meet increasing and changing traffic patterns. Additional research is needed, as is a greater emphasis on safety. An effective highway transportation public information program is essential, as well as a positive approach to solving highway problems.

Implications of policy and management decisions on access, quality, and the type of services for the elderly in the United States.

America has no conscious overall health policy. What we have is a system which encourages doctors to perform medical procedures on people, especially in hospitals, and which places little or no emphasis on a person's responsibility for his or her own health. There is no incentive whatsoever for doctors, except in HMOs, to provide the elderly with primary care or consultations on preventative health care. there is no reimbursement under Medicare for this type of service, and a financial disincentive exists for the doctor in that a healthier patient is less likely to use a physician's services. In addition, because there is inadequate funding for home health care and supportive services for families of the elderly who are experiencing problems functioning in their daily living, many people who could be kept out of nursing homes with proper support go into nursing homes, where they generally, after depletion of their assets, have their nursing home care covered by the Medicaid program. Because of the lack of recognition by the Medicare program of the major role of social and mental health factors on the health of the elderly, and the lack of reimbursement or other funding for services which treat the social, mental, and spiritual aspects of the person, the elderly are often inappropriately and expensively treated for physical symptoms; their other needs and problems are ignored, even though in many cases the treatment of the underlying problem would remove or ameliorate the physical symptom and expedite the recovery. Recommended changes in the health care system which will be of particular benefit to the elderly are by providing primary and preventative health care, providing alternatives to hospitalization and nursing home care wherever possible, discouraging unnecessary surgery and medication, providing for contributions to Medicare based on income of the elderly so that the poor and the rich are treated more equitably, decreasing the complexity of the Medicare reimbursement process, mandating geriatric education for health care professionals, developing public awareness concerning the quality of extended life and promoting public information programs designed to promote a new and positive image of aging in America.

Public Attitudes Toward Water Utilities

In an effort to assess the public's perception of drinking water issues, the AWWA Research Foundation commissioned a national survey of public water supply consumers to obtain objective data about perceptions of the performance of water utilities. The survey was designed to provide water utility managers, as well as members of Congress and the US Environmental Protection Agency, with the information needed to respond to water users' concerns. One of the most salient factors indicated by the survey is the need for greatly improved public information programs about water.

Perceptions of the Forestry Sector in the Prairie Provinces

With the signing of forest renewal and development agreements in 1984 between the federal government and the provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan and Manitoba, a framework for public information programs was established to tap the public's awareness 01 forestry and to heighten thaI awareness. To start off, the Canadian Forestry Service, together with the three provinces, commissioned surveys to determine both altitudes and levels of knowledge. The resul1s are now being incorporated into the design of detailed communications strategies for each province.

Technology, culture and public policy

There exists convincing evidence to suggest that radical innovations arrive in swarms or clusters. While a great deal has been written about the economic causes of innovation clustering, relatively little has been written about their fundamental societal causes. In this article we discuss a number of characteristics of technological development and attempt to assess the degree to which they each are culturally bound. We then present two “models” of the process of technological change and discuss the place of cultural factors in them. In the final section we discuss the public policy implications of the “cultural boundedness” of innovation with particular reference to the innovation diffusion process. We conclude that public policy has an important role in certain areas in stimulating the public acceptance of new technology, and that an especially potent tool in this respect is the public information programme.

Special Contribution: Managing the Great Lakes Basin as a Home

The ecosystem approach, a more holistic way to planning, research, and management of the Great Lakes basin, was articulated as a concept in the 1978 Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement. In order to stimulate movement of this concept to a series of implementable actions, an Ecosystem Approach Workshop was held in March 1983. This paper describes the process used to define common cause for a group of fifty-six participants representing a diverse spectrum of backgrounds. Three generic obstacles to attainment of an ecosystem approach, which emerged from pre-workshop efforts, were addressed by the workshop. They were: (1) lack of an holistic perspective, (2) predominance of “egosystem” thinking, and (3) lack of a preventive approach. The strategy suggested for overcoming the obstacles was identified as “enlightened self-interest”. The participants proposed 33 initiatives for advancing the ecosystem approach. These initiatives related to improving the acquisition of scientific data, directing institutional change for ecosystem management, improving citizen participation, paying the costs for resources use, education, and public awareness. In order to help implement these initiatives, establishment of an ecosystem approach monitoring group and an improved public information program is recommended.

Public information and education sections of the report of the presidential commission on drunk driving: A critique and a discussion of research implications

This is a critique of the Report of the Presidential Commission on Drunk Driving, with special attention to those sections dealing with public information and education. Emphasis is given to the role of research in public action against drinking and driving. The question of deterrence vis à vis education and rehabilitation is examined. School-based programs, beginning in the early years, are viewed as promising preventive measures, along with public information programs that target high-risk groups and are combined with grass-root community support and intervention. Criteria are studied for formative evaluation of school-based programs, and recommendations are made for research to combat drunk driving in both school-based and public information programs.

Water Resources Engineering Education

Water resources engineering education may hinder the development of practitioners who must be not only technically proficient, but also capable of managing engineering problems in a social, political, and economic context. Professional water resources engineering requires the ability to communicate in interdisciplinary efforts, to plan public information programs, and to factor legal and social input, as well as technical know‐how, into problem solving. Opportunities to improve water resources engineering education include: (1) New methods of evaluating students that include assessments of communications skills; (2) broadened course requirements linking technical and social science/humanities programs through joint appointments, faculty exchanges, or social science/humanities courses tailor‐made for the engineering student; (3) a shift from traditional graduate training to providing an opportunity for graduate research on open‐ended problems typically found in water resources engineering; (4) nonoptional co‐op experience in the real world; and (5) evaluation outside of the accreditation process to encourage program experimentation. Professional practitioners can only benefit by such educational improvements and should provide substantial external support for basic research evaluating engineering education curricula, as well as support for and involvement in curriculum development.

Legislation for smoking control in Western Australia.

This historical analysis of public issues relating to smoking control in Western Australia examines relevant Western Australian state and Australian federal laws, their introduction, and their consequences. Public and political support and opinion led by the health professions resulted in two attempts to legislate against all forms of cigarette advertising in 1982 and 1983. Both attempts failed, and public support for such measures has been seen to be affected by the campaigns mounted in opposition by the tobacco and advertising industries. Other smoking control measures which have been successfully introduced in 1983 and 1984 are higher tobacco taxes and a comprehensive coordinated public education and information programme. The activities associated with the legislative initiatives resulted in a greatly increased level of community awareness of the dangers of smoking and acceptance of the need for some action on this major health problem.

Self-initiated smoking cessation among high school students

The purpose of this study was to examine psychosocial predictors of self-initiated smoking cessation among high school students. Students from nine high schools were pretested using a questionnaire which assessed smoking behavior, beliefs about positive and negative consequences of smoking, moral attitudes toward smoking, normative expectations about smoking, rebelliousness, peer smoking and parent smoking. Smokers identified at pretest were reexamined three months and fifteen months later. Three variables, moral attitudes, peer smoking and positive beliefs about smoking significantly discriminated continuing smokers from quitters at the three-month posttest. Three different variables, negative beliefs about smoking, parental smoking and rebelliousness significantly discriminated between those who quit and later relapsed and those who quit and maintained their non-smoking status at the 15 month posttest. Smoking characteristics at pretest failed to discriminate either those who would quit or those who would maintain their non-smoking status. Results support the development of public information programs which encourage early cessation of smoking which feature the development of appropriate attitudes and beliefs and which foster social support.

Coping with oil-supply disruptions

A general lack of understanding by the public and the media has characterized the U.S. response to the oil-supply disruptions of the 1970s. Controls hampered the adjustment to the changed energy environment following the 1973–1974 embargo. Spurred by decontrol, the higher price of oil has stimulated conservation, intensive search for new oil and gas, and allocation of existing oil to the changed pattern of most-valued uses. In future disruptions, the government should establish a credible public information program, strive to facilitate the competitive functioning of the marketplace, and intrude into the market only with programs that automatically end in 3–6 months.

Features of Federal Law That Encourage Adoption of Land Application of Wastewater

Federal statutes and regulations and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) guidelines and policies tend to aid and encourage land application of municipal wastewater effluents and sludges and make that method of treatment increasingly attractive. Land application systems are made more attractive by federal law relating to eliminating the discharge of pollutants into navigable waters, stringent standards on discharges from treatment works, and restrictions imposed on permits for discharging effluents and sludges into navigable waters and the ocean. Provisions of federal law tending to aid and encourage land application systems relate to cost‐share grants for construction of treatment works, level of effluent and sludge treatment prior to application on land, pretreatment requirements for pollutants introduced into treatment works, federal grants awarded for research and demonstration projects, and requirements for developing public information and education programs.

Educational Programs and Human Response to Natural Hazards

That an individual is aware of the risk of a natural hazard and the range of damage mitigation measures is no guarantee that he or she will act on this information. Based on a review of the literature, the available evidence is weak on the relatonship between awareness or knowledge and the consequent adoption of damage mitigation measures. Although substantial sums of money are expended each year on public information programs on natural hazards, little effort has focused on the cost-effectiveness of such programs.

The Medfly in California: The Threat

Abstract The Mediterranean Fruit Fly (medfly) (Fig. 1), Ceratitis capitata (Wied.), is an exotic pest of fruits and berries which has invaded the continental United States on 11 occasions since 1929 (Table 1). Each invasion has triggered an eradication program conducted by state and federal regulatory personnel. Until recently, there was little discussion of this “knee-jerk” eradication response, despite its almost complete reliance on the use of pesticide sprays (Table 1). This changed with the 1980 infestation found in Santa Clara county. The eradication program proposed to aerially treat 1495 square miles (3827 km2) of a heavily populated area with malathion. The resulting media coverage, combined with an environmentally aware community, resulted in an extensive public debate about the proposed eradication program. There were questions raised about the safety of the pesticides to be used, the cost effectiveness of the program, whether the program was possible or needed, and whether public safety had been considered at all. State and federal regulatory officials went forward with their plans for aerial sprays in July 1981, despite considerable initial public opposition. Due in part to an exhaustive environmental monitoring effort (10), in part to a thorough coordination with local medical societies, and in part to an extensive public information program, much of this opposition became muted, and the spraying was generally accepted.

An evaluation of demographic differences in the utilization of a cancer information service

A detailed empirical evaluation of the utilization of a cancer public telephone information program was conducted. This paper reports demographic differences between utilizers and the general population. It was found that utilization varied according to socioeconomic status, area of residence, age and sex. The greatest proportion of users were females, from the higher social classes, city residents and 20–39 years of age. Attempts to look at interrelationships among these variables did not produce any consistent findings.

Atmospheric Issues Identified in State Water Resource Planning

Abstract Illinois is completing a comprehensive statewide water plan. The plan selects three atmospheric issues, among the 11 identified as key issues facing the state's water resources. The issues selected include climate change and prediction, inadvertent weather and climate modification, and planned weather modification. Each atmospheric issue presents major resource or policy problems, with capabilities needed to enhance the quality and/or quantity of the state's waters. The identification of these atmospheric issues reveals awareness at the policy level of their importance. Policy and programmatic needs found to be common to each issue include 1) collection of more data and continued research (with an increasing state role; 2) coordinated policy development around atmospheric expertise from several agencies and universities; and 3) an expanded public information program. A Climate Detection and Assistance Board is to be established in Illinois to provide the planning, coordination, and assistance nee...

Indoor air pollution and public policy

In recent years, scientist have come to realize that contaminated air inside buildings is a major route of human exposure to certain air pollutants. While scientific interest in the problem continues to grow, efforts to measure indoor pollution concentrations, define exposure levels, and estimate health risks remain in their infancy. Within this arena, policymakers must deal with the question of how best to protect public health and safety in the face of incomplete and often contradictory information. In the past, official response to environmental pollution has traditionally taken the form of “control by regulation.” However, creation of a regulatory framework for indoor air quality poses special policy issues that suggest the need to explore alternative modes of intervention. Ambient outdoor air is a public good, in the sense that enjoyment by one individual in no way detracts from use or enjoyment by others. Indoor air, on the other hand, is not a public good, especially in private residences. Costs and benefits of maintaining adequate indoor air quality are internalized within households, suggesting the possibility of a private demand for clean indoor air. Promulgation of indoor air quality standards and other regulations must confront the fact that individuals are already making decisions about their own air quality. Regulations might or might not improve these decisions. Development of effective and reasonable policy requires an appreciation of the scope for private action and consideration of the likelihood that public intervention will foster improved private choices. Among the logical and relatively inexpensive modes of intervention are public information programs, development of simple warning devices, and product testing and labeling.

Building a Strong Public Information Program in the School

If you're an administrator who doesn't now have an adequate plan for telling the public what's happening in the schools, you will want to read this article carefully. The author describes the program used successfully at Hillcrest High School while he was its principal.

The microcomputer as a community mental health public information tool.

A discussion of the role of public information programs in community mental health is followed by a review of various traditional public information techniques. A microcomputer system is described as a tool for public information. A field study of the system is reported in which the results indicate the system's success in creating interest in mental health information and assessing consumer awareness of mental health services and principles. The computer's capability for teaching this information is not substantiated, but appears promising.

Community mental health and mass media preventive education: the alternatives project.

An innovative mental health preventive education and public information program employing mass media was conducted in the Louisville, Kentucky, metropolitan area. Social work and mental health concepts of prevention were applied as a framework for developing project goals. Systematic evaluation, based on data from client-initiated telephone contacts and surveys of the community, demonstrated project success in increasing awareness and utilization of community mental health resources. The overall impact on assessment attitudes was positive; changes in resolution attitudes were not statistically significant. Implications for mass media utilization in mental health prevention are discussed.