Abstract

PEREZ MARTINEZ, Alina. Health communication in the Cuban digital media. Rev Cubana Salud Pública [online]. 2011, vol.37, n.3, pp. 288-305. ISSN 0864-3466.

Introduction The creation of an electronic health journal aimed at the general non-specialized audience requires knowing the previous history of this topic in the national electronic publications. Objective to characterize the dissemination of health information in selected documentes from seven Cuban press websites: Gramma, Juventud Rebelde, Trabajadores , Bohemia, Mujeres, Alma Mater and Somos Jóvenes, all published in April 2009. Methods Descriptive study of multiple cases using documentary research and content analysis techniques under a qualitative perspective. Results The approach to health dissemination was not significant, the contents did not support health promotion strategies and most of them did not relate with the health priorities of the Ministry of Public Health in Cuba. Among those that dealt with priority contents, there were no topics about water, environmental protection and vector control, drug addiction, mental disorders, oral and dental diseases, disability, health at school, occupational health, care of the older adult and others. Just 5.8% of these articles reflected health policies but they were addressed implicitly rather than explicitly from a scientific perspective. The curative approach was predominant. Conclusions Health topics in the studied documentes neither focused on health dissemination nor backed the health promotion strategies and priorities of the Ministry of Public Health.

Keywords : Health promotion; public health; social communication; communication media; health-specialized journalism; scientific diffusion; communication assessment; informetrics; digital media; electronic publications; serial publications; press Websites.

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