The Role of Media in Development of Health and Social Welfare

Information is an essential element of wise decision making and appropriate information empowers people and communities. Use of media and modern information and communication technologies (satellites, optical fibers, and the Web) enables people, groups, and other entities to achieve the latest knowledge from distant locations by using just a computer, modem and/or telephone. Actually, globalization is possible only through information and communication technology. Advancements in medicine and modern communicating information with clients, have changed the method of delivering health information and services, and have affected the health of people and community increasingly. The convergence of media (computer, phone, TV, radio, video, print and audio) and the development of the Internet have created an infrastructure for a comprehensive communication network. These infrastructure facilities have led to a growing collection of health information, health-related support services, and development of information technology for health issues. Channels providing information, such as the Web, have increased the options available for health experts for communicating with patients and clients, as well as the options provided for patients and clients to interact with heath specialists and each other to attain information. Comparing to the traditional mass media, interactive communicating media (e. g. the Internet) provides great benefits for health related information and communication technology.These benefits include: 1- Improving access to individual health information2- Accessing information, support, and requested health services by health professionals and patients3- Enhancing the ability to spread information in large scale4- Supporting timely decision making5- Providing more options for clientsDigital technologies are used well in communications for health in order to support comprehensive prevention programs. Prevention focused on society shifts the attention from the individual to the group level change and emphasizes on enabling individuals and communities to bring about change in different levels.