Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention through Soap Operas

In the past three decades television soap operas have been used as a means of health education and persuasion. In recent years, the proliferation of entertainment television worldwide has made the soap opera a powerful source of educational and social messages. One of the most critical global healt...

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Main Authors: William Brown, Steven Kiruswa, Steven Kiruswa, Benson P. Fraser Benson P. Fraser
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: University of Johannesburg 2022-10-01
Series:Communicare
Subjects:
Online Access:https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1810
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author William Brown
Steven Kiruswa, Steven Kiruswa,
Benson P. Fraser Benson P. Fraser
author_facet William Brown
Steven Kiruswa, Steven Kiruswa,
Benson P. Fraser Benson P. Fraser
author_sort William Brown
collection DOAJ
description In the past three decades television soap operas have been used as a means of health education and persuasion. In recent years, the proliferation of entertainment television worldwide has made the soap opera a powerful source of educational and social messages. One of the most critical global health issues of today is the need to reduce HIV/AIDS infection, particularly on the continent of Africa. In the 1990s, the country of Tanzania broadcast a highly effective radio soap opera to promote HIV/AIDS prevention. In 2000, Tanzania again employed the use of the soap opera to address HIV/AIDS as well as other social issues, this time through television. Our research indicates that the Tanzanian television soap opera employed in this effort, Maisha, effectively promoted HIV/AIDS prevention among television viewers. In particular, those who were more involved with Mashaka, the star of Maisha, were more powerfully influenced by the health messages communicated through the programme. The implications of this research for using entertainment for HIV/AIDS prevention are discussed
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publishDate 2022-10-01
publisher University of Johannesburg
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series Communicare
spelling doaj-art-502d120e9f1541a99bffb4a40ab63de62025-01-20T08:50:39ZengUniversity of JohannesburgCommunicare0259-00692957-79502022-10-0122210.36615/jcsa.v22i2.1810Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention through Soap OperasWilliam Brown0Steven Kiruswa, Steven Kiruswa,1Benson P. Fraser Benson P. Fraser2Regent UniversityRegent UniversityRegent University In the past three decades television soap operas have been used as a means of health education and persuasion. In recent years, the proliferation of entertainment television worldwide has made the soap opera a powerful source of educational and social messages. One of the most critical global health issues of today is the need to reduce HIV/AIDS infection, particularly on the continent of Africa. In the 1990s, the country of Tanzania broadcast a highly effective radio soap opera to promote HIV/AIDS prevention. In 2000, Tanzania again employed the use of the soap opera to address HIV/AIDS as well as other social issues, this time through television. Our research indicates that the Tanzanian television soap opera employed in this effort, Maisha, effectively promoted HIV/AIDS prevention among television viewers. In particular, those who were more involved with Mashaka, the star of Maisha, were more powerfully influenced by the health messages communicated through the programme. The implications of this research for using entertainment for HIV/AIDS prevention are discussed https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1810television soap operashealth education and persuasionproliferationentertainmenteducationalsocial messages
spellingShingle William Brown
Steven Kiruswa, Steven Kiruswa,
Benson P. Fraser Benson P. Fraser
Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention through Soap Operas
Communicare
television soap operas
health education and persuasion
proliferation
entertainment
educational
social messages
title Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention through Soap Operas
title_full Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention through Soap Operas
title_fullStr Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention through Soap Operas
title_full_unstemmed Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention through Soap Operas
title_short Promoting HIV/AIDS Prevention through Soap Operas
title_sort promoting hiv aids prevention through soap operas
topic television soap operas
health education and persuasion
proliferation
entertainment
educational
social messages
url https://journals.uj.ac.za/index.php/jcsa/article/view/1810
work_keys_str_mv AT williambrown promotinghivaidspreventionthroughsoapoperas
AT stevenkiruswastevenkiruswa promotinghivaidspreventionthroughsoapoperas
AT bensonpfraserbensonpfraser promotinghivaidspreventionthroughsoapoperas