Meet Maristela, the Brazilian mother of 5 children* o Main points of contact include children’s school, local healthcare center, local market o Two of her children’s playmates recently died of kalazar (also know as visceral leishmaniasis) o Diagnosis was missed on first visit to healthcare center; low recognition of key symptoms among health care providers; parents do not know enough about the disease to suggest that physicians/healthcare providers consider it as a potential diagnosis o Second visit to healthcare center was just too late o Closest healthcare center is several miles from Maristela’s rural village; transportation problems may delay care Note: Kalazar presents vague symptoms such as fever, weight loss, fatigue, loss of appetite, and an enlarged spleen and liver (CDC, 2006) — also known as “potbelly”. The disease is endemic in the Northeastern region of Brazil and is primarily found in rural areas. The disease has a high mortality rate among children less than five years of age. Treatment is available and effective if administered not too late after the disease’s onset. Based on the above information and on the definition/examples provided in your book (Schiavo, R. Health Communication: F
rom Theory to Practice. Second Edition. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass, an imprint of Wiley, 2013) 1) Develop the following elements of a potential health communication program intended to engage Maristela and her peers (Brazilian parents of young children who live in rural areas): Your paper should be 1- 2 pages, double-spaced, and follow APA 7th edition formatting. You will include the primary NCHEC Area of Responsibility and Competencies you are addressing in this assignment as a separate paragraph. Discuss the areas you are practicing for this assignment and the specific competency(ies) you are utilizing. Discuss the importance of these competencies as it relates to the profession of public health. Make sure all program elements are connected (and supportive of each other) and take into account the information (situation- and audience-specific facts) shared in this handout 2) Use one or two sentences to describe how you will make sure that your messages and activities (a) are culturally competent and (b) adequately address the needs of low health literacy groups such as Maristela and her peers (indicate specific activities or methods). What kind of media channels will you consider to reach Maristela and her peers?