| Title | Chapter 5: Harnessing digital communication technology to mobilise health awareness |
|---|---|
| DOI | https://doi.org/10.4102/aosis.2024.BK466.05 |
| Landing page | https://books.aosis.co.za/index.php/ob/catalog/book/466 |
| License | https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/4.0/ |
| Copyright | Mirna Nel, Phil van Schalkwyk, Abiodun Salawu, Gustav Butler & Gilbert Motsaathebe (eds.). Licensee: AOSIS (Pty) Ltd. The moral right of the editors and authors has been asserted. |
| Publisher | AOSIS |
| Published on | 2026-06-09 |
| Long abstract | Given the growing prominence and affordances of digital media in the communication space, it becomes significant for users of digital technologies to be up-to-date with the ever-dynamic concepts, acquaintances and practices related to the new media. The terms ‘digital media’ or ‘new media’ are often interchangeably used when referring to ‘media or communication technology’. Hence, for a consistent approach to this study, the term ‘digital communication technologies’ (DCTs) was maintained to concentrate on digital media’s communicative characteristics. The purpose of this paper is to examine, traverse and identify with the digital media technology in communication space as a divergent platform of knowledge exploration, unload pertinent aspects of affordances it contributes to the world of communication in modern society, construe inherent concepts in social media, social networking sites, internet and other aspects of the DCTs. Also, the paper explores students’ insights into how digital media platforms can advance the promotion of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) prevention strategies, such as the uptake of oral pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP), a significant public-health approach to taking charge of their own health and well-being. Undoubtedly, in the current digital space, people are empowered to increase awareness and control over several dynamics affecting their health. A qualitative and semi-structured survey approach was utilised to draw conclusions on how the public harnessed the affordances and influence of digital media technologies for health communication. The results show the participative and connectivity opportunities DCTs allow to enhance communication success, particularly towards health communication. |
| Print length | 19 pages |
| Language | English (Original) |
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Adedamola T Akinlade obtained his PhD in Culture, Communication and Media Studies from the Howard College campus of the University of KwaZulu-Natal (UKZN). He is currently a lecturer at the School of Social Sciences in the Department of Sociology at the Howard College and Pietermaritzburg campuses of UKZN. He lectures undergraduate and postgraduate students at an honours level in the clinical sociology subdivision. Before entering academia, he had years of industry experience in a number of corporate sectors; Akinlade worked in various agencies, non-governmental and clients’ sides, where he was in charge of media relations, community engagement and development in health, youth and women programmes, charitable establishments, communication management and public relations among others. Akinlade believes the nexus between his private sector and academic experience would benefit his academic prospects and the quest to impart young minds in the university learning space. He is a member of relevant professional bodies. He researched and published book chapters and worked on several journal articles while contributing to this book. Akinlade’s research interests include intersectional collaboration on social issues and the environment, interventionist approach to social problems, social change, multidisciplinary approach to culture and society, public health communication, inequality, social movements, tactical media studies and effects, social interventions and strategic application, community engagement, participatory communication and corporate social responsibility.
Eliza M Govender is an associate professor and academic leader of the Centre for Communication, Media and Society (CCMS) in the School of Applied Human Sciences at UKZN, South Africa. Govender is an NRF-rated researcher and is internationally recognised in the field of health communication from a social change perspective. Her teaching and research interests include entertainment education, communication for social and behavioural change and participatory methodologies for implementation science research in human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) combination prevention. Govender has been nominated as chair of the Health Communication Working Group of the IAMCR for a second term. She serves on the editorial board of Communicare and the Journal for Applied Communication Research. Her co-edited books Communicating COVID-19 Interdisciplinary Perspectives (Springer, 2021) and Communicating COVID-19: Media, Trust and Public Engagement (Springer, 2024) explore the interdisciplinary communicative responses from various countries and expand the conversations to highlight some of the communication and media challenges to address health and pandemics.
Elvis Madondo joined the Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, as a lecturer in 2019 in the Department of Marketing and Retail Management and later moved to the Department of Public Relations Management. Madondo obtained his PhD in Management Sciences, specialising in Marketing, from Durban University of Technology. Madondo has presented research papers at eleven international conferences and published six articles in various journals. His research interests lie in social media marketing, customer relationship management, digital marketing, advertising, ethics and consumer behaviour.