Understanding the risk and efficacy beliefs underlying farmers' (mis)management of arthritis: Implications for designing and delivering effective health communication
Abstract
The purpose of this study was to identify the risk and efficacy beliefs associated with farmers’ (mis)management of arthritis and to understand the content and channel of health communication that farmers desire for effective management of arthritis. Five specific research questions were proposed: (1) What arthritis-related consequences do farmers perceive to be serious? (2A) What treatment methods do farmers believe to be efficacious? (2B) What underlying beliefs are associated with the differential levels of response efficacy? (3) What types of arthritis-related health information do farmers need? and (4) From what sources do farmers prefer to receive arthritis-related health information? Three focus groups were conducted with a total of 20 participants, 10 male and 10 female. The average age of the farmers was 64.25 years. Seventy percent of the participants had been diagnosed with arthritis for an average 11.42 years. The participants believed that the most severe arthritis-related consequences they faced were treatments, lifestyle modifications, and physical limitations. The consequences from treatments included side effects and lost work time for farmers. The side effects caused farmers to have to schedule their activities around their medication time. Because time is extremely valuable to farmers, any lost time results in lost productivity which can lead to economic loss for farmers. Although farmers were sure that there is an effective arthritis management in existence, they were unsure what it is or where to find it. Participants in this study believed that recommended methods such as exercises, medications such as prescription drugs, and alternative methods such as glucosamine chondroitin were the most efficacious methods to manage arthritis. Importantly, when they believed in their ability to battle arthritis, they were more likely to believe their treatment methods were working. Put differently, farmers were more likely to have an increased response efficacy when they have a high self-efficacy. Overall, farmers desired two major types of information. The first concerned ways to live with arthritis and its effects. The second was prevention information. Participants wanted younger farmers to know how to prevent arthritis and also recognize the early symptoms. Farmers wanted the information to be available from different sources including personal sources such as spouses, friends, and people who have arthritis, and mediated sources such as the Internet.
Degree
M.A.
Advisors
Cho, Purdue University.
Subject Area
Public Health Education|Agricultural education|Health education|Mass communications
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