The contribution of communication to health: a study on radio communication about risk in greater São Paulo

Abstract

This paper aims to analyze how the communication of public health risks takes place and the influence of these messages on the listener's lives, through community broadcasting ("8 de Dezembro" located in Vargem, Grande Paulista-SP and "Cantareira", located in Vila Brasilandia, Sao Paulo-SP) using statements by their listeners. Documents produced by the broadcasters on health and health surveillance and quali-quantitative interviews with 106 listeners were analyzed. Collective-Subject-Discourse (CSD), which combines the qualitative and quantitative aspects of research was the methodology used. Next, the data were tabulated using Qualiquantsoft software. It was concluded that community radio can be a space for communication on public health, using edu-communicative processes, i.e., it may play an educational role in the community, encouraging the communication of health risks in an efficient and democratic way. In edu-communication, reception is critical and interacts with the broadcast, giving the message new meaning based on experiences of local, social, cultural, educational and religious life, among others.