Biomedical subjects

A F Poussaint

Publications and source records attributed to A F Poussaint.

16 recordsLinked to original sources

PubMed2000

Common themes from the extremes: using two methodologies to examine adolescents' perceptions of anti-violence public service announcements.

PURPOSE: To determine in what ways adolescents perceive public service announcements (PSAs) in general and, more specifically, anti-violence health messages. METHODS: Seventy-nine adolescents who were involved with the issue of violence (39 pro-social, 40 incarcerated) participated. These youth were from four sites (Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, Detroit, Michigan, Albuquerque, New Mexico, and Portland, Oregon) and were chosen at random from a pool recommended by community leaders. First, adolescents were questioned on their demographics and knowledge of, attitudes about, and experience with, violence. Then, adolescents rated eight PSAs on levels of interest, understanding, believability, and perceived effect. In semistructured individual interviews, the adolescents discussed each of the PSAs as well as how health messages can effectively reach young people. We used quantitative and qualitative methodologies to analyze the data. RESULTS: Adolescents had similar opinions about the presented messages and using PSAs. Across both the pro-social and incarcerated groups, adolescents (a) opposed celebrity spokespeople, (b) preferred authentic-looking characters and realistic situations, (c) dismissed messages directed at either younger or older audiences, (d) confused abstractions, (e) focused on visuals, and (f) suggested using graphic images. CONCLUSIONS: The similarities observed between the pro-social and incarcerated adolescents may arise from the fact that, although the nature of their experience varied, both groups had high levels of issue involvement. From this study, we can make three recommendations for creating messages: (a) use authentic-looking characters in realistic situations; (b) employ simple, visual, and graphic messages; and (c) do formative evaluations with target audiences.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Public service announcement perceptions: a quantitative examination of anti-violence messages.

CONTEXT: In recent years, anti-violence public service announcements (PSAs) have been broadcast on commercial and cable networks. OBJECTIVE: This study examined if and how teenagers' demographics and background variables were related to the perceptions of several anti-violence PSAs. DESIGN: This was a pencil-and-paper survey that had teenagers provide information about their demographics and knowledge of, attitudes about, and experience with violence. Then, teenagers screened and responded to several PSAs, indicating their levels of interest in, comprehension of, credibility given, and perceived effect for each message. SETTING AND PARTICIPANTS: In public school settings, data were collected from a sample of 1,480 urban, suburban, and rural midwestern teenagers. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Interest in, comprehension of, credibility given, and perceived effect of PSAs. RESULTS: Using bivariate and multivariate analyses, we found significant but weak relationships between teenagers' characteristics and perceptions of anti-violence PSAs. CONCLUSION: This study suggests that audience segmentation be based not only on demographics but also on factors specifically related to the presented topic.

Adolescent↗

PubMed1999

Clinical experience and minority group students. A perspective from Harvard Medical School.

Medical educators realize that there are no simple predictors for student performance in the clinical training years. College grades and Medical College Admission Test scores may suggest the strength of a student's achievement in the basic sciences but cannot be relied on to predict efficacy in patient care. There is no fool proof way of assessing noncognitive abilities critical to clinical competence. However, in admissions, extracurricular activities, community service, leadership abilities, recommendations, and interviews are examined to assess personal strengths. The author's observations suggest that noncognitive attributes are important in the success of disadvantaged students. Although some, but not all, with low Medical College Admission Test scores may not excel in the basic sciences, once they reach the clinical years, a leveling of the playing field gives them an opportunity to show their special competence with patients. Minority students, perhaps because of their own life experiences, often are alert to the needs and sensitivities of patients. As a group, they are respectful of the dignity of patients. Many embrace the dictum: treat every patient as you would want a family member to be treated. Most minority students, despite pressures of being a minority in predominantly white environments, perform at a very high level in the clinical years and thereafter.

Achievement↗

PubMed1990