Communication Hotspots: How Infrastructure Shapes People’s Health

ABSTRACT

Informed by communication infrastructure theory (CIT) and the social capital approach to health, this study focused on the role played by communication hotspots: physical places in a community (e.g., parks, churches, or restaurants) where health information is shared between network actors. By analyzing survey data that included information about communication infrastructure, frequency of health conversations, as well as the size and diversity of respondents’ social networks, this study illustrates how communication hotspots may reduce perceived barriers to healthcare among Latinas in the greater Los Angeles area (N = 780). The results suggest that communication hotspots can influence people’s health by facilitating information-sharing activities. In addition, communication hotspots may reduce perceived barriers to healthcare by bringing together diverse network actors. We conclude by considering future health interventions and policy planning to leverage and enhance community members’ interactions at communication hotspots.

Notes

1. Although Hispanic and Latino represent two different terms, we refer to our population of interest as “Hispanic/Latino” for two reasons. First, the inclusion criteria in this study focused both on individuals who identify themselves as Hispanics (people of Spanish-speaking origin) and those who identify as Latinos (people of Latin American origin). Second, federal agencies such as the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) tend to combine these two racial/ethnic categories when describing health-related statistics and trends. Thus, most of our knowledge regarding health disparities among Latino individuals also includes Hispanics, and vice versa.

2. Smaller categories included libraries, gyms, markets, grocery stores, and bus stops.

3. Adapted from Chew et al. (2004), respondents’ health literacy was assessed with a single item, “how confident are you filling out medical forms by yourself?”, on a 5-point scale, ranging from 1 “not at all” to 5 “highly confident” (M = 3.53, SD = 1.01).

Additional information

Funding

This work was supported by the National Cancer Institute through Barriers to Cervical Cancer Prevention in Hispanic Women: A Multilevel Approach, an award to the University of Southern California (R01CA155326—Murphy/Ball-Rokeach). The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and does not represent official views of the National Cancer Institute or the National Institutes of Health.