Partnering with the Public Library for Health Care Education: An Evaluation of Affordable Care Act Messages

ABSTRACT

Despite implementation of most of the provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) by 2014, the public still has questions about the health care law. To assess the potential of using the library as a hub for ACA education, we tested existing and new culturally relevant messages about the health care law with twenty-seven community members. Participants discussed the message prototypes, including the visual components and promotional content, and provided advice to modify content and design to best reach target audiences. Future research can follow this example to engage libraries and community members in developing and evaluating culturally relevant health messages.

KEYWORDS:

• Advertisements
• focus groups
• health care law
• health communication
• public library
• qualitative research

Acknowledgment

We thank our focus group participants and moderators.

Funding

Funding provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Additional information

Funding

Funding provided by the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation.

Notes on contributors

Daniela B. Friedman

Daniela B. Friedman, PhD, is in the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior & Statewide Cancer Prevention and Control Program, Arnold School of Public Health, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Vance Kornegay

Vance Kornegay, MMC, is in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Andrea Tanner

Andrea Tanner, PhD, is in the School of Journalism and Mass Communications, University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Caroline D. Bergeron

Caroline D. Bergeron, DrPH, is in the Department of Health Promotion, Education, and Behavior, Arnold School of Public Health University of South Carolina, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Diana C. Sisson

Diana C. Sisson, Ph.D., is in the School of Communications & Journalism, Auburn University, Auburn, Alabama, USA.

Megan A. Weis

Megan A. Weis, DrPH, is at the South Carolina Institute of Medicine and Public Health, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.

Lee L. Patterson

Lee L. Patterson, MSW, is at the Richland Library, Columbia, South Carolina, USA.