Strategic Communication in third sector organizations: Alzheimer disease and other dementias in Portugal

Eiró-Gomes, Mafalda; Nunes, Tatiana Filipa Gomes

Publication

Strategic Communication in third sector organizations: Alzheimer disease and other dementias in Portugal

2017-10Conference object

dc.contributor.author	Eiró-Gomes, Mafalda
dc.contributor.author	Nunes, Tatiana Filipa Gomes
dc.date.accessioned	2018-05-07T17:45:44Z
dc.date.available	2018-05-07T17:45:44Z
dc.date.issued	2017-10
dc.description.abstract	The World Health Organization estimates that worldwide there are 47.5 million people with dementia, a number that can reach 75.6 million in 2030 and nearly triple in 2050 to 135.5 million (World Health Organization [WHO] 2015). The high prevalence rate associated to numerous challenges and difficulties for which pass patients and caregivers, makes this a central problem of public health (World Health Organization [WHO] & Alzheimer’s Disease International 2012). The loss of capacities that characterizes the dementia impacts not only the patient but also on their nuclear family, as a result of the gradual reduction of the ability of the person to perform the daily activities independently. Around the world, and Portugal is no exception, associations of patients, family and friends assume a prominent role. Third Sector organizations are often the only source of support and information for both patients and caregivers. The purpose of their acting is, precisely, to support those who are affected by the disease, contributing to an increase in the quality of life of people with dementia and those who provide them care. The Alzheimer Portugal Association, Alzheimer Acores Association and Alzheimer Pinhal Litoral Association are the three non-profit organizations in Portugal dedicated to support people with Alzheimer disease and/or any other forms of dementia. Within their role they also seek to study and increase the existent knowledge about the disease. Therefore, this work aims to understand how the third sector organizations’ communications strategies are contributing to the fulfillment of their role as non-profits, in what concerns the promotion of health knowledge on dementia. This work intends to contribute with a perspective of strategic communication, putting the focus in the communication strategies of these organizations and in their contribution to the fulfillment of their missions. In this way, this research seeks to provide a practical perspective to the Strategic Communication of these organizations by applying a mixed explanatory and sequential methodology. First, through a quantitative methodology, this work analyses the knowledge of people with dementia family caregivers, the principal target audience of third sector organizations. The Alzheimer’s Disease Knowledge Scale (Carpenter et al. 2009) consists of a 30 true /false questions questionnaire where we can evaluate the knowledge about the disease in 7 major themes, namely, assessment and diagnosis, symptoms, risk factors, treatment, development and progression of the disease, caregiving and impact on the patient's life. Second, based on a qualitative analysis, this research examines the communication that has been made by the three above named organizations. We analyzed their websites, Facebook pages, institutional newsletters and press releases. In what concerns the fulfillment of their mission, this work advocates that the third sector organizations must develop their strategies in accordance to the needs of their target audience. This will only be achieved when they integrate the public interest communication within their communication strategy. In the specific case of dementia, it is also crucial to incorporate health communication as the driving force to promote health literacy. The theoretical basis behind all the research is, first of all, a concept of communication that cannot be understood merely as transmission of information. Communication is action and only in this way we can understand Public Relations in third sector organizations as the real Social PR advocated by the Critical School of PR (White & Mazur 1995; L’Etang 2009; L’Etang 2013). We realize that strategic communication in these organizations have a real contribution to society, building and managing strategies aimed at changing knowledge, attitudes and behaviors in public, having as purpose the common good and the development of society. To sum up, this work aims at achieving an increased understanding on the status of strategic communication by the organizations working with dementia diseases in our country. It tries to comprehend whether the existent communication matches the caregivers’ needs, and whether it is raising the level of health literacy in Portugal.	pt_PT
dc.description.version	N/A	pt_PT
dc.identifier.citation	EIRÓ-GOMES, Mafalda; NUNES, Tatiana - Strategic Communication in third sector organizations: alzheimer disease and other dementias in Portugal. In: EUPRERA, 19th Annual Congress: public relations and the power of creativity, strategic opportunities, innovation and critical challenges, London, (College of Communication, University of the Arts London), England, 2017 (12-14 october)	pt_PT
dc.identifier.uri	http://hdl.handle.net/10400.21/8485
dc.language.iso	eng	pt_PT
dc.peerreviewed	yes	pt_PT
dc.publisher	EUPRERA - European Public Relations Education and Research Association	pt_PT
dc.relation.publisherversion	http://www.euprera.eu/2017/07/26/euprera-2017-congress-in-london-full-programme-now-available/	pt_PT
dc.rights.uri	http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0/	pt_PT
dc.subject	Strategic communication	pt_PT
dc.subject	Communication in the public interest	pt_PT
dc.subject	Health communication	pt_PT
dc.subject	Health literacy	pt_PT
dc.subject	Doença de Alzheimer	pt_PT
dc.subject	Dementia	pt_PT
dc.subject	Family carers	pt_PT
dc.title	Strategic Communication in third sector organizations: Alzheimer disease and other dementias in Portugal	pt_PT
dc.type	conference object
dspace.entity.type	Publication
oaire.citation.conferencePlace	London, England	pt_PT
oaire.citation.title	EUPRERA, 19th Annual Congress: public relations and the power of creativity, strategic opportunities, innovation and critical challenges	pt_PT
rcaap.rights	closedAccess	pt_PT
rcaap.type	conferenceObject	pt_PT