{"id":298,"date":"2020-10-05T15:39:00","date_gmt":"2020-10-05T15:39:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/wpmu.mau.se\/nmict202group3\/?p=298"},"modified":"2024-04-19T08:34:19","modified_gmt":"2024-04-19T08:34:19","slug":"298","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/wpmu.mau.se\/nmict202group3\/2020\/10\/05\/298\/","title":{"rendered":"Strengthening public awareness"},"content":{"rendered":"
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Nowadays volunteering is becoming increasingly popular, which also involves projects in health care. The reasons behind volunteering are varied, from taking social responsibility, through gathering new competences till religious motivations. Similarly, the actual impact on local communities is mixed. It was explained earlier which factors we must consider if we wish to help<\/a>. The lack of adequate knowledge, cultural sensitivity, and a comprehensive understanding of socio-economic characteristics of communities, unfortunately, can easily cause more harm than good. While avoiding economic harm, personal damage and diminishment of confidence should be the main precondition, volunteering in health care settings often requires medical diploma. \u00a0In the meantime, there is an increasing focus on global health disparities, such as access to healthcare, health literacy, unaffordability of treatments, and ageing population.<\/p>\r\n\r\n\r\n\r\n

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International organizations put a great emphasis on global health development, see Sustainable Development Goals<\/a><\/u>, and community movements advocate for fair and equal health care. Through news, health campaigns, advertisement, art and cinema \u2013 not to mention the rapidly growing and transforming digital culture \u2013 we came across with different health inadequacies every day. Especially in the current health crisis, the pandemic showed to the whole globe that it can affect everyone regardless of race, gender, nationality or class. So, keeping in mind the complexities of today\u2019s development agenda, how can we maintain our motive for action? How can we \u2013 as members of the public – participate in decreasing the global disease burden?\u00a0 Going to the global south is not the only way, community health volunteering can play a key role to raise awareness.<\/p>\r\n

Digital divide could contribute to higher health disparities<\/strong><\/p>\r\n

As an example, broadband Internet access (BIA) is recognized as a social determinant of health due to its impact on how people access, learn and decode information. Nonetheless, offline as well as online health promotion is an effective tool for public health[1]<\/sup><\/a>. It goes beyond prevention and reducing the disease burden. It combines advocating for better public health policies, enhancing multisector community actions and building support groups by taking advantage of its relatively low cost, virtual participation and real-time communication, worldwide.<\/p>\r\n

Global development cooperation and non-governmental organisations have been using social marketing in international health campaigns to raise awareness, pressure governments and invite members of the public to take action. Thanks to technological development, raising awareness stepped up to a new level. As an example, on World Cancer Day<\/a><\/u> 2020 nearly 1,000 events took place in 113 countries and 65 governments got engaged. World Cancer Day also invites volunteers to translate campaign materials so the message can reach a global audience.<\/p>\r\n