Soap-Opera-Style Spanish-Language Video Aims to Help Hispanics Prevent or Manage Diabetes
Developing a video to facilitate physical activity and healthy eating among low-literate and illiterate Hispanics
Researchers from the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester, Mass., created a videotaped soap-opera-style drama, "The Challenge of Being Healthy: Martha and Sandra's Story," for use in interventions designed to increase physical activity and improve diets among low-literate and illiterate Hispanic individuals who have diabetes or are at risk of developing the disease.
Key Findings
The researchers evaluated the video with focus groups and found:
Focus group participants could accurately recall the information relayed through the story.
Both healthy Hispanic individuals interested in diabetes prevention and those with diabetes found the videotape appealing and could identify with the behavior-change issues portrayed by the characters.