Media relations, threat and health problem -solving behaviors: Extension and application of communication infrastructure theory and research

This study is concerned with the challenges of reaching new immigrant and minority ethnic communities with crucial health related information to help them live their everyday lives in a context of threat and ambiguity. It examined the media ecology of two new immigrant Hispanic communities with respect to their connections to different mediated and interpersonal communicators or 'storytellers' for the attainment of their daily and health related goals. Both theoretical and empirical missions are pursued.;Theoretically, the study reviewed the communication infrastructure theory and applied the theory to the area of health communication and health problem solving behaviors. Based on prior research evidencing the power of storytelling to mobilize and encourage civic engagement, it was proposed that the discursive activities of local storytellers may constitute the community capacity needed to mobilize for health resources. In addition, this study reviewed the media system dependency theory and explored how perceptions of health related threat and ambiguity may affect residents' communication behaviors and intensify their connections to the resources in the storytelling system.;Empirically, using quantitative survey and qualitative focus group interviews conducted in two predominantly Hispanic communities in Los Angeles, the study investigated the role and importance of various communication media in the lives of new immigrant Hispanics to uncover the best ways to reach them with health information. This study also tested four models of how health related threat and ambiguity is associated with residents' communication connections.;Results from a dataset of 739 randomly selected survey respondents and 51 focus group participants indicated that new immigrant Hispanics prefer ethnic and electronic media over mainstream and print media for achieving the various personal and collective goals of their everyday lives. The telephone was highlighted as an important media for their daily goals and for health related emergencies. Results also showed that the Internet is relatively less important for most new immigrant Hispanics who face various constraints in their efforts to connect to online social and health resources. Finally, the study discussed the implications of this research for health practitioners and communicators.