The Role of Radiosalamat in Educating Colorectal Cancer Patients (During the COVID-19 Pandemic)

 Introduction: In times of crises and social pandemics, various media outlets, including radio, play a vital role in raising awareness, providing education, and promoting public health. Modern medicine today emphasizes health and the well-being of healthy individuals rather than focusing solely on diseases or patients. Mass media serve as one of the most common communication platforms for reaching large audiences and striving to reform, improve, and transform health-oriented behaviors and lifestyles. Since radio is an accessible medium capable of delivering information to people in both rural and urban areas, it continues to be regarded as one of the essential and public media worldwide, even in the era of new technologies. Many countries have relied on radio stations to combat the spread of fake news and misinformation about COVID-19. In addition to fostering public trust, radio has contributed to disseminating scientific facts about epidemics and their consequences, while also providing education and information about the novel virus to its audiences. This study, focusing on the COVID-19 epidemic in Iran, examines the role of Radiosalamat in informing and educating audiences during the quarantine period.
Background: Numerous studies have been conducted on the role of mass and social media, the examination of fake and real news, media coverage, and media consumption patterns during the COVID-19 pandemic. Yasamin and colleagues (2023) investigated the performance of the Islamic Republic of Iran Broadcasting (IRIB) during the pandemic and emphasized the necessity of health-oriented education in national media as one of the key factors in addressing the COVID-19 crisis. Anvar, Soltanifar, and Aghazadeh (2022) also examined the responsibility of the media in managing the pandemic. Doroudlou and colleagues (2022), aiming to assess the overall role and responsibility of radio stations in combating fake news during COVID-19, researched media literacy and misinformation. Hernandez (2020) identified radio as a vital and indispensable medium for information dissemination and raising public awareness during the COVID-19 crisis. Furthermore, Michalis Kouyoumdjian (2014), employing Dependency Theory, explored the impact of radio on imagination in Turkey through the experiences of 101 radio listeners.
Research Objective: This study aims to explain the impact of Radiosalamat on patients’ lives during times of crises, including the COVID-19 pandemic, and to identify the fundamental needs of audiences regarding access to health-oriented information.
Research Question: What has been the role of Radiosalamat in educating colorectal cancer patients during the COVID-19 pandemic, and how has this target audience received and utilized the educational content distributed by the broadcaster?
Methodology: The present study employs a descriptive analytical method with an audience-centered approach. The study population consists of patients diagnosed with colorectal cancer, and the medium under investigation is Radiosalamat. Data were collected through observation, library resources, interviews with target patients, and the use of Radiosalamat programs related to COVID-19 during the years 2019 and 2020.
Target Audience: Colorectal cancer is the third most common cancer worldwide and the second leading cause of cancer-related death, primarily affecting individuals over the age of 50, with an average age of 64 at diagnosis. A family history of colorectal cancer or polyps increases the risk of developing the disease, and raising awareness among these groups can help reduce mortality. The use of modern surgical techniques, early detection, adequate treatment, and preventive health programs play a crucial role in improving patient survival and prognosis. Moreover, in critical situations such as the COVID-19 pandemic, these patients are more vulnerable, and education and information dissemination through mass media, particularly radio, can enhance awareness and reduce risk.
Result: During the COVID-19 pandemic, Radiosalamat, as a flexible and low-cost medium, played a significant role in educating and informing colorectal cancer patients. The widespread reduction of surgeries and disruptions in the treatment process highlighted the necessity of utilizing radio for prescriptive and interactive education. Radio programs were delivered in live, produced, simple, and mixed formats, and their effectiveness was enhanced through the participation of colorectal specialists and surgeons, the use of simple language, appropriate timing, and the creation of interactive spaces with listeners. Considering the characteristics of the target audience, such as higher average age, illiteracy or visual impairment, and limited access to new media educational content needed to be tailored to their social, economic, and lifestyle conditions. These programs not only improved awareness and reduced patients’ anxiety but also enabled direct interaction with specialists, serving as a model for managing similar crises in the future. Moreover, the COVID-19 experience demonstrated that selecting a specific audience and designing targeted programs can play a crucial role in enhancing health literacy and improving patients’ quality of life.
Conclusion: Ultimately, it is concluded that during pandemics, the audience should be regarded as a collective phenomenon. Moreover, the selection of the primary audience must be based on the significance of the media message as a trusted source, so that the necessary education can be effectively delivered to the target community, particularly to more vulnerable groups such as colorectal cancer patients.