Content analysis in printed messages about vector-borne diseases in a municipality in Colombia

Vector-borne diseases (VTD), such as dengue, zika and chikungunya, represent a public health problem in Colombia. Municipal authorities and health institutions promoted campaigns to prevent and manage the factors associated with these diseases. However, the municipality of Ocaña registered a high prevalence. A content analysis was carried out on 14 printed communicative messages aimed at preventing vector-borne diseases during the period from 2014 to June 2016. The analysis units included terms referring to the disease, general terms, parts of the text (phrases and sentences) and function and objective of the image, under the control and prevention constructs of VTD with the vector, disease and public codes. The following instruments were used as data collection and analysis instruments: PAHO educational material evaluation instrument, ad-hoc specific instrument for content evaluation and the INFLESZ objective test. Although the legibility of the communicative units was from 'normal' to 'very easy', opportunities for improvement were identified for the understanding and identification of the target audience, necessary for health education, which does not generate conflicting interpretations from the semiotic and semantic aspects about behaviors and behaviors, and above all, that it is perceived as a message that is addressed to a specific audience, with the requirement of contextualization in front of the general guidelines and community participation.