Diabetic Healthcare Awareness in Malaysia: The Role of Poster as a Communication Medium

Poster has been a medium of communication in public healthcare since World War I and II. During then, Europe, America and Soviet used poster to channel the minds of their society towards one common insight. From this iconic scenario, the term poster propaganda has emerged. To date, posters have been used extensively in many areas especially healthcare education. Poster in healthcare as particular is the tool and medium for health-behaviour change to attain healthcare awareness. In Malaysia, numerous diabetic campaigns on diabetic healthcare awareness with the aid of posters have been held throughout the country. The use of poster by the government is meant to trigger the public on the hazardous alarm of diabetes. However, despite various efforts from government to the public through diabetes posters, Malaysian diabetes statistic still increases drastically from 1.6 million in 2011 to 2.6 million in 2012. The huge increase in statistic invites an enquiry on the role of diabetic posters as a communication medium on diabetic healthcare awareness. This study explores public opinions through observation and interview in three different regions to describe and interpret public opinion on current diabetic posters. Beneficial entries from this study would go to the Ministry of Health Malaysia, Malaysian Diabetic Society and the public towards a better understanding on the role of diabetic poster as a communication medium in diabetic healthcare awareness.