Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations Theory: Its Utility and Value in Public Health

Discusses Everett Rogers' Diffusion of Innovations Theory and its utility and value in public health. The diffusion of communication process that tended to be linear and "individual", to more interactive models of communication in which participants create and share information to arrive at mutual understandings of new values, new concepts, and new practices. The diffusion of innovation framework is proving flexible enough to conceptualize many kinds of social change, including change through processes of public dialogue and civic participation, change within organizations, as well as change through public agenda setting and media effects. What we found in those early programs was that it was possible-recognizing the transitions and phases of change by potential adopters of new technologies and innovations, coupled with the growing power then of the new broadcast media, radio and television and, of behavior and adoption.