What is meant by the 'impact' of a message?

The 'impact' of a message refers to how influential it is likely to be on the audience and their subsequent actions or beliefs. In health communication, the effectiveness of a message is measured by the change it incurs in knowledge, attitudes, or behavior among its recipients. A message with significant impact has the power to resonate with the audience and drive behavior change, which is a key goal in health communication campaigns.

While clarity, emotional response, and relevance are important aspects of communication, they serve as mechanisms that can contribute to the overall impact but do not define it. Clarity and coherence are essential for ensuring that the audience understands the message, emotional responses can enhance engagement and retention, and relevance affects how long the message stays pertinent to the audience. However, the central idea of 'impact' focuses on the effectiveness and influence that a message has on its audience, making it the correct interpretation in this context.