Health Communication & Social Marketing
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Health communication is defined as the study and use of communication strategies to inform and influence individual and community decisions that enhance health (NCI 2001) .
- The scope of health communication includes disease prevention, health promotion, health care policy, and the business of health care as well as enhancement of the quality of life and health of individuals within the community.
- Health communication considers a variety of channels to deliver its targeted or tailored messages to specific segments among varied audiences, including individuals, communities, health professionals, special groups, and policy makers.
Social marketing is the use of strategic marketing practices “…to influence social behaviors not to benefit the marketer, but to benefit the target audience.” (Kotler & Andreasen, 2003)
- Social marketing is customer centered and focuses on three major decisions: segmentation, targeting and positioning. Guided by these decisions, the “marketing mix” (or 4 Ps of marketing: place, price, product & promotion) is developed to produce the desired responses in the target markets.
- Eight established benchmark criteria have been widely accepted as essential components of social marketing efforts: consumer orientation, insight, behavioral objectives, segmentation, exchange, competition, marketing mix, and theory.
Task Force Recommendations & Findings
This table lists interventions reviewed by the Community Guide, with a summary of the Task Force finding (definitions of findings). Click on an underlined intervention title for a summary of the review.
Health Communication Campaigns That Include Mass Media & Health-Related Product Distribution | Recommended December 2010 |
Related Task Force Recommendations & Findings
The following interventions, related to health communication campaigns, are separated by strategy. They can also can be found on the associated topic pages.
Mass Media |
|
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Cancer Prevention & Control Preventing Skin Cancer: Mass Media Campaigns | Insufficient Evidence June 2011 |
Motor Vehicle-Related Injury Prevention Reducing Alcohol-Impaired Driving: Mass Media Campaigns | Recommended June 2002 |
Obesity Prevention & Control Mass Media Interventions to Reduce Screen Time | Insufficient Evidence January 2008 |
Promoting Physical Activity Campaigns and Informational Approaches: Mass Media Campaigns | Insufficient Evidence March 2010 |
Tobacco Use Increasing Tobacco Use Cessation: Mass Media—Cessation Series | Insufficient Evidence May 2000 |
Small Media |
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Cancer Prevention & Control Client-Oriented Screening Interventions: Small Media | Recommended December 2005 |
Interpersonal Communication (e.g., group education, one-on-one counseling) |
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Cancer Prevention & Control Client-Oriented Screening Interventions: One-on-One Education | Recommended March 2010 |
Motor Vehicle-Related Injury Prevention Use of Child Safety Seats: Distribution and Education Programs | Recommended June 1998 |
Obesity Prevention & Control Provider-Oriented Interventions: Provider Education | Insufficient Evidence October 2007 |
Promoting Physical Activity Campaigns and Informational Approaches: Classroom-Based Health Education Focused on Providing Information | Insufficient Evidence October 2000 |
Vaccinations to Prevent Diseases Universally Recommended Vaccinations: Provider Education When Used Alone | Insufficient Evidence March 2010 |
Violence Prevention Focused on Children and Youth School-Based Programs to Reduce Violence | Recommended June 2005 |
Comprehensive, Community-wide Approach |
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Cancer Prevention & Control Preventing Skin Cancer: Community-wide Multicomponent Interventions | Insufficient Evidence April 2012 |
Motor Vehicle-Related Injury Prevention Use of Child Safety Seats: Community-Wide Information and Enhanced Enforcement Campaigns | Recommended June 1998 |
Prevention of Birth Defects Community-Wide Campaigns to Promote the Use of Folic Acid Supplements | Recommended June 2004 |
Promoting Physical Activity Campaigns and Informational Approaches: Community-Wide Campaigns | Recommended February 2001 |
Vaccinations to Prevent Diseases Universally Recommended Vaccinations: Community-Based Interventions Implemented in Combination | Recommended June 2010 |
Promotional Materials
Community Guide News: Effectiveness of Health Communication Campaigns That Include Mass Media and Health-Related Product Distribution
Developed by The Community Guide
For More on this Topic
CDC, Gateway to Health Communication & Social Marketing Practice
National Cancer Institute’s Making Health Communication Programs Work (Pink Book)
Related Topics
Motor Vehicle-Related Injury Prevention: Use of Child Safety Seats
Referenced Documents
Kotler P, Andreasen A. Strategic marketing for nonprofit organizations (6th edition). New York: Prentice-Hall; 2003.Disclaimer
The findings and conclusions on this page are those of the Community Preventive Services Task Force and do not necessarily represent those of CDC.
Sample Citation
The content of publications of the Guide to Community Preventive Services is in the public domain. Citation as to source, however, is appreciated. Sample citation: Guide to Community Preventive Services. Health communication & social marketing. www.thecommunityguide.org/healthcommunication/index.html. Last updated: MM/DD/YYYY.