Research/Evaluation
Before developing health communication or social marketing campaigns, you have to do your research. This is also the time to plan how you will track and evaluate the success of your campaign. After it's over, you need to evaluate the effectiveness. Keeping abreast of the latest communication science research can help you identify new approaches. On this page you will find "This Just In" Research Summaries, Social Media Metrics, e-Health Data Briefs, Databases, Nonprofit Organizations/Research Centers, Federal Research, Journals and Reports, Research Tools, Evaluation. These sources can help your campaign and health communication achieve maximum impact, and to evaluate their success.
"This Just In" Research Summaries
"This Just In" reports are a quick summary of new health marketing and communication research and trends. These brief "nuggets" spotlight new findings with communication practice implications for CDC and its public health partners.
- Cultural Insights: Learn how to communicate more effectively with Hispanics / Latinos in this report published August, 2011. [PDF-1.07MB]
- New study reveals that negative consequences for healthcare adherence behavior resulting from use of internet health information appear substantial. [PDF-131KB]
- A broader analysis of three years of top ten prime time television shows indicates nearly six in ten episodes featured a health storyline. [PDF-131KB]
- Understanding the utility and application of tailoring messages about health. [PDF-131KB]
- Just half of adults with chronic conditions use the internet; but once online, they are avid consumers of health information. [PDF - 129KB]
- Teenagers can tell the truth about health issues in an e-mail first. [PDF-131KB]
- Children don't just learn about junk food from television, new study shows they also learn from health-related messages. [PDF-132KB]
- A new study reveals moms' most trusted sources of information. [PDF-136KB]
- New study reveals that negative consequences for healthcare adherence behavior resulting from use of internet health information appear substantial. [PDF-131KB]
- Most frequented breast cancer websites need updating in order to motivate women toward healthy prevent [PDF-130KB]
- A broader analysis of three years of top ten prime time television shows indicates nearly six in ten episodes featured a health storyline. [PDF-133KB]
- Understanding the utility and application of tailoring messages about health. [PDF-133KB]
- New study finds that the fractured web community impacts marketing focus [PDF-135KB]
- Effects of images in News Stories [PDF-152KB]
- We knew it was true: Women do call the shots at home, according to the results of a new study [PDF-134KB]
- Parents, you don't have to buy the latest tech toys. A new study reveals that children still enjoy playing with traditional toys. [PDF-134KB]
- A meta-analysis of health communications research finds that there is significant opportunity to tailor health communications more efficiently to different market segments [PDF-132KB]
- New survey on news consumption finds key news audiences now blend online and traditional sources [PDF-134KB]
- Landmark research study from MTV Networks and Harris Interactive, pioneering a new way for advertising brands to target the "most engaged and valuable audiences" [PDF-129KB]
- Message Tailoring, [PDF-130KB]
- Online Vs. Traditional Sources, [PDF-132KB]
Social Media Metrics
Data & Metrics – Understanding communications channels is imperative to conducting strategic, effective and user-centric health interventions, campaigns and outreach.
e-Health Data Briefs
The following data briefs were compiled so we can better understand our users and the most powerful ways to reach them. Each of the briefs contain recent data highlights and current demographic breakdowns for several current and upcoming eHealth channels:
- Blogs [PDF-295KB] Dec 2010
- Mobile Video Users [PDF-250KB] Dec 2010
- Online Health Information
Seekers [PDF-316KB] Dec 2010 - Online Video Users [PDF-445KB] Dec 2010
- Podcasts [PDF-220KB]Dec 2010
- Social Networking [PDF-835KB]Dec 2010
- Text Messaging [PDF-174KB]Jan 2011
We encourage feedback, so please contact socialmedia@cdc.gov with questions or comments.
Databases
National Cancer Institute. Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS) – Information about the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), which surveys how Americans find and use cancer information.
National Institutes of Health (NIH) – Computer Retrieval of Information on Scientific Projects (CRISP) Note no url provided.
U.S. Census Bureau – Information about population, housing, economic, and geographic data.
Nonprofit Organizations/Research Centers
Institute of Medicine – Information about a an independent, nonprofit organization that works outside of government to provide unbiased and authoritative advice to decision makers and the public.
Kaiser Family Foundation – Information about the Kasier Family Foundation, which is a non-profit, private operating foundation focusing on the major health care issues facing the U.S., as well as the U.S. role in global health policy.
National Center on Nonprofit Enterprise – Resource for nonprofit organizations to enable them to increase their impact and sustainability.
Federal Research
CDC Health Protection Research Guide, 2006-2015 [PDF - 1.54MB] – A guide to public health research needs for academicians and practitioners.
FedStats – Celebrating over 10 years of making statistics from more than 100 agencies available to citizens everywhere.
Healthy People 2020 – Information about Healthy People 2020 which encourages individuals, communities, and professionals to take steps to ensure good health.
National Cancer Institute – Information regarding NCI initiatives and resources for cancer.
Cancer Information Service Research Program – Resource for individuals to find cancer-related information.
Centers of Excellence in Cancer Communications Research (CECCR) – Information about the National Cancer Institute Health Communication and Informatic Research Initative
Health Information National Trends Survey – Information about the Health Information National Trends Survey (HINTS), which surveys how Americans find and use cancer information.
Journals and Reports
American Journal of Public Health – A public health publication featuring original work in research, research methods, and program evaluation.
Journal of Health Communication – A health communication journal published bimonthly which features the latest development in risk communication, health literacy, social marketing, communication (from interpersonal to mass media), psychology, government, policy-making, and health education around the world.
Journal of Medical Internet Research – An online peer-reviewed transdisciplinary journal on health and health care.
Public Relations Society of America (PRSA) Health Academy Newsletter – Resource for public relations practitioners involved in the health care industry.
Search the Journal Database for additional publications – An online database of journals for public health professionals.
Improving Health Through Health Marketing – Download the PDF version [PDF-81.6KB] – An essay about Health Marketing
National Cancer Institute Publications – An online resource for free publications.
Research Tools
Theory at a Glance [PDF-3.36MB] National Cancer Institute – Resource for public health practitioneers and the public health community summarizing health behavior theories.
Latin American Network Information Center – Resources for Latin Americans.
NSW Multicultural Health Communication Service – Resource to help health professionals communicate with non-English speaking communities throughout NSW.
Evaluation
CDC's Evaluation Framework – As the targets of public health actions have expanded beyond infectious diseases to include chronic diseases, violence, emerging pathogens, threats of bioterrorism, and the social contexts that influence health disparities, CDC has developed a framework for program evaluation.
An Evaluation Primer on Health Risk Communication Programs and Outcomes (Agency for Toxic Substances and Disease Registry) – Information about ATSDR Evaluation Primer on Health Risk Communication Programs.
Guidance for Evaluating Mass Health Communication Initiatives – Summary of discussions addressing the challenges of evaluating mass communication health initiatives.
What We Know About... Evaluation Planning? [PDF-447.5KB] – Summary of research regarding Evaluation Planning.
University of Arizona- Community Health Worker Evaluation Toolkit Child Welfare Information Gateway (HHS) – An introduction to Logic Models – two approaches
MMWR Evaluation Framework 2004 – Framework for Evaluating Public Health Surveillance Systems for Early Detection of Outbreaks (MMWR, May, 2004)
Evaluation Design for Public Health Communications Programs [PDF-92.47KB]
Program Evaluation Resources (CDC-Healthy Youth) – Evaluation tutorials
Public Communication Campaign Evaluation [PDF-190.47KB] – An environmental scan of challenges, criticisms, practice, and opportunities prepared for the Harvard Family Research Project
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