Tailoring Health Messages: Customizing Communication With Computer Technology / Edition 1

by Matthew W. Kreuter, David W. Farrell, Laura R. Olevitch, Laura K. Brennan

Overview

Through the use of new technologies, researchers, and practitioners in health education and health communication can now provide health information and behavior change strategies that are customized based on the unique needs, interests, and concerns of different individuals. These tailored health messages can be highly effective in assisting individuals in understanding and responding to health concerns.

In this volume, Matthew Kreuter, David Farrell, and their colleagues define the process of tailoring and describe its uses in health communication programs. They present a theoretical and public health rationale for tailoring and support their position with empirical evidence. They also lay out the steps involved in creating and delivering tailored health communication programs, which can then be applied in practice. Practitioners, researchers, and students in health communication, health psychology, public health, and related areas will find this book to be a vital and invaluable resource for improving communication about health issues.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780805833874
Publisher:	Taylor & Francis
Publication date:	10/01/1999
Series:	Routledge Communication Series
Edition description:	New Edition
Pages:	284
Product dimensions:	6.00(w) x 9.00(h) x (d)

About the Author

Laura R. Olevitch, Matthew W. Kreuter, David W. Farrell, Laura K. Brennan

Table of Contents

Contents: Foreword. What Is Tailored Health Communication? Why Tailor Health Information? An Overview of the Tailoring Process. Background Research: Understanding the Health Problem and Target Population. Developing a Program Framework. Developing a Tailoring Assessment Questionnaire: How to Measure Key Determinants. Developing Design Templates. Message Concepts. Writing Tailored Messages: Creating the Feedback. Creating Tailored Communication Programs: Linking Messages and Algorithms. Creating the Tailoring Program. Implementing a Tailored Health Communication Program. Evaluating Tailored Health Communication Programs. Epilogue: The Future of Tailored Health Communication.

Editorial Reviews

"Tailoring Health Messages fills an important void by providing a scholarly how-to resource that will be as valuable to researchers as it is to practitioners. [It] is a groundbreaking contribution and should be read by all who want to communicate more effectively about health."
—Barbara K. Rimer
National Cancer Institute, From the Foreword

From the Publisher

Defines the process of creating health information and behavior change strategies that are customized based on unique needs and interests of different individuals and populations, and describes the rise of tailoring in health communication programs. Presents a theoretical and public health rationale for tailoring, supported by empirical evidence, and lays out steps involved in creating and delivering tailored health communication programs. Kreuter is director of the Health Communication Research Laboratory at Saint Louis University. Annotation c. Book News, Inc., Portland, OR (booknews.com)

Booknews