Tailored and targeted health communication: strategies for enhancing information relevance.
OBJECTIVE
To discuss tailored messages in the broader context of communication strategies designed to enhance the relevance of health information to a given audience.


METHODS
Describe specific mechanisms through which tailored health communication can enhance message relevance and identify situations in which the use of tailoring is most appropriate.


RESULTS
Overall, tailored messages appear to stimulate greater cognitive activity than do messages that are not tailored. However, non-tailored messages that happen to be a good fit for a given individual also have similar effects.


CONCLUSIONS
Health communication programs and materials that succeed in making information relevant to their intended audience will be more effective than those that do not. Tailoring is a proven approach to enhancing message relevance, but not the only approach to do so, and under many circumstances may not be the preferred choice.
Kreuter
Matthew W
MW
Health Communication Research Laboratory, School of Public Health, Saint Louis University, St. Louis, MO 63104, USA. kreuter@slu.edu
Wray
Ricardo J
RJ
D035841:Behavioral Research; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006293:Health Promotion / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D008402:Mass Media; D009765:Obesity / Q000517:prevention & control / Q000523:psychology*; D010565:Persuasive Communication; D040241:Social Marketing; D015431:Weight Loss