Health education and marketing processes: 2 related methods for achieving health behavior change.
OBJECTIVE
To make salient the striking similarities between the program planning processes used in both health education and contemporary marketing.


METHODS
Through a discussion of the analogous nature of both processes and a review of the literature, the authors (1) illustrate why marketing principles should be embraced and (2) suggest how marketing strategies can be integrated into health education needs assessments.


RESULTS
Core health-marketing concepts are proposed along with 4 recommendations for future marketing activities in health education.


CONCLUSIONS
To facilitate an advance in health education process and practice, scholars and practitioners should adopt a more consumer-centered, marketing mind-set.
Stellefson
Michael
M
Office of Health Informatics, Division of Health Education, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843, USA. mstell@hlkn.tamu.edu
Eddy
James M
JM
D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000379:methods*; D006801:Humans; D017146:Models, Organizational; D020380:Needs Assessment; D040241:Social Marketing