title: Marketing health educators to employers: survey findings, interpretations, and considerations for the profession.
abstract: In July 2007, a market research report was produced by Hezel Associates on behalf of five sponsoring health education profession member organizations and the National Commission for Health Education Credentialing. The purpose of the survey was to learn about current or potential employers' knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors toward health educators and the health education profession and their future hiring practices. This article presents the background leading up to the production of this report, the major findings of the survey of employers, recommendations from the market research group regarding core messages, and implications for the profession having discovered for the first time information about employers' understanding of professionally prepared health educators. The article discusses the umbrella and key messages that may be incorporated into a marketing plan and other recommendations by the firm that should assist health educators in marketing the profession. Furthermore, this article presents reactions by leaders in this field to these messages and recommendations and concludes with next steps in this project and a call for the overall need to market the profession of health education.
authors.affiliation: College of Nursing and Health Professions, Drexel University, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19102, USA. sfg23@drexel.edu
authors.forename: Stephen F
authors.initials: SF
authors.lastname: Gambescia
authors.forename: Randall R
authors.initials: RR
authors.lastname: Cottrell
authors.forename: Ellen
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Capwell
authors.forename: M Elaine
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Auld
authors.forename: Kathleen
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Mullen Conley
authors.forename: Linda
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lysoby
authors.forename: Malcolm
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Goldsmith
authors.forename: Becky
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Smith
mesh_terms: D002568:Certification; D004522:Educational Status; D015438:Health Behavior; D006266:Health Education / Q000458:organization & administration*; D040441:Health Educators / Q000458:organization & administration* / Q000592:standards; D007722:Health Knowledge, Attitudes, Practice; D006801:Humans; D008389:Marketing of Health Services / Q000458:organization & administration*; D016272:Occupational Health; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires; D017132:Workplace