The Department of Health and Human Services, Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has a requirement for services to assist in the planning, development, production, distribution and evaluation of health communication and social marketing strategies and materials.

Health communication is a vital component of public health strategies. Because a major proportion of morbidity and mortality is preventable through behavioral changes, communication about health risks and benefits is critical. In fact, clear and concerted health communication strategies and methods are cornerstone of many public health campaigns that focus on behavioral change, including smoking cessation; HIV and STD prevention; blood pressure control; promotion of breast examination, mammography, immunization, physical activity, and improved nutrition; reduction of exposure to toxic chemicals and waste and response to emergencies such as the COVID-19 epidemic. Such efforts typically involve expertise adapted from fields such as social marketing, advertising, mass communication, digital and social media, health literacy, health education, health promotion, and behavioral and social sciences.

CDC’s health communication and social marketing activities use various channels, products, and tactics to reach different audiences with health information based on their needs and preferences. Formative research is conducted during the early developmental process, and may include assessing an audience’s health literacy, knowledge, attitudes and beliefs about a health topic, current health behaviors and practices, and motivation to change behavior. Formative research also can explore the importance of alternative intervention concepts and compare the effects of alternative communication “treatments.” Knowing the health literacy issues for specific audiences and pretesting persuasive communication are essential steps in developing effective health communication materials and are an important part of formative evaluation. Exploratory, concept, and message testing are part of an integrated approach to the development of effective communication materials and strategies. Formative research requires expertise in social and behavioral science, behavior change, and quantitative and qualitative research methods. CDC’s approach to evaluating health communication includes process evaluation and effectiveness/impact and outcome evaluation. This approach recognizes the centrality of evaluation in every step of health communication planning and implementation. 

• Task 1. Communication Science and Program Planning
• Task 2. Product Development
• Task 3. Implementation/Dissemination
• Task 4. Partnership Development and Management
• Task 5. Communication Meeting and Conference Support
• Task 6. Technical Assistance and Training
• Task 7. Database Development/Management
• Task 8. Process, Outcome and/or Impact Evaluation
• Task 9. Project and Account Management
• Task 10. Emergency Response Communication