Blanca Caballero and Jena Losch, O ce of Environmental Health

Meaningful Strategies When Disseminating Health Information for the Public
Authors: Blanca Caballero and Jena Losch, Office of Environmental Health, Arizona Department of Health Services
Share materials with other health departments. If you
have created a template for a brochure, or found a
strategy that has gotten a lot of positive response, share!
Are knowledge, skills, and abilities being
changed? Evaluation measures, such as
knowledge based surveys, can help determine
if your approach is working.
Gather
Feedback
Update your materials regularly. Most
people go to the internet to look up
health information, so make sure all of
your health materials reflect the latest
research available and still look modern.
Create a list of key stakeholders.
Start with connections at the
health department. For example, our
medical director tested our lead
screening guide at her medical clinic.
Start a marketing committee if your
health department doesn’t have one.
This committee has a representative
from each program and also
includes people like the CIO, the
media team, and marketing/design
staff. They can do a first run through
to make sure your material is easy to
comprehend, and stays consistent
with agency messaging.
4
Test
Material
on Target
Audience
5
Decide
on a Health
Education
Topic
Meaningful
Strategies When
Disseminating
Health Information
to the Public
3
Limit health education materials
to one main topic.
What do you want the main
take away message to be?
You can also create a slogan or
hashtag to make the
message stick.
1
COOK RAW
GROUND MEATS TO
155°F FOR 15 SECONDS
155°F
COOK RAW
FISH TO
145°F FOR 15 SECONDS
SEE ARIZONA FOOD CODE 3-401.11
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
www.azdhs.gov/food-code
145°F
SEE ARIZONA FOOD CODE 3-401.11
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
www.azdhs.gov/food-code
Determine
the
Audience
2
Create First
Draft on
Material
FOOD EMPLOYEES
MUST WASH
THEIR HANDS
SEE ARIZONA FOOD CODE 2-301.12
FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
www.azdhs.gov/food-code
Determine your target ages, genders,
ethnicities, beliefs, cultures, literacy
skills, etc. You can make multiple
versions, such as one for elementary
school children, and one for their
parents, and have material in
multiple languages as necessary.
What format will be most useful and
best received to the audience?
Bookmark, magnet, sticker, website,
social media campaign?
Protect Yourself from Norovirus
Wash your hands often
How much arsenic is too
much arsenic?
Rinse fruits and vegetablesArizona Department of Health Services has developed a
Recommended well
water testing schedule:
simple method to determine if arsenic levels are too high,
using the color code below
Anyone can create great health education.
Create trainings to showcase resources
available, such as how to use design
software, tips, and tricks.
You don’t have to spend a lot of money on design software. Piktochart is a free
software used to create modern graphics. Use in partnership with MS Suite, such
as PowerPoint and Publisher to make engaging graphics.
Would you pick up the material
you are creating? Make the front
cover or graphics modern and
pleasing to the eye. Leave lots
of white space.
Cook shellfish thoroughly ppb is parts per billion and mg/L is milligrams per liter.
Clean surfaces and wash
laundry
When you’re sick, don’t
prepare food or care for others
www.azhealth.gov/food-code
A well water professional should be
consulted if you have a contaminated
well. Visit wellowner.org to find
a well water contractor.
Office of Environmental Health
th
150 N 18 Avenue, Suite 140
Phoenix, Arizona 85007
(602) 364-3118
www.azhealth.gov
Is your main message is clear? Organize the messages so they are easy to
act on and recall. Pictures/Pictograms are easier to understand than words.