Warning:

This document is being maintained for historical purposes, but is now out of date. To view current guidelines please visit:

• HIV/AIDS Guidelines and Recommendations   at http://www.cdc.gov/hiv/guidelines/index.html

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Guidelines for Health Education and Risk Reduction Activities

April 1995
                
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention
Atlanta, Georgia

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                      Planning for Public Information

To be effective, public information programs must be consistent with and
supportive of broader programmatic objectives (e.g., to inform target
audiences about and motivate them to use existing HIV counseling and
testing services).  Therefore, public information plans should be developed
as one component of the comprehensive HIV prevention plan.

During the planning process, a number of key questions should be asked. 
The answers, which should be derived from targeted needs assessment data,
will help to assure that public information efforts will support the
HIV/AIDS prevention program objectives.  These questions cover the
following issues:
    
  - What are the media preferences and habits of the target audience?  What
    information sources (such as social networks, churches/religious
    institutions, coaches) do they consider credible?

  - What are the media and other organizations that provide information in
    the targeted area?  Which activities are related to public information? 
    What are the specific audiences?

  - What prevention program goals and objectives can public information
    support (e.g., increased knowledge, change in attitudes, motivation to
    act, increased skills, other behaviors)? 

  - What services/program activities should be promoted?  

  - What measurable objectives can be established?  How can progress be
    tracked?

  - What are the broad message concepts for the target audience?  What
    should they be told?  What do they want to know?  Who will they believe
    and trust?
            
  - What communication channels are most appropriate for reaching target
    audiences (e.g., radio, TV, print media, worksite, face-to-face,
    voluntary organizations, or the health care sector)?
  
  - What materials formats will best suit these channels and messages?  Are
    there any existing materials that can be used or adapted?

  - How can the resources be used most effectively and for what combination
    of activities?

In addition to answering these key questions, an important part of the
planning process is determining the short- and long-term objectives of the
public information program.  Objectives could include the following:
 
  -     Increase the number of persons (target audience) calling a hotline
        or requesting information/expressing an interest in other ways.

  -     Increase the number of program participants, volunteers, requests
        for activities within a community.

  - Increase beliefs among community leaders that support for HIV/AIDS
    issues is important.

  - Increase the numbers of partner, family, or other discussions about
    HIV/AIDS.

A comprehensive program could include all of these objectives.  Most
communities may find that they can take on one or two objectives at a time,
then add to or alter their program focus as the program develops or
community needs change.

Staff Training in Planning for Public Information

Staff working in public information programs should review, discuss, and
receive training based upon the CDC health communication framework or a
similar planning model such as that found in Making Health Communication
Programs Work: A Planner's Guide.  (See Resources and References p. 74).

Staff should also be familiar with methods for tracking and evaluating
public information activities.

Table_B1  Standards For Effective Public Information Programs

Table_B2  Guidelines For Effective Public Information Programs

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