Printed health education materials frequently consist of mass-produced brochures, booklets, or pamphlets designed for a general population audience. Although this one-size-fits-all approach might be appropriate under certain circumstances and even produce small changes at relatively modest costs, it cannot address the unique needs, interests, and concerns of different individuals. With the advent and dissemination of new communication technologies, our ability to collect information from individuals and provide feedback tailored to the specific information collected is not only possible, but practical. The purpose of this article is to: (a) distinguish between tailored print communication and other common communication-based approaches to health education and behavior change; (b) present a theoretical and public health rationale for tailoring health information; and (c) describe the steps involved in creating and delivering tailored print communication programs. Studies suggest computer tailoring is a promising strategy for health education and behavior change. Practitioners and researchers should understand the approach and consider the possibilities it presents for enhancing their work in disease prevention.

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The manner of presentation of cancer risk information is critical to its understanding and acceptance by the individual recipient. Optimal communication of cancer risk information must effectively translate the technical meaning and subtleties of risk and its associated factors to a conceptual level understandable by the recipient. Tailored print communications (TPCs) may be an appropriate medium for cancer risk communication (CRC). TPCs are more refined than targeted communication materials. They are print materials created especially for an individual on the basis of knowledge about that person. The goal is to provide individually relevant and appropriate information. This review examines the nature of TPCs, assesses the use and potential of TPCs for the purpose of CRC, and highlights new directions in CRC. Articles dealing with TPCs were located by searching the MEDLINE® and PsychInfo® databases and seeking in-press articles. TPCs were identified for several areas of CRC, including dietary change, smoking cessation, mammography use, hormone replacement therapy, health risk appraisal, and genetic susceptibility to cancer. Although TPCs have been used in a number of different behavioral areas, they have not yet achieved their potential for CRC. The use of TPCs in the communication of cancer risk shows great promise, however, particularly as knowledge evolves regarding both the nature of risk and the most effective tailoring of health communication messages. [Monogr Natl Cancer Inst 1999;25:140-8]

The authors tested an empirical definition of comprehension and investigated the relationship between comprehension, retention, attitudes, beliefs, and behavioral change in response to a persuasive health message. The study used a randomized post-tests only design with one experimental and one control group. A booklet about exercise was given to experimental group participants in their homes. They were interviewed immediately after reading the booklet and one month later. Control group participants were interviewed at both times without exposure to the booklet. The authors found that participants who were able to operationalize key concepts related to the exercise message were the most likely group to have performed the recommended behavior according to self-reports. Measures of recognition and recall were not significantly related to behavior, but measures of psychological-operational meaning (defined as the learner's ability to use the information and relate it to his/her own life) were related significantly to self-reported behavior. The authors also examined the relationship of comprehension to other variables, such as attitudes, beliefs, and behavior. The study's results support the hypothesis that comprehension is a necessary but not sufficient precursor of behavior. Implications for both program design and measurement are discussed.

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